Hybrid vehicles question

[geared 332]

Toyota makes the RAV4 electric car, which travels for up to 125 miles per charge. Its EPA rated driving range is 95 miles.

Some RAV4 EVs have been driven more than 150,000 miles (240,000 km) using the original battery pack.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_RAV4_EV

 

Whats the battery rental prices like though??

 

With the Renault Zoe the battery rental costs are so high it's actually cheaper to run a normal car instead.

[the_bloke 17]

Toyota makes the RAV4 electric car, which travels for up to 125 miles per charge. Its EPA rated driving range is 95 miles.

Some RAV4 EVs have been driven more than 150,000 miles (240,000 km) using the original battery pack.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_RAV4_EV

 

'Production of the second generation EV was limited to 2,600 units during a three-year run, with sales limited to California beginning in 2012.[4][5] Production ended in September 2014.[6] A total of 2,489 units of the second generation model were sold in California through April 2015.'

 

It's hardly a glowing recommendation..

[El Cid 229]

But are they green

 

They are a good idea in Cities like Sheffield and Leeds, where the air quality is below WHO standards.

Green, would be using public transport.

[Cyclone 10]

I've never heard that claim about the air before.

Perhaps you're thinking of Tinsley, right next to the motorway?

[sgtkate 10]

I have had a "HYBRID" for the last two years. Battery and 2 Litre petrol engine.

 

Forget all the headlines of a million miles per gallon (I may have exaggerated here) its all fibs. My car does around 30 ish to the gallon, plus 25 on electric then the battery is empty. I have always had diesels before this motor, all of them did better MPG than my Hybrid.

 

These Petrol/Electric cars have a couple of good points, free to drive in the charge zones in London, £9 a day for ordinary cars. You can claim tax back (think it's tax) if you are self employed.

 

The not so good points. If your battery runs out (25 miles) the petrol engine cuts in to keep the car running. If you wish to charge the battery while driving and not at the charge centers (Meadowhell has them) that reduces the 30 mpg as it takes power to turn the generator, a lot of power. Forget the idea of the engine ticking over to charge the battery, it does not happen, unless you park in a layby for an hour with the engine running on a high tickover. The battery lives between 3 and 5 years, it's replacement cost, get ready, sit down with a pot of tea - £5 THOUSAND. Here is another little "con," I have cards (credit card size) that I applied for to allow FREE charging at the majority of charge centres up and down, I am now getting emails advising me that this free charging is now going to be charged at the rate of £6 for 30 minutes. This will just about give you a full battery - 25 miles, if that £6 was a gallon of diesel it would give me 55 MPG plus. I will not bore you further dear reader, but these things have taken the shine off owning the hybrid.

 

Diesel for me next time - that's a dead cert.

 

Angel1

 

I've got an average BMW, used to have a good one but then had a baby and I get around 50mpg and I don't drive particularly economically. Hardly any hybrids can do 50mpg. Then again diesels are pretty terrible in terms of pollution so perhaps rather than simply compare mpg we should look at cradle to grave pollution (stealing Cyclone's quote!)

[geared 332]

The problem there is not much is accurately known about diesel pollution.

 

The VW scandal showed the sort of lengths manufacturers go to to massage their emissions results, so you really can't use any of the figures the car companies publicise.

[Cyclone 10]

We can probably assume that it's worse than the manufacturers have admitted.

Presumably it's easy enough to find real world MPG ratings for cars?

 

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg/bmw/i8-2014

 

About 50 mpg for the i8.

 

Up to 30 mpg for the M4 (similar performance, more seats, not hybrid).

 

Newest Prius is showing 45 - 74 (I guess it depends on where and how you drive).

Edited November 14, 2016 by Cyclone

[geared 332]

But we don't know the exact level of emissions coming out of the exhausts.

 

It's one of the issues public authorities have been grappling with, they installed air quality meters all over the place, encouraged everyone to buy new, cleaner cars and then sat around scratching their heads when air quality didn't improve as they had hoped.

 

The new cars weren't much cleaner than the old ones, the manufacturers had just got better at gaming the system.

[phil752 10]

They are a good idea in Cities like Sheffield and Leeds, where the air quality is below WHO standards.

Green, would be using public transport.

 

that does not make them green for the environment

 

---------- Post added 20-11-2016 at 21:32 ----------

 

The problem there is not much is accurately known about diesel pollution.

 

The VW scandal showed the sort of lengths manufacturers go to to massage their emissions results, so you really can't use any of the figures the car companies publicise.

 

that was really a tax fiddle, you still get 45mpg out of a passat.

[El Cid 229]

that does not make them green for the environment.

 

Renewable energy made up record 21.7% of national electricity market in October, so things are changing, they could be better for the environment than some fuels. But transporting one person in a car is rarely going to be green.

[phil752 10]

Renewable energy made up record 21.7% of national electricity market in October, so things are changing, they could be better for the environment than some fuels. But transporting one person in a car is rarely going to be green.

 

They may or may not be cheaper to run, however the build costs especially the batteries are very non-green, the disposal of are even worse. So as i ask are they really green, can the running of a green car out way the very un-green way they are made and disposed of.

[euclid 10]

I've got an average BMW, used to have a good one but then had a baby and I get around 50mpg and I don't drive particularly economically. Hardly any hybrids can do 50mpg.

I am on my third hybrid..all would quite easily do over 50 mpg...the best I had out of my Prius was 78.5 mpg..my now Lexus is just as good,excellent quality build,road tax free and whisper quiet too..

The hybrid comes into its own in heavy traffic as it will run mainly on electric with the engine only cutting in to regenerate the battery as does braking and decelerating.

The petrol engine remains on in hybrids, even when stationary, if the battery of the electric motor needs charging. This may occur if there are a lot of other things drawing energy, such as lights, wipers, aircon, etc.

 

The petrol/electric hybrids I know of do pull off from stationary using a combination of both power sources, or just electric, depending on the speed demands. They always start up in pure electric mode so there's no noise as you turn the key, but the petrol engine will then kick in if you want it to go above a certain speed or are using lots of kit, as I said above. They adjust what power source is used all the time and it may be possible for acceleration without revving or use of the petrol engine, depending on gradient and momentum, etc.

The petrol engine does not remain on when stationary ..it stops...the battery is regenerated mainly by braking..There is no noise...(and no key in the Toyota/Lexus just a push button/fob)...when you start up as there is no starter motor or flywheel to create one,it is not possible to accelerate without pressing the throttle....the hybrid.. (Toyota/Lexus)..will only go up to 20mph before the engine cuts in and only travel around a mile on pure electric..The Honda Hybrid uses the motor to assist the engine only,it will not run on only electric alone,i had a Civic Hybrid (EMA) with a 1300cc motor but it was still very good with the motor assisting the engine...as do the others...but not a patch on the Toyota SYSTEM...