Comments on: The Green Spot: Driving a Hybrid http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/2009/06/26/the-green-spot-driving-a-hybrid/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:31:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Canadian Dream http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/2009/06/26/the-green-spot-driving-a-hybrid/comment-page-1/#comment-29320 Canadian Dream Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:37:26 +0000 http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/?p=807#comment-29320 Potato, I agree ratings are somewhat misleading to try and use in real life. I noticed even how new the pavement was changed the L/km ratings. The 111 to 109 km/hr comment was based on what I could tell from adjusting my speed. Yes, slight hills and road conditions may have played a factor in it. My brakes on the Echo are fine, but trust me drive a Prius and you will notice the brakes feel heavier to use and are more touchy. It's not a huge difference, but it was noticeable. Tim Potato,

I agree ratings are somewhat misleading to try and use in real life. I noticed even how new the pavement was changed the L/km ratings.

The 111 to 109 km/hr comment was based on what I could tell from adjusting my speed. Yes, slight hills and road conditions may have played a factor in it.

My brakes on the Echo are fine, but trust me drive a Prius and you will notice the brakes feel heavier to use and are more touchy. It’s not a huge difference, but it was noticeable.

Tim

]]> By: Potato http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/2009/06/26/the-green-spot-driving-a-hybrid/comment-page-1/#comment-28945 Potato Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:52:15 +0000 http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/?p=807#comment-28945 So Echo is rated for 5.5 on the highway, but the Prius is rated for 4.2 (and the new Prius 4.0 hwy). What do you <i>actually</i> get with the Echo? Like Darryl said, and you found out, the lab ratings are not the same as real world driving experiences. <a href="http://www.holypotato.com/?p=526" rel="nofollow">Plus there are a lot of factors to consider if you were actually choosing a new car</a>. For instance, the Prius is a much bigger car than the Echo/Yaris, and yet is still rated as being more efficient, and for me that's the magic of a hybrid. <i>"I found by dropping speed from 111 km/h to 109 km/hr saves you about 1 L/100 km"</i> Are you sure about that? You didn't switch from a slight uphill to a slight downhill incline or anything at the same time, or from slowly accelerating to slowly decelerating? That's a large change in fuel consumption for a negligible change in speed. <i>"...the brakes slow you down a lot faster than most cars because it tops up the battery while doing so."</i> Again, are you sure about that? Hybrids do have regenerative braking, so energy can be reclaimed when slowing down rather than being wasted on friction (which also saves brake pad life), but IIRC the Prius has a braking distance that's merely average, and is quite close to that of an Echo -- whether that's because only the friction brakes are used in panic-stop scenarios (like a braking distance test), or because braking distance is limited by the grip of the tires, I don't know. Are the brakes on your Echo working properly? So Echo is rated for 5.5 on the highway, but the Prius is rated for 4.2 (and the new Prius 4.0 hwy). What do you actually get with the Echo? Like Darryl said, and you found out, the lab ratings are not the same as real world driving experiences.

Plus there are a lot of factors to consider if you were actually choosing a new car. For instance, the Prius is a much bigger car than the Echo/Yaris, and yet is still rated as being more efficient, and for me that’s the magic of a hybrid.

“I found by dropping speed from 111 km/h to 109 km/hr saves you about 1 L/100 km”

Are you sure about that? You didn’t switch from a slight uphill to a slight downhill incline or anything at the same time, or from slowly accelerating to slowly decelerating? That’s a large change in fuel consumption for a negligible change in speed.

“…the brakes slow you down a lot faster than most cars because it tops up the battery while doing so.”

Again, are you sure about that? Hybrids do have regenerative braking, so energy can be reclaimed when slowing down rather than being wasted on friction (which also saves brake pad life), but IIRC the Prius has a braking distance that’s merely average, and is quite close to that of an Echo — whether that’s because only the friction brakes are used in panic-stop scenarios (like a braking distance test), or because braking distance is limited by the grip of the tires, I don’t know. Are the brakes on your Echo working properly?

]]> By: Darryl http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/2009/06/26/the-green-spot-driving-a-hybrid/comment-page-1/#comment-28812 Darryl Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:23:42 +0000 http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/?p=807#comment-28812 Just keep in mind that the official mileage rating for all vehicles is completely innacurate - it's based on tests in a lab, not real world driving. There's a good chance your Echo is not as efficient as it claims. Just keep in mind that the official mileage rating for all vehicles is completely innacurate – it’s based on tests in a lab, not real world driving. There’s a good chance your Echo is not as efficient as it claims.

]]> By: Traciatim http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/2009/06/26/the-green-spot-driving-a-hybrid/comment-page-1/#comment-28650 Traciatim Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:33:08 +0000 http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/?p=807#comment-28650 "The car is a fun toy . . . " That pretty much sums up my thoughts as well. “The car is a fun toy . . . ”

That pretty much sums up my thoughts as well.

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