Hybrids are Nice
This weekend I filled up my Honda Civic Hybrid for the 2nd time in 6 weeks. This fillup was after going to Cleveland 3 times, Canton once, and to work and back every day. Not too bad. I'm averaging 500 miles on a 12-gallon tank. About 45 mpg. It does better on the highway. The Honda Civic can get up to 60 mpg, and the Toyota Prius can get around 70. So, that's a little info about mine in particular. I got it after driving an old Jetta beater for a year to save on the car payments. My hope was to get the latest technology in auto energy. That technology turned out to be a 1980 all-electric car, which I totally loved, but couldn't get to stop despite pushing on the brake with all my strength. That would be a problem. So, I'll drive the hybrid until electric cars are a little more popular, less expensive, and easier for me to drive. (I think it was just that particular electric car that had a tough brake. I'm sure others will be fine.)
Hybrid technology "Do you have to plug it in?" No.The hybrids have 2 pretty cool technologies going for them. The first is how it generates energy. It's called Integrated Motor Assist. When the car stops, the friction from braking charges the large battery that is located behind the rear passenger seat. This battery power then assists the gas engine as you accelerate. The other cool thing about that is that the engine shuts off when you come to a stop. All you hear is your music! It quietly starts back up when you take your foot off the brake. The other cool technology is the continual shifting. You don't rev up to 2nd and then jerk back as it switches into gear. It has one gear so it doesn't shift. Smooth...
By the way, I wish I could plug it in! It would probably cost $.50 a day to charge it for a few hours and then be able to drive 20+ miles with no gas. That would get me to work and back for $15 a month. Who spends $15 a month on car fuel? People with electric cars - that's who!
Effects
Now that gas has gone up to $3.50 around here, people are starting to grumble about prices again. But when we mention that we have a hybrid, they get offended and look at us like we just climbed down from the nearest tree. No, it's really not that bad. My skin hasn't turned green and I still breathe oxygen (albeit polluted). Hybrids won't hurt you. They won't turn you into a socialist or anything. What they will do, is save you a lot of gas money.
(I'll explain the odometer picture in the Comments)
By terra - 5/24/2007
18 Comments:
I have been a passenger in Terra's car and I was really impressed. It was very quiet and as she said very smooth.
Below the odometer, the car shows the current gas mileage. The 44.2 is the average mpg for Trip A or B. The dashed line tells the current gas mileage, so when this picture was taken, it was getting 80 mpg. I was probably coasting, or on the highway.
While I'm happy with the hybrid, I am very discouraged that consumers like me don't have other choices for their cars or energy.
Lets get to the important thing.
How many cupholders does it have, are the locations convenient, and are they of good quality?
2 cupholders. Very convenient and excellent quality. Funny you ask... the Jetta didn't have cupholders.
Real world numbers for the Prius are a lot closer to
45 mpg. Admirable, but nowhere near 70 mpg.
I'm hijacking my own post to say that it makes me sick to see headlines like "Bush wins money to continue Iraq war."
Bush pushed all his chips to the center of the table
when it came to Iraq, holding nothing more than an outside shot at an inside straight. No WMDs on the flop or the river, but since he's gambling with other people's money and lives....... WTF.... there's a lot more of that where he comes from.
Yeah he's winnin' big.
Terra - I love this post. It's the first first-person testimonial I've read about the hybrid. Good for you. As a minivan driving shlepper of three school-aged kids, I wish I had the guts to go green with a car - any suggestions?
I rode in a hybrid las year and got stuck on the highway in 90 degree weather...not fun with no AC...other then that it was great.
I think my next car will be a Prius, but.....
The problem is that they are much more expensive. Is $10K more worth the differnce? My Corolla gets almost 40 MPG. A Prius gets close to 50 MPG. Is that worth it. Couldn't that $10000 be better spent?
About the War Vote, I am sickened. Only a dozen Dems in the Senate had balls?????????
And Obama and Hillary voted against, but made not big statements and their votes were made AFTER the bill had enough votes to pass. Not very courageous.
Big week for John Edwards in my opinion. He was out against this crap for days.
yea, John has the right idea. He was problably off givng a spleech on poverty for a mere $55,000. What in the hell is a college doing giving that much money to some politican?
Damn,
I must be a closet liberal. I couldnt spend that much money on a car knowing so many people are poor.
I'm seriously considering making my first real car purchase a hybrid. It'll come down, as all things do, to cost.
Mine was less than $10,000 with fewer than 60,000 miles on it. Look for a used Hybrid. They're out there. cars.com
Chuck, I loved my '92 Corolla and would take it back today if I had the chance. It got the same gas mileage as my '01 Civic. Both were manual transmissions. That's the only thing I don't like about hybrids - none are a stick shift.
Jill, I bet you could squeeze 3 kids into any 5-passenger car, hybrids included. Or make a hybrid your family's 2nd car. The Ford Escape Hybrid uses Toyota technology, so it's reliable. But, more expensive and still gets around 35 mpg. The Civic is quite roomy with tons of trunk space.
The Toyota Highlander comes in a hybrid, too... I think Toyota is planning on a hybrid Sienna minivan soon (if they don't have it out already :) ).
anon, mine has A/C. If you were stuck in a car that doesn't have A/C, it's probably that particular car, not all hybrids. This is how misinformation starts.
If they made a Honda Element in Hybrid language I'd buy one today. Well, I would have my husband buy one for me. I love my little Element. Take the seats out, hose it down, put the seats back in, put the 2 labs back in and go play. I am finding myself planning my trips a little better. I used to run all over the place but now I do a lot more searching out before I run to the store to 'see if they have it.' I'm glad you got a hybrid Terra. It's so you! Can't wait to see it and drive it in July. love you, mom
Post a Comment
<< Home