Hybrid Subaru?

I heard a rumor Subaru will be coming out with a hybrid soon. Does anybody know anything about this?

Regards, Dwight '97 Legacy Wagon '03 Legacy GT Sedan

Reply to
Dwight Morrow
Loading thread data ...

I haven't heard about this, but I sure hope you heard right and I missed something. I would *love* to make my next car a Subie hybrid. :>

Reply to
Catherine Hampton

Subaru plans to sell hybrid cars at 2006. Now developping battery in combination with NEC. Following HP shows detailed information, but in Japanese only.

formatting link

Reply to
SB

If you follow this link you will find a photo and brief story on the B-9

formatting link
Jeff

Reply to
Jeff
[posted and mailed]

Dwight Morrow wrote in news:BBCF0EA6.85FF% snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net:

I am not aware of any plans for an actual production vehicle. They showed the B9 Scrambler concept at the Tokyo Motor Show. I posted this info earlier:

formatting link

They also have an electric concept vehicle, the R1e:

formatting link

Reply to
Fuzzy Logic

I would love to buy a Subaru hybrid. However, if they wait to long, I'll go with the Prius... something I'd never thought I'd do since I am so loyal to Subaru. John

Reply to
John M.

You guys hopefully realize that the current generation hybrids only work well in city stop-and-go traffic, and are absolute dogs on long-distance highway driving?

- D.

Reply to
TransFixed

Huh? I recommend you go and rent one. My Forester was in the shop for body repair and I rented a Toyota Prius. After one week of driving it I didn't want to give it back. The Forester is now sold and I own a Prius. Absolutely wonderful for all kinds of driving, including my 70 mile round-trip commute and trips hundreds of miles away. It is much quieter than my Forester was and gets 50+mpg in the summer, 47 in the winter.

(Household still has 2 other Outback wagons..)

Reply to
LC

On Mon, 10 Nov 2003 09:07:55 GMT, TransFixed wrote in news:JzIrb.27243$L77.8995@fed1read03:

Huh?

formatting link
formatting link
formatting link

Reply to
Dave Null Sr.

But he's talking about a Honda Civic. Are you calling that a hybrid? If so, that's a new development for this old boy. I've had one, only one, but it was gasoline 4 cycle!

Reply to
GTT

In the US there is a Civic hybrid gasoline/electric. TG

long-distance

Reply to
TG

Okay, but back to your original comment, are you sure that the Honda Civic that outruns your Subie all day long is a hybrid? I would have to be convinced of that... That's the very reason I'd never consider buying a hybrid for hiway driving, they are so speed limited. In fact, when I drove a Honda recently (before buying the Forester) I asked the salesman about his hybrids and that was his remark to me. He'd never try to use one for a highway car! Do you know differently?

Reply to
GTT

The Civic hybrid...and it IS a hybrid, my best friends car, might have a speed limiter as most new cars do but we recently drove it on a 240 mile trip going 80MPH all the way. The speed limit here is 75MPH so not much use in anything faster. Instead of asking me just read some of the online reviews. The car EASILY did the 80MPH and we were not pushing it in any way, heck it was brand new and not broke in yet. A really cool car if you can get used to some of the weird stuff. Are you sure your not thinking of an electric car or something? WHY would a hybrid be speed limited or make a poor highway car? TG

Reply to
TG

Reply to
Tony Hwang

formatting link
The Honda Civic Hybrid has been available since April 2002! Of course, they blend in with all the other Civics on the road so you might not have noticed them...

Reply to
Michelle Vadeboncoeur

"LC" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Interesting editorial on Hybrids (lot's to think about):

formatting link

Reply to
Fuzzy Logic

Luddism at it's best. The fact of the matter is that very early implementations of the Hybrid technology are already more efficient and provide cleaner engines than almost 100 years of diesel development - and unlike the mechanical nature of diesel technology - will probably have the same fast development that other high-technology sectors enjoyed in the past decade.

Why invest in a 19th century technology when you can invest in 21st century technology is beyond me - but only time will tell.

As for the specific questions he asks -

- What is the price of replacing the batteries in the hybrid - they are under warranty for 7 or 8 years, the real question is how much they will cost to replace at that time. (How much did 512MB of memory cost 7 years ago?)

- How much for the electric motor - this should be easy to find - the electric motor is something that you can find in millions of appliances - the smarts of the Hybrids are not the motor itself which is proven technology - but the management and interaction between the two engines and the regenerative components.

- Salt and sand spray - why should these components be any different from any other component that is enclosed?

- Why does the Prius cost so much more than the Echo? - Because we are in an early phase of development and one of them is a sub-compact while the other is a medium sized machine. The correct comparison is between the Prius and the Camry - but the "editorial" chose to ask the question that presented it's point of view in a falltering light instead of comparing apples to apples.

- Why sell a car for half it's cost - Toyota states that they have made money on the first generation Prius and plan to do the same for the 2nd - can he really support his opinion that they are losing money building it?

Ron.

Reply to
Ron Loewy

Nope, as I said in my earlier note, I was at our Honda dealer talking to the salesman and it was HE who told me about the Hybrid Civic. Said he'd never even consider one since they were such poor highway cars. I gathered the speed was limited, the range was limited and the comfort was the equal of the other two. Good to hear you've had better experience with one!

Reply to
GTT

The Honda 'hybrid' is in no way, shape, or form a true hybrid similar to the Toyota Prius. The Honda has a 14 hp motor to augment the engine that runs most of the time. John

Reply to
John M.

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.