Death of a Hybrid

[rearviewmirror]

I didn't read all the replies, but my thought is that this is exactly why I'd much rather have a new diesel engine over a hybrid. Longevity is the key, cars are already disposable enough, all the stuff it takes to run a hybrid is just too complex and will remove ALL DIY possibilities. A diesel, not so much.

[omgwtfbyobbq]

Actually, given the availability of parts, both are likely to be fairly expensive. Your attitude is similar to the attitude of many towards diesels when they first came en mass to the US. Even if they got great mileage, they were unfamiliar and had many expensive parts to break. New cars tend to be expensive, regardless of type, older ones, not so much.

[Telco]

Originally Posted by rearviewmirror

I didn't read all the replies, but my thought is that this is exactly why I'd much rather have a new diesel engine over a hybrid. Longevity is the key, cars are already disposable enough, all the stuff it takes to run a hybrid is just too complex and will remove ALL DIY possibilities. A diesel, not so much.

The military agrees with you, and they've got the funding to check into everything. I posted a DoD report from 2006 where the government is exploring ways to cut fossil fuel use and foreign oil dependency, and they stated that the best short-term solution (<25yrs) is modern 6cyl diesel engines, and listed several technological possibilities to be researched for long term solutions (>25yrs). The military uses more than 1 percent of all fuel used in the US, making it the largest single user of fuel in the nation. They have determined that the need to locate and transport fuel is a threat to national security so they need to cut the amount of fuel used. Seems it takes 4 gallons of fuel to get one gallon to the front lines, then there's the manpower for the logistical chain required to get it there. IMO this is the best thing that could have happened, because if the military was told to save fuel for the environment then lip service would have been paid to the subject, but the need to cut fuel to counter a threat to national security will receive real funding and those receiving the funding will have to present real results for the money.