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Re: Hybrid cars

> Diesel car has never been popular in this part of the world. I wonder

>> if hybrid car is just another one of those items, where people buy to >> make an environmental statement, or a "fad" of the 20th century. >> How do hybrid cars really compare with regular cars in terms of: gas >> consumptions, car insurance cost, maintenance costs, easy access for >> repair in car garages, solving the world's environmental problems. >> So far, I still see that hybrid cars receptions are still rather muted >> or muzzled. I notice that people buy them just to show off, or just to >> make statement that they are not gas guzzlers. Is this true? Would >> like to hear some opinion and discussion. >> >> > >I don't think it's so much of a fad as it is a resource conservation >concern. The government seems to be pushing these cars and encouraging >their development and sales. Not necessarily to save you money, but >probably to conserve the oil resources and lighten our link to foreign >countries. If everyone drove a hybrid our country would be doing better >economically in that standing, but as you point out they'd have to be a >lot more economical to the user.

Maybe I'm a cynic, but IMO the current government is pushing hybrids, hydrogen, ethanol, etc. to distract the public and shut down discussion of measures which might actually reduce fuel consumption. The subsidy for hybrids is a tiny fraction of the subsidy for real estate agents to buy Hummers. Throwing a little money at fuel cell research is much cheaper and much more over-the-horizon than improving mass transit. Any measures which might decrease fuel consumption by monster SUVs are strictly off the table.

Reply to
Gordon McGrew
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Message from Gordon McGrew written on 2/4/2006 11:57 AM:

Doesn't GM have a hybrid Silverado truck now? And doesn't both Ford and Toyota have hybrid versions of some of their SUV's. I would think that would make them more fuel efficient (if one can afford to buy them!)

Reply to
jcr

Go to the Chevy web site and see how much information you can find on this "hybrid." Then see how much information is available on the "THUNDERING 345-HP VORTEC MAX 6000 V8"

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The Ford and Toyota might theoretically save some fuel if they replace a vehicle of equivalent size, but I don't wee many out there compared to the number of Avalanches and Tahoes driving around. In any event, my criticism isn't of hybrids, it's of the government policies that throw a few crumbs at a huge problem while refusing to take the most simple steps toward reforming defective regulations. For example, what is the EPA fuel economy of a Hummer H2? Give up? It's a trick question. It doesn't have one because it is not a light truck. It doesn't count against the GM CAFE.

Reply to
Gordon McGrew

If the government got back into this they would just mess it up worse than it already is at best and create even worse "unintended consequences". CAFE is a big contributor to what pushed people to buy these monstrosities. And all because a family sedan or wagon that could tow 5000 pounds and haul 7 people around couldn't be built any longer and still meet CAFE. The American family still had the requirement for vehicles with those capabilities. Enter the scene first was the minivan (as a people mover, not so much a tow vehicle), followed by the SUV that covers both requirements

Before you say anything, I drive a mid-sized sedan and never owned an SUV. But when the kids were still around, we simply didn't all fit in a "sedan" and needed at least a minivan. So that is what we had.

Reply to
jcr

I agree. The amount of increased spending the administration is talking about is minimal, and it is going to be directed in some wrong ways. We don't NEED fuel cells to run our cars on hydrogen. The gasoline or diesel engine can be easily adapted to run on hydrogen. We need the research on how to economically OBTAIN hydrogen.

Reply to
Don Stauffer

Just making it a hybrid does not save gas. It is how it is done- the numbers are important.

A properly designed hybrid sizes the IC engine to equal the AVERAGE power requirement, the electric motor to fit the difference between desired PEAK and the AVERAGE.

Many of these so-called hybrids have very large IC engines with a small electric motor to provide a slight performance boost. Yeah, they are technically hybrids, but not worth much. A 300 hp IC engine and a 25 horse electric is not going to save you much gas.

Reply to
Don Stauffer

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