Hybrid Vehicles

[FortLaudy 10]

I wanted this:

http://www.flytheroad.com/

but I doubt it will be developed even though the Carver has been on the market for 5 years or so.

The problem with most of these EV's are that they're incredibly small and seem impractical, also I'll be a bit worried buying from a not-so-well-known manufacturer...

[NickD 203]

First requirement is to live in a very mild climate zone, one noted for global warming, hybrids are worthless if you live in Wisconsin. One trick hybrids use is narrow high pressure tires, bicycles also to that, are small, many similar sized European vehicle actually offer more space and get better fuel economy than the Prius. But they are not sold here, even the ones made by GM and Ford.

A hybrid works on the principle of collecting deceleration energy that normally overheats your brakes and with generator action stores that in a relatively small battery. But the Prius battery is not cheap at $7,000.00, but known to give breaks only charging $3,000.00 to users.

Drastic increases are when driving in city traffic, but you can't fly up to a traffic light or a stop sign, won't see any gains at all. But have to take your foot off the gas so the generator does the work and charges the battery. This system does suffer from energy conversion losses, wonder why they don't wind up a spring like on a clock.

Miss my 84 Honda Accord, a four door is plenty of space that consistently got 46 mpg on the highway, but that was before the more stringent EPA requirements, compression ratio had to be reduced with a more rich gas mixture to reduce combustion chamber temperatures where higher ones produce more NOx's. The penalty is reduced fuel economy. EGR valve reduces your engines power capacity by 30% that is also used to reduce NOx's.

But if you buy a hybrid, would stop global warming, ask Al Gore, he will tell you.

Since all the cells are in series and non-replaceable, if just one or two go out, have to replace the entire battery, wonder what brain thought that up?

Electronics is another nightmare.

[NickD 203]

Here is an interesting site about great fuel economy European vehicles. One claim I heard, they don't meet our EPA requirements, but in comparing some European countries, their emission requirement are stricter than ours. Has to be politics as usual.

Top ten mileage friendly European cars.

[FortLaudy 10]

Personally I would not buy a Hybrid, I think it does not solve the root problem: energy dependence on fossil fuels.

I am all for electric cars, just wondering if anyone on here actually owns one and what the problems were with it.

[FortLaudy 10]

a million solar rooftops in Florida will not reduce Florida’s oil dependency by one drop unless we have electric cars also

[Ban Hammer 14,075]

a million solar rooftops in Florida will not reduce Florida’s oil dependency by one drop unless we have electric cars also

but a category 6 hurricane sure would

[FortLaudy 10]

but a category 6 hurricane sure would

I'm for energy independance, if you have a better idea than solar I'll go with it, so far there aint so it's all I've got and so far so good, touch wood for sure on those hurricanes... yikes !

[Nessa 23]

i'm with the bicycle option

[FortLaudy 10]

i'm with the bicycle option

No kidding, I have a little basket at the front of my bike I put the 2 little dogs in, hubby ties Sasha (Siberian Husky) to his bike and we all ride together to the park, it only sucks when it starts raining or Sasha sees a squirrel, pandemonium!