mainly, would you buy a hybrid car? yes or no? why?
-NO.
Several reasons.
1) cars are expensive and the point of a hybrid is to save money on fuel so why does the addition of the technology cost more than it would for the regular version plus gas for the life of the car.
2) no full hybrid available in gas guzzling cars. Yeah, it's nice that the civic has a hybrid, but what about the camry or base accord (only the most loaded has it). What about a taurus or explorer or hummer, the ones that get crappy mileage? A car that goes from 30 mpg to 40 mpg is only 30% more. A car that goes from 8 mpg to 16 mpg is 100% more.
2) technology is unreliable for saving fuel. Especially in states where you need A/C on all the time.
3) sketchy accident recovery record.
4) untrained mechanics. So you break down, who's gonna fix the car? What if there is no dealer around? What if the one guy at the dealer who is schooled in hybrids is away or sick?
which one would you buy?
-There is only 1 full hybrid for sale, the prius. The insight is no longer available. The half hybrids are coming, lexus, nissan, GMC, honda, etc. These are full gas cars with a 'super alternator' or DC motor that assists in startup and in from-a-atop acceleration to ease the load when gas engines produce the least torque. (just off idle)
Since the other cars produce negligible increases in mileage, they are worthless. If you buy the 4 cyl accord or camry you get better mileage if you drive gently as opposed to the much more expensive, heavy, hybrid and drive like a maniac.
why do you think the manufacturers are producing hybrid cars?
-Politics. Gas mileage fleet quota's. Theoretical emissions advantages over other technologies (more on that later) It's a reason to charge more money for a car and get it because the concept is popular. Profit. Brand being recognized as a technology leader or eco-firendly even though it as the british say 'bullocks'.
Hydrogen cars are unrealistic because it takes more energy to make the hydrogen for the cars to use it. It's less efficient than gasoline. Also there is no distribution network. Fuel cell cars are ways off until they are practical so this is a very convinient stopgap.
money saving for the people? performance without guilt? trend? or government regulations/requirements?
-all of the above sorta to a degree.
why do you think the car companies are doing this, making hybrid cars? Is it consciousness, government regulations, pressure, etc?
-It's a get rich quick scheme with positive social and political benefits.
Hybrids are for ignorant people. Hybrids do not get better mileage than the diesel versions of the same cars and trucks we drive in the states overseas.
Hybrids run off petroleum based fuels.
Lets look at diesel vehicles for a second. Diesel is inherantly a more powerful fuel since it stores more energy than gasoline. Diesel pollutes less greenhouse gasses since it is consumed in fewer quantities. Diesel does produce other emittants which are non harmful (soot) and do not affect the environment in the least, but it is perceived as 'dirty'. Of course just stricter emissions devices on the cars, or cleaner diesel fuel removes this. Europe has these cleaner fuels, our country is somewhat slow to react. This is poliics. It is somewhat odd that all the cars we drive here have multiple engine choices abroad, several diesels, and those are not available here for purchase. Diesel engines are more reliable due to their design, break down less, and last longer. The addidional pressures that the engine must endure necessitates a stronger build and the stronger build holds up to daily stresses more. There are no spark plugs so no electrical problems related to that. The diesel is a very simple basic engine. Can be fixed with a wrench and a screwdriver. Can you say that about a hybrid?
Finally the torque curve of a diesel is heaviest at the off idle area right in the sweet spot for stop and go traffic. It has more power at slower speeds so uses less fuel. Because it has more power smaller engines can be used which use less fuel in situations that warrant a larger gasoline engine.
True diesels have less horsepower, but that is part of a gearing issue, and part of the marketing mystique about horsepower. When driving one, off the line and out of corners they are faster. Up hills etc. But this is off topic.
Since they have so much torque they'd be a boon for a hybrid since the crank can turn a larger generator with a smaller engine. You'd get over 70 mpg in a diesel prius of the same srize.
Part of the luxury of diesels is that they don't have to run on petroleum based diesel. Diesel can be grown from the ground as a derivative of rapeseed or mustardseed. Basically a fuel version of vegetable oil. The stuff french fries are dunked in. This is grown stateside. That means we can run our cars on a renewable fuel source that is produced in the US of A and not be dependant on foreign piolitics or pricing. This is a fear of oil companies and part of the reason they are not encouraging diesel. The only drawback of this biodiesel is that it is not fully developed to the extent that it is only around 80% as potent as regular diesel fuel. That is it stores slightly less energy, and that it coagulates in extreme cold (gells). For people who live in the sunbelt states this is irrelevant but in north dakota and colorodo, they'd have to plug in their cars so the fuel tanks stay above freezing so the fuel doesn't become like pudding. Of course there are additives to remove this but it is not a perfect solution. Still in the winter diesel cars can run on regular diesel fuel.
Some people say that diesel is unpopular. That the smell is bad. Is that really a reason to push of cars that are almost 100% more efficient than gas? (2.0 gas engine gets 28 mpg, 2.0 diesel gets 50 mpg.) That's crap. People say diesels aren't sold because no one buys them. That's also crap. There have been only 2 diesel cars sold in the US lately. The Passat and the golf/jetta/beetle (same car). Recently mercedes has let the C320d back. Jeep is allowing the Liberty. There is no 50/50 choice that people have. I'd bet any money that if they sold diesel civics, that got 60mpg and still cost less than $20k they'd sell like hotcakes.
You wonder why no light trucks are offered in diesel. Just the full size super duty ones. You don't think a nissan frontier would benefit from a diesel, especialy for towing? How about a Toyota Tacoma? or Ford Ranger, or Chevy S-10, etc. etc. Howbowt a damn diesel explorer, lord knows there are enough of those around.
So far diesel has the same predicament as hybrid, it is the 'fancy' model. The VW diesels are all loaded. The diesel Toureg is the most expensive model.
Personally I think more people need to know that diesels are not as environment unfriendly as they are made out to be (sounds like big oil is paying environmentalists to fight them) and we can get a renewable fuel grown here. No more 'they took our jerbs'. Lastly with all the money being thrown into diesel, imagine the developments.
For the tuners, you can tweak a diesel for mad mad torque and power or crazy fuel efficuency. The engines take up less room so can be better positioned for weight distribution in racing.
Can't mod a hybrid.
Seth