Diesel / History of

[ChewChewTrain]

Originally Posted by benlovesgoddess

Ha ha ha! (Fuelly tells me that is too short a laugh - so ha ha ha HA!)

WELL! WHY I NEVER!

Did you know, when the colonies were deciding on our official language that German lost to English by ONLY 1 vote?

English? German? In the long run it really doesn't matter. By 2050, we'll most likely be speaking Spanish. (shrug)

[trollbait]

Toyota did unveil the new plug a couple weeks ago, the Prius Prime. Different styling than the new Prius with 22 miles of estimated EPA range in EV. Likely the same fuel economy has the non plug in.

With four seats and the talk about some of the features and appointments, it sounds like it is Prime as in prime beef, and likely with corresponding price.

[Draigflag]

I read about the prime earlier. I think the regular Prius will be better. Plug ins rely too much on user input and regular charging to get good economy. Once your electric is done, you're just in a normal, slightly heavier car. I read a review of the Mercedes estate the other day, rated at 134 MPG and they averaged just 38 mpg when they were done with it. Suits some, especially those who have a driveway or a garage and use it every night, but most people don't.

[benlovesgoddess]

The Toyota dealers said there was no plug in available yet, nor on the way in the UK - I would have preferred it. I hope they were telling the truth, and not just ensuring they met their hard March sales target...!

[Draigflag]

It's out towards the end of this year Ben, rated at just over 200 MPG, but as trollbait says, expect a BIG price hike. Did you get yours yet? Make sure to make a new car topic with a few pics so we can see it

P.s. Read a review, the 17" wheels eat away almost 10 MPG V'S the 15" so you may want to think about a smaller rim sooner rather than later as that's a huge difference in my opinion.

[ChewChewTrain]

Originally Posted by benlovesgoddess

The Toyota dealers said there was no plug in available yet, nor on the way in the UK - I would have preferred it. I hope they were telling the truth, and not just ensuring they met their hard March sales target...!

Ben, no need to doubt a car salesman. In Car Dealer magazine, I read that car salesmen are professionals that adhere to the highest code of ethics; even above the Pope, so the article claims.

[benlovesgoddess]

Chewchewtrain I agree whole heartedly - speaking as a salesman myself, I know how important it is for myself and my brothers and sisters to stay on the spiritual path...!
Soon as I get it, I will Draigflag - and I just pray that will be today. We're off this week, last 2 days wasted in anticipation...
I'll need to get some admin help in removing my Hyundai avatar and replacing it with the Toyota I bet.
Who knows, maybe in 3 years I'll switch to the Prime. All this chopping and changing goes against any common sense in buying one car and keeping for a decade +, but the missus really gets a thrill out of new things. As for the "15 wheels, yes, it bugs me the supposed jump in mpg from the stock "17s, but the "17s do look nicer.
Everyone I know berates me for my fixation on pure economy over all other aspects of car ownership - I think I'm starting to get it now! That bloody Hyundai gave virtually no enjoyment in ownership through driving experience, comfort, image, gadgets. Apart from a few digital lights in the dash, it was no different to any old diesel I ve owned, going back to a 1987 Nissan Bluebird. The Prius looked and felt like a delicious luxurious slice of the future - I have even thought I don't really care if I only get 40 to the gallon out of it, it was just so comfy and fun to drive, and looks great! Never really liked the dowdy shell it's been wearing for the last 19 years, but this new shape does it for me.

[ChewChewTrain]

Originally Posted by benlovesgoddess

That bloody Hyundai gave virtually no enjoyment in ownership through driving experience, comfort, image, gadgets.

Enjoy the LAST car you will ever OWN and DRIVE, Ben.

Have you heard of Software as a Service (SAAS)? Think of Transportation as a Service.

FACT: Car ownership does NOT excite today's youth, as it did their parents and grandparents.

When fully autonomous, self-driving cars are released, it will be economically silly to own a car. For example, the average car today sits unused 95% of the time.

If you MUST cling to the old ways of owning a car, you will likely loan it to an Uber-like taxi service.

Car ownership, like the internal combustion engine, is going the way of the horse and buggy. Sadly, but true.

Thoughts?

[benlovesgoddess]

As in I will love it so much, and it lasts so well I'll still have it in 30 years and half a million miles...?!
I think people enjoy driving too much to want self driving cars. Much as I ***** about my outgoing Hyundai, still driving it today - at any time I'm sick of driving, the missus can take over, but I never ask her to.
So theoretically I have a switch to make my car autonomous - but I never use it.
I've owned dozens of old bangers, and enjoyed driving all of them. Only niggle is I do wonder if my clutch knee is getting a twinge, so will prefer the CVT.

[trollbait]

The NEDC rating for plug in hybrids is basically useless. It is calculated from a set distance and includes the EV range. For an individual trying to make comparisons between models, that doesn't work. The EPA included a similar value the first year Volt before they wised up.

The first Prius plug in actually got a slightly better highway rating than the standard model because the larger battery helped with efficiency in hybrid mode. So even heavier, the Prime should have an official rating close enough to the Prius to not make a difference in the real world.

Perhaps there are less car geeks among the younger generation, but many aspire to have the freedom of their own car. It is just that the economic reality of today means they have to wait longer before they can afford it.