The Hybrid Blog

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

The Accord Hybrid is officially on the chopping block, and there won’t be a replacement for the next generation due in September.  It’s always sad to lose a hybrid, and this one is no exception.  Though it was never as fuel efficient as a Prius, it showed a different side to hybrid technology- efficiency plus power.

Full Story.

Filed under: Accord Hybrid

Autoblog Green, the environmentally friendly counterpart to Autoblog, crunched some numbers to come up with the 5 safest hybrid vehicles on the road.  The results were as follows :

1. Toyota Camry Hybrid with SAB
2. Honda Civic Hybrid
3. Ford Escape Hybrid
4. Mercury Mariner Hybrid
5. Toyota Prius with SAB

The Prius, the most fuel efficient car on that list, comes in last for safety?  Ouch.  Well, that is, until you look a little deeper.  See, Autoblog Green didn’t really do what I’d call a truly comprehensive safety evaluation.  See, the ratings are based solely on crash-test scores.  Granted, crash test scores are extremely important, and it’s a bit sad that the Prius scored so low in that regard.  That’s not to say it didn’t do well, it’s just that it’s competition did better.

The biggest problem I have is that rollover ratings were ignored, since they weren’t readily available for every vehicle on the list.  I don’t know about you, but I’d like to think it’s safe to say that the Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid have a much higher risk of rollover than does a Prius or Civic Hybrid.

Another flaw is that they considered the Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid as separate models - something I wouldn’t have done.  There are no mechanical differences between the two vehicles - only slight sheetmetal differences, which have no impact on safety.

I like Autoblog Green, and I’ve been a reader for about as long as I can remember.  However, this is a case where numbers can be misleading, and can say pretty much whatever you want them to say, if you put the right spin on them.

Source.

Filed under: Safety

Hybrid Car Reviews has a great breakdown of just about all hybrid sales from July 2007, and the numbers are pretty interesting.  Here are some of the highlights:

• Toyota captured 80.9% of the hybrid market, with 70% of those sold being the Prius
• Honda managed just 9.6% of the same market, with the vast majority of that being the Civic
• Ford hybrid sales dropped 23.4%

There’s some great charts over there as well, that give you a good visual idea of the hybrid market.  While there are a lot of soft spots, the overall market is booming, and that’s great news for everyone.  For what it’s worth, Nissan would be putting out some breathtaking numbers if only the Altima Hybrid was available across the country.

Filed under: Hybrid Sales

Comparing gas-only versions of cars to their hybrid counterparts is as old as hybrids themselves.  The naysayers always complain that hybrids take too long to pay off, or that they never actually pay off.  I think that they *can* pay off, depending on a few things.  Let’s look at my favorite hybrid, the Civic Hybrid.  Currently the Civic Hybrid runs just about $3,000 more expensive than the Civic EX, the closest gas-only trim level. 

If you qualify for the federal tax credit, you’ll get $2100 of that premium back at tax time - leaving you with just $900 to make up in gas savings.  Even if you only drive 10,000 miles per year, and gas stays cheap, you’ll be in the black in less than 2 years.  Since most people drive more than 10k miles / year, and gas is likely to head back up in price, it’s even easier to break even.  As long as you can snag that tax credit, the Civic Hybrid makes perfect sense.  It seems almost foolish to buy a regular ‘ol EX, doesn’t it?

Filed under: Civic Hybrid

The Honda Civic Hybrid is the second most popular hybrid available today, second only to it’s arch enemy, the Toyota Prius.  There’s a lot of fantastic technology at work under the skin of the Civic Hybrid, so here’s a look at some of the technical specs:

2007 Honda Civic Hybrid Specs

• 1.3 liter SOHC 8 valve 4 cylinder gas engine
• IMA electric motor system
• 110 combined HP @ 6000 RPM
• 123 ft-lbs combined torque @ 1000-2500 RPM
• AT-PZEV rating
• Continuously Variable Transmission
• 15″ Alloy Hybrid-Only wheels
• 34.8 ft turning radius
• 106.3″ wheelbase
• EPA Ratings ( 2007 ) 49 MPG city / 51 MPG highway
• Curb Weight : 2875 lbs
• Automatic Climate Control
• Front / Side / Curtain airbags standard
• ABS standard

Filed under: Civic Hybrid

The two most popular ( and most efficient ) hybrids available today are the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic Hybrid.  While the Prius is rated for a bit better gas mileage, real world testing shows that the two vehicles are very, very close.  The Prius generally gets a bit better gas mileage in the city due to it’s superior all-electric mode, while the Civic Hybrid tends to get the nod on the highway. 

For a lot of folks, choosing between these two models doesn’t come down to gas mileage though - it comes down to looks.  The Prius announces in a loud way that it’s a hybrid, and it’s owner bleeds green.  The Civic Hybrid is simply a regular Civic to the average passerby - only the pizza-dish wheels and small hybrid badge on the rear give away it’s green nature. 

For me, I’m definitely choosing the Civic Hybrid.  I think it looks great ( I like the regular Civic a lot ), and I can’t stand the hatchback look of the Prius.  It isn’t for everyone, and it’s not at all for me, even considering the extra space that it has.

I’ll be writing up full, detailed pages on both of these popular hybrids in the near future, so stay tuned to The Hybrid Blog.

Filed under: Civic Hybrid, Prius