Anyone else intrigued by the Prius/Hybrids

PiKe

PiKe

PiKe

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I know it's slow, I know it's dull, but it's packed with technology, so my inner geek is fighting to get out!

I couldn't have a more different car to the Prius at the moment - a Honda S2000, but I can't help but appreciate the Prius for what it is, and the 2010 model, doesn't look 'that' bad, especially in white.

So what are peoples thoughts on it? I'd spend all my time trying to squeeze as much charge into the batteries, and driving around town in EV Mode as much as possible, I'd try to get to work without using the combustion engine at all.

I think it would be a good second car to have, but they're still so expensive.
 
I aam all for the hybrid cars, but the current crop is just pandering to ecomentalists. If I could afford one that was proven to be better than a normal car, then hell yes. And I don't mean better performance etc. I mean more reliable, cheaper to run and service. Even if the performance was less, but still capable as an all round car but with the same running costs I would go for it.
 
My dad has the Lexus RX hybrid and it is a great geeky car.

It doesn't have EV mode on his model, but if you're gentle from the off, it will start moving on batteries alone and it does it so quietly.

You do try and make the batteries work hard, but essentially, you don't need to. The car does all the work and does it well. Realistically, you're only looking at 34 MPG of mixed driving. I thought the Prius has been criticised for not being as economical as it should be.

The best feature is when you floor it, watch the display (and road) showing that the battery and petrol engine are working in harmony to float you up to 60 MPH.

I haven't been in a Prius, but can appreciate the technology.
 
Yea, I think it's neat - I'd like to drive a Prius. I've done a fair few miles in an RX hybrid, like !bluetonic!, and that was quite entertaining in a sciency way and packed full of kit.....

It ain't the be-all-and-end-all though, for the most part you could get just as good economy driving an infinitely more powerful modern turbodiesel.....
 
!bluetonic! said:
My dad has the Lexus RX hybrid and it is a great geeky car.

It doesn't have EV mode on his model, but if you're gentle from the off, it will start moving on batteries alone and it does it so quietly.

You do try and make the batteries work hard, but essentially, you don't need to. The car does all the work and does it well. Realistically, you're only looking at 34 MPG of mixed driving. I thought the Prius has been criticised for not being as economical as it should be.

The best feature is when you floor it, watch the display (and road) showing that the battery and petrol engine are working in harmony to float you up to 60 MPH.

I haven't been in a Prius, but can appreciate the technology.
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See, I get better MPG in my turbocharged petrol car that'll hit 60mph in 7~sec, so why would I put so much more to not save money, go slower and be in a worse looking car?
 
Peerzy said:
See, I get better MPG in my turbocharged petrol car that'll hit 60mph in 7~sec, so why would I put so much more to not save money, go slower and be in a worse looking car?
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Perhaps because your car isn't a huge luxury 4x4? What a useless comparison!
 
2010 Prius can easily reach 50mpg.

Not that it's amazing or anything but just pointing out 34mpg isn't really accurate.
 
I find the many variations of new powertrains fascinating.

[TW]Fox;16935872 said:
Hybrid is a flawed quick fix and nothing more.
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Come on Foxy, you cant just stop there :p

Its not really flawed as it does exactly what its supposed to for government legislation and also works pretty well in company car tax land. EV mode is somewhat pandering to customer needs as its largely fuel neutral unless you are charging the battery from the grid.

I have to say the Prius 3 does look pretty good in something like white.

One of our prototypes is looking pretty impressive, 0-60 in 6.1 seconds... and thats something in the 2.8ton region ;)
 
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PhillyDee said:
I aam all for the hybrid cars, but the current crop is just pandering to ecomentalists. If I could afford one that was proven to be better than a normal car, then hell yes. And I don't mean better performance etc. I mean more reliable, cheaper to run and service. Even if the performance was less, but still capable as an all round car but with the same running costs I would go for it.
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Is 1 million Toyota Prius vehicles not enough?
 
Peerzy said:
See, I get better MPG in my turbocharged petrol car that'll hit 60mph in 7~sec, so why would I put so much more to not save money, go slower and be in a worse looking car?
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PiKe said:
2010 Prius can easily reach 50mpg.

Not that it's amazing or anything but just pointing out 34mpg isn't really accurate.
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He's talking about the Lexus RX, not the Prius.
 
Sorry one sentence ran into the other and I thought he was meaning the Prius!

Still, 50mpg isn't fantastic like people say? Can you not get low 80's on the original Honda Insight?
 
Hybrid technology gets me off when it comes to them being mated to a decent performance petrol engine, I was hoping the Honda CRZ would be the first main stream performance petrol Hybrid but sadly the petrol engine is weak. I'm secretly hoping the Type-R's of the future will be petrol hybrids and with the current Civic range stopping production this Autumn it will be interesting to see whats announced over the next year

As for standard hybrids like the Prius with the main purpose of being an eco car, they are ok, I had one for a about a week when I worked at Toyota it was cool and gimmicky but the novelty wore off by the end of the week
 
I don't understand hybrids. The batteries are charged by...burning petrol. Why not just use that petrol to drive a super-efficient petrol engine.

Obviously somewhere along the line, it's more efficient to have the car running on the electric motor at low speeds, but I don't understand why. The electricity still needs to be generated and stored somehow, it's not free energy.
 
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