Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
It was mentioned on a radio commentary that the fuel mileage with the combination gas and electric hybrids , can be reduced up to 25 % when running the A/C compressor.
Correct or other opinion ?
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Don,
It's true, in a way, regarding hybrids such as the Toyoya Prius (intro 2000) and Honda Insight (intro 1999) although 25% is very much exaggerated considering the alternative is a breezy open window.
The notable AC/gain reason is that the Toyoya Prius and Honda Insight were so well streamlined, that opening a window would cause more fuel to be spent for extra open-window drag than the efficient ac compresser would burn. The Honda Insight was even more slippery (co-efficient of drag) than the Prius but it was only a 2-seater and permanently died out (It'll be replaced!). The strange-shaped 4 door Prius
was the slipperiest production car sold in 2004. The still available ugly Prius is actually a very handy 5-seater (narrow, 4 is better) with a roomy hatch-back. Footroom, front and back, exceeds the Camry. Search
http://priuschat.com/ .
With gas as high as it is, the 44 aver/mpg Prius is more popular than ever and uses an electric compresser that looks like a small self-contained window-air unit with no external leaky engine driveshaft seal as is normal in automotive. The AC compressor, or heater, run seamlessly,
dead-engine, off battery during brief stops at stoplights etc. The Prius uses electric heat elements to speed cabin warmth in cool weather and saves warm coolant in a thermos container over several days, to achieve extremely short engine warm-up after start using a standard heater core. Furthermore, there are absolutely no "hydraulic fluids" with total electric tranny and electric power steering. Disc brakes do use brake fluid but last the lifetime of the car because they only engage the last one mph down to zero mph.
Maybe we should have developed accessories this way to start with years ago, but gas was so cheap then. Expect the vendors to gear up accordingly with new offerings soon.
The Prius hybrid got a headstart but there is nothing ingenious about the Prius ...Toyota merely uses every common advantage possible and sells the car (with extra-ordinary quality control) at an
average price for midsize sedans. Check prices on their website:
http://www.toyota.com/prius-hybrid/ .
The hybrid sedan mpg gain will knock your socks off. But a "different" and "electric" package like this is very chancy and hard to forge through the usual marketing channels for any established corporation. One must consider this when passing judgement on domestic GM, Ford and Chrysler. And never forget ...their unique internal combustion/hydraulic tranny powertrain is all they have had to offer ...so far. New game and scary for them. Most of the next gen automotive engineers are going to be much younger and versed in electrics. This has got to be one H of an exciting time in R&D.
Other lesser early hybrids such as those by GM and Ford have been introduced, but are mainly politically designed to meet minimum qualification for carpool express lanes rather than have any real fuel efficiency value whatsoever.
But that's a changin'!
The newest 2009 Tahoe SUV and Silverado pick-up offerings from GM are astounding in their segment. I think America will catch up shortly. The future will be even more amazing than it has been.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 427 S/O
Beats me, but I still like the burn-it-while-you-make-it hydrogen gas generator concept.
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Perry,
Right now current technology still favors straight electric ...but hydrogen holds great promise ...and if anybody can make it happen,
America can.
Even more promising (and non-disrupting) is that gaseous hydrogen will be marketable by the same in-place American infrastructure as now furnishes us petroleum. In spite of recent disappointments, keep in mind, we have been paying
far less than any other country for our fuel for a long time. VIVA la future American enterprise!!! Three cheers for the industry and
America that made it, and continues to make it, possible!!!
They are taking a beating now but American
oil companies do wear white hats. Four bucks a gallon is still cheap and we all know it ...even as we whine. Just ask
any other country.
...