I'd like to get a hybrid, probably a Prius, but I don't really drive all that much. My 1991 Honda Accord only had about 80,000 miles on it, and I drove it less the last couple of years than ever. So, my question: Does infrequent driving tend to degrade the life of the hybrid battery?
Shouldn't. But what would be the point if you don't drive much, get a Matrix and save the money, unless you like the cool display on the Prius, of course. We have a Prius, but it'll probably get somewhere between 12-15k a year on it.
On the basis of the cost of the car and the cost of fuel, I agree.
Thing is, the Prius has merit beyond it thriftiness. That's primarily why my wife and I bought one. The fuel efficiency is a wonderful plus.
Brent
Well, it's a good car, it's a neat design, but please don't lull yourself into thinking you're 'saving the planet'. You really aren't.
The infrastructure for dealing with the batteries still isn't really in place yet. They'll just sit and rot in a warehouse somewhere until there is a good disposal method.
If you drive in the summer with the AC, or the winter with the heat, the engine is going to run just as much as it would if the car DIDN'T have the batteries, and burn almost as much gas and spew just as much exhaust as it would if the electric motor weren't there.
In other parts of the world, the system is set to run off the electric motor more than the gas motor. In the NA market, they turned the gas motor on more often, in order to give us the performance they think we want.
There are ways to hack the system and set it to the mode used in the rest of the world, but you'll obviously void the warranty. You really won't harm the car; it was actually designed to operate in the other mode primarily.
The Honda Insight was built to run off the gas engine primarliy, using the electric motor for a performance boost when needed, esp down low since an electric motor produces all it's torque right from the start. The Prius was designed to do just the opposite; use the electric motor as the primary motive source with the gas as a baackup and to charge the batteries when required, but as I mentioned earlier, they reversed this for the US market to make it more like the Honda.
Not as reported in the Tribune Newspapers that did a road test of the Hybrid Highlander. The actual fuel mileage is far below what Toyota reports for that vehicle as is the case with their other hybrids. When used as the average driver uses that type of vehicle, the actual fuel mileage they reported was only marginally higher than the conventionally powered V6 Highlnader. Basically they said if your goal is to save money of fuel, forget it. Since the majority of owners only keep their vehicles for about four years, the $7,500 premium that it costs to buy the hybrid over the standard V6 Highlander will buy ALL of the fuel for the V6 for FIVE years. ;)
mike hunt
Right, Mike
The Highlander doesn't use the Atkinson cycle engine, so its conversion of gasoline to useful work is no better than a non-hybrid. Also, since it's a vehicle for the "SUV Crowd" who like a lot of weight and speed and might even drag race now and then, the likelihood of improved gas mileage pretty well has to fall on the recovery of braking energy alone. Big deal.
Chuck
You forgot to say "In my interpritation"
Slim
That's a good one - SUV owners bought them cuz they like speed and a drag race now and then! Isn't that what Mustangs and, got me as to why, Neons and Civics are for. I'd have to pull off the trailer hitch and third row seat in my SUV (and throw out the soccer team) to do any drag racing.
I don't know much about hybrid batteries, but I'd like to steal -- I mean buy -- that Honda ...
You would have to throw out the soccer team before you pulled out the third row seat :-) You could leave the trailer hitch on, just unhitch the trailer. I agree, there are times when you need the seating capacity and off-road capability. We were at a Scout camporee and parking area (mud field) had to be covered in hay before anyone, except those with real off-road capable SUVs could get out.
As someone who's kicked a riced-out Civic's ass in a stoplight drag, while pulling a trailer load of plywood with a 4.0 Jeep Wrangler, I say leave the seats in for effect.
What rice pilot didn't know was that Jeeps are geared so low, they're pretty much flat out at about 65, but can kill anything 0-30. He should have chosen a longer block! My Tacoma can continue the discussion for much longer distances.
4WD dosen't exactly hurt during a street drag launch, either... While rice rocket spins his front tires, you're accelerating.You should have seen the look on his girlfriend's face!
Well, you said a mouthful, there. FWD sucks, for performance.
Lead-acid batteries hold up best when they remain fully charged, but nickel-based batteries, like those used in hybrid cars, seem to tolerate the discharged state well, and most nickel cells are shipped in the discharged state.
I have a Prius and like it a lot, but there's no way I can economically justify it unless I start driving at least 30,000-40,000 miles a year. If you're looking for a 4-door hatchback, the best one available now may be the Mazda 3. I like the Toyota Matrix as well, but its gas consumption in the city is roughly 20% higher (real life, not EPA) compared to the Mazda's and even the sedan Corolla's, although that shouldn't matter if you don't drive much.
And the Mazda with the 2.3 and a 5 speed (or the optional 'tip-tronic' or whatever they call it) tranny is a LOT more fun!
Unless, of course, your score an XRs...
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