Hybrid vehicles

[Iormlund]

Alright fair, there is that subgroup of hybrids. Odd though to talk about them as representative of the entire class.

Who said they're representative of a class? I merely said I wouldn't bother with one that didn't have the option to plug in, since the rest are no better than frugal combustion-powered cars.

And specs across the board generally have hybrids pretty close to the same weight as regular combustion engines.

Total car weight != powerplant/battery weight. There are a lot of ways for engineers to compensate for the weight of batteries (reduced range, performance, faster degradation of batteries, more expensive materials, etc). None are free.

[mongers]

British gallons and American gallons are not the same. Metric system FTW.

Had no idea, thanks.

Gosh, you should know the American consumer gets short changed on many things, but then again they aren't paying over $10/£6.00 for their gallon of petrol/gas.

[Valmy]

E:  Austin traffic doesn't need any qualifiers.  It's bad.  "WHY IS IT THIS BAD GODDAMMIT I JUST WANT TO GO TO FT WORTH AHHHHHHHHH" bad.  It's remarkably similar to what I was yelling when I was living in SoCal and driving around on the 5.

Austin is 8th worst in the country according to: http://scorecard.inrix.com/scorecard/

So quit moving here damnit!

[merithyn]

You could go for a diesel hybrid. Oh wait, they don't sell those in America. 

Yes, they do.

[merithyn]

Total car weight != powerplant/battery weight. There are a lot of ways for engineers to compensate for the weight of batteries (reduced range, performance, faster degradation of batteries, more expensive materials, etc). None are free.

If the engineers compensate for the weight of the battery, why does it matter if we're talking battery weight over car weight? When it comes to pushing the car forward, total weight is what counts. Seems a non-issue.

[ulmont]

You could go for a diesel hybrid. Oh wait, they don't sell those in America. 

Yes, they do.

From that article, 3rd bullet point at the top:
"The U.S. is not included in the initial market launch of the V60 hybrid."

So here's another article about US sales of an extreme diesel car:
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/90434-2012-vw-passat-brings-hybrid-beating-diesel-tech-stateside

[merithyn]

So here's another article about US sales of a diesel hybrid:
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/90434-2012-vw-passat-brings-hybrid-beating-diesel-tech-stateside

I want! 

[CountDeMoney]

I just hope I score another job this summer, so all the cash I've stored away I can blow on tricking out my Jeep, jacking it up 4" and throwing some wide 35" Nigger Stompers tires on it.

[Richard Hakluyt]

British gallons and American gallons are not the same. Metric system FTW.

Had no idea, thanks.

Gosh, you should know the American consumer gets short changed on many things, but then again they aren't paying over $10/£6.00 for their gallon of petrol/gas.

It is one way of paying taxes and, given the anti-social nature of the car and the size of the country, a good way for the UK.

[viper37]

• How are hybrids on long car trips?

I would imagine similar to other cars of the same category that are not hybrids.  The electric motor usually works until you hit 40-50km, then it switches back to the gaz motor.
An almost all electric vehicle like the Volt would give you better performance on long car trip.

Hybrids are useful for people living in big cities with constant traffic jams or protests like Montreal.  At low speed they are silent, so you can jump on the protestors more efficiently

In any case, if you do a lot of long trips and only a few short strips with this car, you are better of with the same non-hybrid model (like regular Camry).
They'll be 8-10 000$ less.

[MadImmortalMan]

Make sure you put a stick-figure family on the back window. That always delights passers-by who have a genuine interest in your private life.

[merithyn]

Make sure you put a stick-figure family on the back window. That always delights passers-by who have a genuine interest in your private life.

[Tonitrus]

Make sure you put a stick-figure family on the back window. That always delights passers-by who have a genuine interest in your private life.

[lustindarkness]

My mother-in-law had a prius, I liked that car, drives nice and mpg was great, but I would never buy one for myself. Just not my thing. My FJ is already running on eco friendly hydrocarbons. 

Meri, the question is, why hybrid?
If it is to save the planet, it is worst for the enviroment than a non hybrid car.
MPG? There are better options.
Can't think of any other reason why someone would want one. 

[merithyn]

Meri, the question is, why hybrid?
If it is to save the planet, it is worst for the enviroment than a non hybrid car.
MPG? There are better options.
Can't think of any other reason why someone would want one. 

Esplain to me, please.