Speaking of the Prius... Real world expierence.

[two_bit_score]

It's not the type fuel, it's how you make mechanical power from it. Converting it from what ever to electricity, then send it down a power line can be as much as 50% inefficient. Stepping the voltage down, then storing it then taking it out of battery looses efficiency each step. The gallon of fuel at the power plant charging cars somewhere else can't by laws of physics produce the same power as burning it directly in a TDi. HS

Oh I get that point. Just saying CNG would beat both if we could get some CNG stations available to the majority of drivers.

 

[houstonscott]

Oh I get that point. Just saying CNG would beat both if we could get some CNG stations available to the majority of drivers.

CNG is being used now, replacing coal in power plants and in commercial uses in trucking, public transportation, and is being looked at for rail locomotives too. It's use is significantly increasing. Storage and volume are issues for NG in cars, bio diesel is the fuel, and high pressure diesels are the correct answer to best solution and use of resources. Electric is just to wasteful, and large scale battery use is highly polluting, and a waste of rare earth minerals needed else ware in our lives. HS

 

[Egon]

Them Diesel Electric locomotives must be pretty inefficient then.

 

[bcp]

Them Diesel Electric locomotives must be pretty inefficient then.

Mechanical and hydraulic transmissions didn't work out at those horsepower levels. Electric does work.

Bruce

 

[Diamondpilot]

CNG is being used now, replacing coal in power plants and in commercial uses in trucking, public transportation, and is being looked at for rail locomotives too. It's use is significantly increasing. Storage and volume are issues for NG in cars, bio diesel is the fuel, and high pressure diesels are the correct answer to best solution and use of resources. Electric is just to wasteful, and large scale battery use is highly polluting, and a waste of rare earth minerals needed else ware in our lives. HS

Bio diesel is not a smart option. Too much cost involved without government help. Biggest fraud case in state history is going on right now with the bio plant that operated for less than 5 years just 3.5 miles from my house.

The real cost was $8 per gallon for bio. Only thing saving it was subsidies.

Chris

 

[powerpace]

Any car that either generates electricity for power or uses power from batteries charged from out side from fossil fuel can by laws of physics never be as fuel efficient as burning the fossil fuel ( gas, diesel, natural gas) directly. Converting to electricity and back to storage and back are highly inefficient, and a gigantic waste of resources, and any automotive engineer will tell you the weight of the batteries is a gigantic penalty. HS

The conversion of fossil fuel to electric is a minor part of the hybrid. The electricity is only used when there is a excess of power produced by the engine. Going downhill the engine is off. No RPMs unless the battery is low, low, low. The engine will run for a couple of minutes to get the battery up to a minimum charge and the regenerative braking system which has been producing electricity all along will continue to charge the battery. This can happen when there is a long haul up hill for several miles. Of course going down the other side recoups the lost GPM.

Just easing up on the gas pedal regenerates the battery as well as downhill or using the brakes. In actuality the brakes are hardly ever engaged. The regenerative effects of the system slows the vehicle and regenerates electricity.

The weight of my Prius battery is a little over 100 pounds. Hardly a excess weight. The 12 volt batterey is about the same size as a motorcycle battery.

My Pruis is not the plug in kind.

I get forty seven to fifty miles to the gallon on the freeway uphill and down. Average 4000 miles per month. The first Prius is still getting 45-47 MPG at nearly 250,000 miles.

I save about $154 per month in fuel compared to anyother $27,000 car. Maintenance is next to nothing. Insurance is less compared to other midsized cars. Overall I save money each month comparing what I would drive otherwise. When the price of fuel increases I save even more by not driving a standard vehicle.

 

[troutsqueezer]

The 12volt battery is the same size as most car batteries but is a lot more work to change and isn't cheap at around $125. At least it is on my 2005.

 

[powerpace]

The 12volt battery is the same size as most car batteries but is a lot more work to change and isn't cheap at around $125. At least it is on my 2005.

2013 is different and accessable.

 

[houstonscott]

The conversion of fossil fuel to electric is a minor part of the hybrid. The electricity is only used when there is a excess of power produced by the engine. Going downhill the engine is off. No RPMs unless the battery is low, low, low. The engine will run for a couple of minutes to get the battery up to a minimum charge and the regenerative braking system which has been producing electricity all along will continue to charge the battery. This can happen when there is a long haul up hill for several miles. Of course going down the other side recoups the lost GPM. Just easing up on the gas pedal regenerates the battery as well as downhill or using the brakes. In actuality the brakes are hardly ever engaged. The regenerative effects of the system slows the vehicle and regenerates electricity. The weight of my Prius battery is a little over 100 pounds. Hardly a excess weight. The 12 volt batterey is about the same size as a motorcycle battery. My Pruis is not the plug in kind. I get forty seven to fifty miles to the gallon on the freeway uphill and down. Average 4000 miles per month. The first Prius is still getting 45-47 MPG at nearly 250,000 miles. I save about $154 per month in fuel compared to anyother $27,000 car. Maintenance is next to nothing. Insurance is less compared to other midsized cars. Overall I save money each month comparing what I would drive otherwise. When the price of fuel increases I save even more by not driving a standard vehicle.

A similar sized TDi gets 80-100 mpg. HS

 

[PoorMansCat]

The problem isn't so much the car as the loose nut behind the wheel.

Aaron Z

Agreed!