Why aren't hybrids diesel rather than petrol?

[benlovesgoddess]

I want a real full tank PHEV figure though - i'll have a quick look in research vehicles...

[benlovesgoddess]

Yeah, a few over 100 mpg, looks like we have a winner! My monthly car payments are £330, im half way though 3 years where at the end i own the car.
Wonder how much the mitsubishi PHEV is on tick?
I have a poor credit score, so both our cars are on finance through my more traceable wife...

[Draigflag]

What about a Vauxhall Ampera? They are sold as a Chevy Volt in the Us, a few people are getting over 200 Mpg in them. You can't buy a new one anymore, they didn't sell too well here.

[benlovesgoddess]

Interesting - head the name, didnt know it tied in with them being hybrids..!

[itripper]

Originally Posted by trollbait

The financial sense part is why, if you got the skills and time, I think a used Prius pack would be the way to go for a completely new battery.

Does the entire or majority of the Insight battery die? Could you get a full refurbished one from one or two salvaged packs? If so, that would be the most economical. Without a reflash, use of a charger may be in order to keep the replacement pack in the best condition. Or would wise use of a MIMA not require a plug?

A few cells die, dragging the rest down. Yes you can take the pack apart and replace individual stacks; find the bad cells and swap them out, they are D cell sized in stacks, some purchase old battery packs and salvage the good cells. It does take a lot of time to measure and test individual cells using an RC car charger. If you have the time and patience it can be done very cheaply. A Prius pack is not really an option, form factor and different voltage.

[itripper]

Originally Posted by Draigflag

What about a Vauxhall Ampera? They are sold as a Chevy Volt in the Us, a few people are getting over 200 Mpg in them. You can't buy a new one anymore, they didn't sell too well here.

The Chevy Volt is an electric vehicle with a gas back up engine when the batteries get low. All electric for 38 mi (61 km) and then uses a gas engine that gets 34 mpg after the battery is low.

[Draigflag]

Yea I understand how they work,it's still classed as hybrid is it not? There was an owner on here claiming to get the equivalent of 700 mpg at some point.

[trollbait]

They are a plug in hybrid. The problem with some people's claimed fuel economy is that the figure for the petrol consumption doesn't take into account the grid electricity used. Ignoring it is fine for personal use. For many, just reducing petroleum use is the goal, and electric rates are low. For comparison to other users, like on Fuelly, not including it makes accurate comparisons impossible.

An individual car may have had access to more charging, or had a daily trip within its EV range. While another had a no longer commute with no work place charging. Then another in California was purchased just for the HOV sticker, and isn't charged at all.

The NEDC numbers for plug in hybrids may make the same error.

[Draigflag]

Yes, as if the NEDC figures arent exsadurated enough, they add a full charge to the already short driving cycle. From what I've been reading from the reviews, plug ins generally average 100 MPG LESS than the quoted figures, that assuming you do a fairly long journey with one full charge. For example I read a review of a car rated at 148 MPG and they only averaged 48 Mpg. People feel disappointed if they get 15 or 20 Mpg less than the official figures, imagine getting 100 MPG less! It's no wonder they are considering changing the NEDC in 2017, the sooner the better.

[trollbait]

The EPA gives the ICE/hybrid mode efficiency, the electric efficiency, and the the EV range from the combined electric efficiency. From there a consumer can figure out how much electricity and fuel they expect to use with their routes.

They even have a calculator for that on their site:
https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find...on=phev1Prompt