Hybrid Vehicles

[Borderland]

My understanding is that the Toyota Hybrid drivetrain is the most proven system out there. To that end, I think the Lexus options, which utilize Toyota tech, are certainly worth looking at. We own a Lexus RX Hybrid that has well over 200K miles on it at this point with extremely minimal issues. Has been absolutely reliable and pleasant to own / drive. Gas efficiency averages 25 MPG, a little less than that for my wife…

Not sure if you're looking to purchase new, but Lexus on the secondary market is a great buy, often better priced than comparable Toyotas due to luxury depreciation.

Toyota developed the technology first so has some lead time and real world miles to refine their drive train. They sell their hybrids like hot cakes when they can get chips.

[Borderland]

I think the soon to be released Toyota Rav4 Prime will be very interesting. It is a plug in hybrid that has 39 miles of electric only range then the gas motor kicks in so no range anxiety. Its also has 300HP so it will be supposedly do 0-60 in six seconds.

Worth keeping an eye on depending on when you are looking to buy.

https://www.toyota.com/upcoming-vehicles/rav4prime/

A Rav4 with 300 HP? That should keep the completion working OT to catch up. That's a rocket.

[Borderland]

I personally find the conversation interesting but Im really not looking for statistical info. Im just wondering what peoples personal criteria is for buying hybrid vs conventional.
The production info is interesting thanks.

My neighbor has had two Priuses'. He purchased the first one used and the second one new. He drives about 20K a year. His justification to me was cost to operate the vehicle per mile. He owned a business with 5 Ford F-450 diesel trucks for many years so I know he knows how to break down the cost per mile to operate a vehicle. He isn't your average eco tree hugger college professor. He harvests trees on his property for heat because he thinks it's the most efficient way to heat. Personally, I'll never own an electric vehicle because I like combustible engines but the fact that we have cleaner air here with electric vehicles is a yuge plus. A fact to remember is China mines 64% of the silicone that will be the new lithium battery technology.

Berdichevsky is well aware of the obstacles to the mass production of an EV-worthy lithium-silicon battery. He doesn’t expect to see silicon anodes in commercial EVs until at least the middle of the decade. But once they arrive, he believes, lithium-ion batteries will remake the auto industry—again.

https://www.wired.com/story/welcome-...con-batteries/

[Navin Johnson]

Im curious how many miles people drive per year on an electric/hybrid vehicle. I would think you would have to drive a lot to justify purchasing one.
My other thought after reading about hundreds of thousands of miles on the odometer is are there even going to be parts available for these vehicles even for someone who drives higher that average miles? Maybe someone who does a lot of driving could justify it, I dont have any idea how many miles per year that would have to be.

If I were buying a Honda or Toyota and a hybrid was available in the model I wanted I would likely get it.

In my hood hybrids have very good resale in the same vehicle as a non.

For long term parts etc Honda and Toyota would be best due to a more refined (ie. less likely to change much) system.

Prius vehicles don't have problems even with big miles. ( Still wouldn't drive one)

Used 5 gallons in a Fusion rental hybrid for 180 miles of in town driving.

Toyota is likely going all hybrid for ICE going forward.

[JAD]

. A fact to remember is China mines 64% of the silicone that will be the new lithium battery technology.

Silicon anode could work, but it has some hills to climb — like lithium sulfur it could be one of those things that’s always 5 years away. I don’t think it’s going to win or place, but it could show.

[mmc45414]

I am only becoming interested in the offerings that use a hybrid drivetrain to do something additional. The performance cars that are using a compact front hybrid drive to tractor around corners are cool, and it seems like a simple way to make a FWD or RWD AWD. Or the truck with an integrated generator and a torque adding electric motor is interesting. Adding torque to get a big trailer moving would be cool, and an an electric "Jake Brake" recharging batteries seems like a better idea than burning up pad material.

Adding capability and performance interests me, adding cost and complexity to earn it back at a rate of $20wk, not so much.

[rkittine]

My Prius has been a good car providing 50+ miles per gallon, plenty of room, acceptable pick up and low maintenance cost. I have 248,000 miles on it and other than some light bulbs, tires, brakes and oil changes, I have not spent anything else on the car. Still have the same spark plugs. Did put one battery (not the drive battery only the starting and accessory battery. ) over the last 12 years. Only negative is it is terrible in snow and too low to the ground.

Just took delivery of a 2021 RAV-4 Prime, which is a Hybrid and Plug in. Like the Prius, I can drive in the HOV lane by myself and this gets even better gas mileage while being higher and fine in the snow.

I am sold on these hybrids. Even have a few FREE charging stations in my area.

Bob

[Paul D]

My Prius has been a good car providing 50+ miles per gallon, plenty of room, acceptable pick up and low maintenance cost. I have 248,000 miles on it and other than some light bulbs, tires, brakes and oil changes, I have not spent anything else on the car. Still have the same spark plugs. Did put one battery (not the drive battery only the starting and accessory battery. ) over the last 12 years. Only negative is it is terrible in snow and too low to the ground.

Just took delivery of a 2021 RAV-4 Prime, which is a Hybrid and Plug in. Like the Prius, I can drive in the HOV lane by myself and this gets even better gas mileage while being higher and fine in the snow.

I am sold on these hybrids. Even have a few FREE charging stations in my area.

Bob

Did you have to have an electrician install a charging station in your garage if you wanted level 2 charging? I'm looking to go hybrid/ev and put solar on my house also.

Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk

[rkittine]

When I had my garage built, I had them make it oversized with a dedicated Ham Shack as a separate room, a storage attic, since I am waterfront and could not have a basement and when they did it they put a separate 100 amp service in the garage, which is insulated, sheet rocked, taped and painted. I did buy a high output charging set up for it and one of the guys I shoot regularly with is a licensed electrician as well as an electrical contractor and he is installing the charging station and a two head Ductless HVAC system, but they are not in yet. Got a 100% rebate from the local electric company for the charging unit itself.

Bob

[RevolverRob]

The primary driver for me isn't the cost of gas, it is the cost of electricity. If your KWh cost is low and you have level 2 charging available, a plug-in hybrid makes a lot of sense as a daily driven vehicle. Particularly if you commute at lower speeds (<50mph) and over a relatively short distance (<30 miles one way). There is a real sweet spot where the plug-in hybrid vehicle can shine, by allowing you flexibility so you only need one vehicle, but still offer an efficient vehicle for your commute and a fairly efficient vehicle long(er) distance driving.

<RevolverRob Rant>

What does not make sense, if you do not live in the suburbs and have the ability to own a separate vehicle, is all electric. No matter how many times people try to explain, "Oh people don't use as much range as they think they do." - That isn't the problem. Minimal charging infrastructure is the problem. There are approximately 1.5 million vehicles registered in Cook County, Illinois. In order for them all to be charged regularly, we would need about 15x as many charging stations as we currently have. And all of them would have to be operable ALL the time (which is not the case, there is quite a bit of break down in these systems, they are not nearly as reliable as a gas pump). Not only that, they'd have to be in safe areas of the city, ha...hahaha. So we'd need parking lots with 24-hour armed security in them. I'm sure that's in the budget...

The counter argument is, "The city will over curb-side charging like they have parking meters. It'll be available on every block."

Right... And I'm sure no one will come along and vandalize the chargers like they do parking meters? Also the city will come dig out the chargers when we have 5-feet of snow on the ground? Like they plow my street...six days after a snow fall?

There is a real lunacy surrounding the idea that electric cars make any kind of sense for urban dwellers, they don't. And the fallacy of them is amazing...these are the same folks that want everyone to live in urban environments and stop living in the suburbs, while they dwell in suburbs.

</Rant>