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Wayne.B

On Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:06:17 -0400, wrote:

I'm not sure the electric in most hybrids kicks in for acceleration at
highway speeds. I think it's used mostly in low speed, stop and go,
city driving.

I know that stop and go is supposed to be hybrid's strong point but I
haven't heard anything about the electric not working at highway
speeds. Short bursts of power is ideal for battery/electric.

It only takes 20 to 30 hp to keep a small to mid-size car rolling at
highway speed so the only reason for paying the overhead of a large
engine is acceleration.

Wayne.B

On Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:34:30 -0400, wrote:

In Connecticut, the highways and parkways have lots of hills, so it
takes quite a bit more than 30 hp to maintain speed!

Oh yes, I well remember our days of zooming up and down the hills of
the Merit Parkway with a fully loaded, 40 hp, diesel Rabbit. You had
to drive it like a heavy truck, gaining enough momentum downhill to
carry you up the next one, foot to the floor most of the time.

I tend to agree with the conclusion that hybrids are not cost
effective for highway driving even if you can get an acceleration
boost when you need it. You are toting around the weight and cost of
the technology but only using it for short periods.

Eisboch

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:34:30 -0400, wrote:

In Connecticut, the highways and parkways have lots of hills, so it
takes quite a bit more than 30 hp to maintain speed!

Oh yes, I well remember our days of zooming up and down the hills of
the Merit Parkway with a fully loaded, 40 hp, diesel Rabbit. You had
to drive it like a heavy truck, gaining enough momentum downhill to
carry you up the next one, foot to the floor most of the time.

I tend to agree with the conclusion that hybrids are not cost
effective for highway driving even if you can get an acceleration
boost when you need it. You are toting around the weight and cost of
the technology but only using it for short periods.

I am confirming something that I guess I always knew in theory, but rarely
applied in practice.
The goofy toy my son and I bought together .... the Caddy Limo .... has the
32 or 34 valve V8 engine.
I don't know much about the Caddy engines, so I don't know it's displacement
or horsepower.

However, because it's a Limo, you tend to drive it very conservatively. No
fast starts ... mainly because it can't .... and nice, easy acceleration and
deceleration for a comfortable ride for whoever the passengers may be.

After a week or so of driving a mix of around town and highway miles (65-70
mph) I was amazed to find that it gets around 17 mpg overall. That's
better than my little 6 cylinder Ford Ranger.

I suspect the halfway decent mileage (for a big vehicle) is due to the
conservative driving style more than engine design.

Eisboch

jim[_7_]

Eisboch wrote:
"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:34:30 -0400, wrote:

In Connecticut, the highways and parkways have lots of hills, so it
takes quite a bit more than 30 hp to maintain speed!
Oh yes, I well remember our days of zooming up and down the hills of
the Merit Parkway with a fully loaded, 40 hp, diesel Rabbit. You had
to drive it like a heavy truck, gaining enough momentum downhill to
carry you up the next one, foot to the floor most of the time.

I tend to agree with the conclusion that hybrids are not cost
effective for highway driving even if you can get an acceleration
boost when you need it. You are toting around the weight and cost of
the technology but only using it for short periods.

I am confirming something that I guess I always knew in theory, but rarely
applied in practice.
The goofy toy my son and I bought together .... the Caddy Limo .... has the
32 or 34 valve V8 engine.
I don't know much about the Caddy engines, so I don't know it's displacement
or horsepower.

However, because it's a Limo, you tend to drive it very conservatively. No
fast starts ... mainly because it can't .... and nice, easy acceleration and
deceleration for a comfortable ride for whoever the passengers may be.

After a week or so of driving a mix of around town and highway miles (65-70
mph) I was amazed to find that it gets around 17 mpg overall. That's
better than my little 6 cylinder Ford Ranger.

I suspect the halfway decent mileage (for a big vehicle) is due to the
conservative driving style more than engine design.

Eisboch

There you go. Cut the top off and make a long bed pickup out of it.

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