The Hybrid Blog

There are some significant changes to the Highlander Hybrid for the 2008 model year - some of which are good, and some of which are not so good. First up is the pricing - a good thing. The base model will start at $33,700, which is $190 less than last year. The Limited starts at $39,950. Both trim levels come with the 3.3 liter V6 and AWD system standard - no more 2WD model available. This is a curious move, since an AWD system adds weight, which is the enemy of fuel economy.

For 2008 there are three rows of seats, along with a 4″ increase in length to keep the legroom reasonable. The 2008 HH is also wider and taller too - it’s a much larger vehicle all around. It had to be, with the recent RAV4 size increase.

The Highlander Hybrid is not an inexpensive vehicle at all - nearly $40 grand to get leather and all the goodies? Yikes. However, the only other hybrid SUV’s on the market today are the even more expensive Lexus RX400H, and the Ford triplets. For it’s size and equipment, the HH is probably priced about right. We should start seeing the 2008 Highlander Hybrid early next month - October 2007.

Filed under: Highlander Hybrid

Honda announced that they should hit the magic number of 60,000 hybrid sold sometime in the 4th quarter this year. What does it mean to you? Well, the full tax credit will end at the end of this calender year, and will quickly drop over the next year, until it is gone completely. If you’re in the market for a Honda Hybrid ( I strongly recommend the Civic Hybrid ), now would be the time. Well, at least before the end of the year. As long as you qualify, a tax credit is free money, and you shouldn’t pass it up. I’d recommend not waiting until the very end of the year, as there may be a rush on the Civic Hybrid, which could limit availability.

Filed under: Honda

Nissan announced pricing for the 2008 Altima Hybrid - and it only goes up by $80, to $25070 starting price. And of course, there’s still the $2350 tax credit that you may qualify for. Not bad overall for a model rated at 35 mpg city / 33 mpg highway ( remember, that’s on the new EPA model ). The only folks lucky enough to have access to the 2008 Altima Hybrid are those who live in the following states : California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. If you’re not in one of those states, you’re out of lucky, sorry.

Filed under: Altima Hybrid

I have a short 7 mile drive to work each day - generally not the best length of trip to achieve high gas mileage.  Not so in the Civic Hybrid.  In fact, on this short trip, I managed to pull off 56.1 MPG.  Granted this was early in the morning, so no A/C was needed, and I did drive a tad below the speed limit ( not excessively. )  I did drop in and out of EV Mode a few times, but I didn’t stay in long, as I didn’t want to drain the battery too far, and trigger a forced regen.

Towards the end of my trip, I was actually just over 60 MPG ( 61.2 to be exact ), but a trip to the drive-thru for breakfast brought me back down to 56.1.  Now I know the effect that a drive-thru can have on your mileage - out.  Looks like I’ll simply park and go inside next time.  Overall, I’m impressed - EPA on this car is 49 / 51 remember ( based on the 2007 estimates - they’re even lower for 2008 ).  A/C will, of course, cause my average to drop, and since I live in southern Texas, A/C is usually not an option.

Filed under: Civic Hybrid

 Steve Wozniak, yes, the co-founder of Apple, has joined Al Gore III in the Prius Hall of Shame.  See, both these folks have been caught going over 100 MPH in their Prius - something many folks didn’t even know was possible.  Steve was doing 104, which nearly beat out Gore III’s 105 MPH run.  As we all know, speed is the enemy of fuel economy, and going 100+ MPH pretty much defeats the purpose of owning a hybrid in the first place. 

The judge did end up whacking Mr. Wozniak with a $700 fine, which is approximately the equivalent of fining me eleven cents.  Oh well, at least he wasn’t going 100 in his Hummer.  Oh yea, he owns a Hummer too - quite the combo, indeed.

Perhaps I should start a Hybrid Hall of Shame….

Via LLN.

Filed under: Prius

Mazda is finally getting a hybrid version of the Tribute, which makes it the third hybrid SUV in Ford’s stable. The IRS has approved both the 2WD and 4WD versions for the federal tax credit, in the following amounts:

• $3000 - 2WD
• $2200 - 4WD

I’m glad to see that Mazda gets a hybrid, since both the Ford and Mercury versions have been selling well. It’s still a case of badge engineering though, which I strongly frown upon. Also, Ford is apparently having trouble meeting demand for the Escape and Mariner hybrids, so we can probably expect more of the same with the Tribute Hybrid.

EPA results aren’t in, but I expect them to be the same as the Escape Hybrid, which are 31 city / 29 highway / 30 overall. That, of course, makes it the most fuel-efficient SUV on the road today.

Filed under: Ford Hybrids

Since the EPA is adjusting it’s testing methods, and thus gas mileage ratings, for 2008, I thought it would be a good idea to list the old ratings vs the new for the most popular hybrids on the road today.  I’ve also included the gas versions for those vehicles that have a gas-only counterpart ( obviously there is none for the Prius. )  As you can see, mileage drops across the board, for gas only and hybrids alike.  While the hybrids get a larger drop in hard numbers, the percentages seem to be about the same across the board, give or take.

All those folks who complain now about being unable to reach the EPA estimates will no longer have any excuse.  The new EPA ratings should be attainable for even those folks who drive with little regard for fuel economy.  Those of us who drive carefully will blow the ratings away.

Filed under: EPA

After my last post about CAFE and Hybrids,  I really got to thinking about how the new CAFE standards will affect the American truck market.  Currently the average pickup truck buyer never uses the bed of his truck for anything besides groceries, or perhaps a bit of luggage on the way to the airport.  They also tend not to go offroad (unless the driveway counts as off-road).  By that reckoning, the average truck buyer would probably do better with a car - both in purchase cost and upkeep cost ( gas, maintenance, repairs, etc ), without sacrificing, well, anything.

If the CAFE standard does indeed get increased to 35 MPG, what changes will we see in trucks?  Here’s what I see changing:

• Truck downsizing - We’ll finally see the next generation of trucks actually get smaller, rather than larger.  Smaller = lighter = better fuel economy
• Engine downsizing - Let’s face it - 99% of truck buyers don’t need a 400 HP 6.0 liter V8.  A 250 HP V8 would do just fine, if they’d just drive a bit more conservatively.
• Diesels will rule - Diesels go farther on a gallon of fuel than a gas engine - period.  To hit the lofty CAFE numbers, we’ll start seeing diesels in light-duty full-size trucks, large SUV’s, midsize SUV’s & trucks, and perhaps even compact SUV’s.  Truck buyers love their power, and a diesel engine can give them the torque they crave, while still increasing fuel economy.
• Towing capacity will decrease - Very, very few folks need to tow 9,000+ lbs.  Those that do can learn to pony up for a 3/4 ton truck with a diesel.
• The compact pickup truck will return - Today the only compact truck on the market is the Ford Ranger - everything else is a “midsize” or larger.  Folks who really and truly need a small pickup can get by with just that - a small pickup.  A truck like this could be a great candidate for a 4 cylinder gas engine with a hybrid system.
• Body-on-frame SUV’s will die - Well, they won’t die, but they’ll become as rare as a 3 cylinder engine.
• Cylinder deactivation will become the norm - This technology isn’t expensive, and it does aid in highway fuel economy
• Prices won’t necessarily rise - Hybrid technology, lighter materials, and advanced technology cost more, sure.  But with the overall downsizing of these vehicles, I think the prices will even out, and we won’t see a widespread jump in truck & SUV prices.
• The “Macho Truck” look will be out - The “I’m bigger than you” look, so well embodied by the Dodge Ram, will fade into oblivion - but not for stigma reasons ( though that is a possible factor ).  Rather, aerodynamics will be a consideration in future truck designs.  The massive, flat front of the Ram cuts through the air like a large brick, and wind resistance kills gas mileage.

Smaller SUV’s will see a proliferation of hybrid technology.  The system has worked extremely well in the Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid, that it’s bound to move across automaker’s lineups.  Diesels will supplant gas engines as the main choice for the larger vehicles ( though they will be smaller than we’re used to today ).  And no longer will we see 1/2 ton pickup trucks that can tow nine or ten thousand pounds.  The truck market will change, drastically, and for the better. 

Filed under: CAFE

The rumors that the 2009 Prius was going to be delayed ( or at least that it wouldn’t use lithium ion batteries ) may not be true at all.  Car and Driver received word from a Toyota Vice President that says nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, Toyota even went so far as to say that they’re “bemused” by the rumors.  At this point, Toyota says, they’re focusing on overall vehicle safety and reliability.  Once they’re confident that they can warranty the batteries for 150,000 miles, then the new Prius will go forward. 

Unfortunately, there was no definite “Yes the 2009 Prius will be on time, and will have lithium ion batteries”.  Granted, Toyota doesn’t want to burn the current Prius sales by officially announcing a vastly superior 2009 model.  But it sure would be nice to get some solid info once in awhile, rather than just whispers and rumors.

Filed under: Prius

It’s no secret that CAFE ( Corporate Average Fuel Economy ) is at the forefront of our politicians discussions lately.  Whether you’re a fan of hybrids and alternative fuels or not, the fact is that the United States consumes too much oil, and our current pace is probably not sustainable long-term.  Thus, something needs to be done - and where better to turn than to Washington?

Currently, the CAFE standards are 27.5 mpg for cars, and 22.2 mpg for SUV’s and light trucks.  That’s pretty sad overall, and leaves a giant loophole.  Any vehicle that can be classified as a light truck gets away with having a lower mileage standard.  That means vehicles like the Dodge Magnum don’t have to get good mileage - the US government classifies it as a truck. 

The proposed new CAFE standards are 35 MPG for all vehicles - cars, minivans, light trucks, SUV’s, you name it.  That raises the standard across the board, while wiping out the truck loophole that exists today.  If approved, the new standards will go into effect in the year 2020.  This gives manufacturers 13 years to get on board and get everything figured out - plenty of time when you think about it.  That’s at least two vehicle life cycles, which gives enough time to implement advanced fuel savings technology - such as hybrid powertrains.

Through a combination of hybrid powertrains, lighter materials ( aluminum where possible in lieu of steel ), and better aerodynamics, 35 MPG should be cake for cars.  It will be trickier for the trucks - a lot trickier.  Consider that today the average full-size pickup truck gets about 14-15 MPG combined EPA.  That needs to increase to the 35 MPG neighborhood - that’s over double the current mileage.

Overall, hybrid technology will be the single most important factor in achieving the new CAFE standards, if they are approved.  No other technology has the immensely powerful fuel economy impact that an electric motor and some batteries.  As hybrid technology goes mainstream, we can all expect the “hybrid premium” to go down - making hybrids more affordable for everyone.  And I think I speak for all of us when I say - that’s a beautiful thing.

Filed under: CAFE