# Hybrid car



## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

What I understand about how my Hybrid car works
The car runs in battery only mode when it can.
There is enough battery power to supply it. The engine is not needed to provide heat to warm the car. And sudden acceleration is not needed .
In winter often the only reason engine runs is to make heat. Even the AC is electric .
When using brakes the regenerative system charges battery, it also does so when coasting. 
Hybrid drive is when both engine and battery are supply power to move the vehicle and to run other options . Often the mode in hiway way driving. It will then switch as needed.
Charging mode is when running down the road the system is charging the batteries.
When left idling the car will turn it's self on and off to maintain cooling and heat as you have it set. It will also start to recharge battery if it gets low.
The change from each phase is seamless.
The batteries generate heat and have their own cooling system, the heat is recovered to warm car.
When you nail the pedal the hybrid function turns the small engine in to a very quick car.
If you drive mostly hiway and at higher speeds then it is not the best option in many cases. It works best in city driving. Letting off pedal and or using the brakes recharge the batteries so often you can run around town on battery only. It shuts down at stop and restarts if needed .
When I first looked at the C Max , all I saw was a Vehicle that would fit our needs that was not to big nor to small. It was after that I noticed it was a hybrid. I was walking away. Then I looked again and took one for a ride. Took that car for what came out to two day test. It fit prefect for what we needed. Returned and purchased one.
Hybrid is not for everyone, it is a car you must buy right to make it worth while. My wife use this one any vehicle with the room and ride of this one with out a hybrid system would at best be 30MPG most were closer to 25MPG . While the MPG numbers at any given time , effected by weather , driving condition ect are all over the place. The life time average for the car is at just a shade over 41 MPG. I will past full judgement on it at 150K so far not one single issue at 56K.


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

My wife is on her 2nd Prius and boy does it save us on gas. They both have averaged in the 40s for MPG and have never given us a bit of trouble. When we first got one, I'd always have the display up that shows where the power is coming from... the battery or the engine. Kinda cool but after awhile, I lost interest. The technology is cool & the car operates just like any other small sedan.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

My wife's Honda Civic gets a average of 38-39 miles a gallon. That's with 178000 thousand miles on it. I'm sure the car would do better if it didn't have remote start and an auto trans. She never scraps a window and let's it warm up 10-15 minutes a day. Only paid $4200. 

I would think with all that fancy technology a hybrid could do better then 41 mpg. What's the point for 2 mpg. IMHO.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Eliminate the ton and tons of regulations on the oil and gas industry and the price of fuel goes down to manageable levels. WE THE PEOPLE have elected evil bastards at the Federal and State level who have passed legislation and regulations that made cheap energy expensive. 

I'll drive the biggest freakin truck I choose...this all bullshat.

Having said that, nice review Smitty and I wouldn't mind one day having a 4WD Gator or Polaris that is battery/solar powered JIC!


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Heard quite a few good reports on the Prius. Thanks for scoop on how they operate.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Prius would never work for way to small The CMax is some what a smaller suv type


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

I got a kick out of listening to this guy on AM Radio Sat mornings. Very smart feller and has an interesting website. He aint a big fan of hybrids. His theory seems to be with gas engines getting ever more efficient and gas prices relatively low the hybrids are getting marginalize. Small gas car get nerly as good of mpg as a hybrid without some of the draw backs. 
Ed Wallace's Inside Automotive


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## RJAMES (Dec 23, 2016)

There are many different cars / systems out now. They have plug in all electrics, A plug in that also has a small engine not to run the car but to generate electricity and charge the battery for longer distances. Hybreds that give the gas engine a boost for acceleration only and hybreds that are capable of running on electric until the battery gets too low then it runs on gas. 

My 2003 manual hybred Honda Civic is still getting 62 mpg when I drive it but when my grand son drives it it is averaging 45 mpg. The clutch and brakes had to be replaced 6 months after he started driving it. Now he is in San Antonio traffic and he was still learning . He got it at 140000 miles with original clutch and brakes that the shop said were still good.

Now that it is at 200000 he was saying it was not getting the same mileage but I recently showed him I can get those higher numbers. In any vehicle - the faster you go the more fuel you burn. The faster you take off , faster you stop the more fuel and brake pad you use. Slow take offs , look and think ahead to avoid braking , speeding up just to brake again. Slow steady is what you want. With a manual especially in my rural area I often do not use the brake at a stop sign I do slow down and stop as I shift into 1st with out touching the brake or at most tapping it. 

Something that everyone regardless of vehicle can do - on a street with a lot of lights figure out what speed to run the street lights on . Unless traffic is extremely heavy you should be able to find a speed that enables you to hit all the lights green . Ever notice the guy who speeds past you ends up just in front of you and he takes off fast just to end up stopped at the next light waiting ? Find the spot and you can keep on moving without braking or accelerating just slow and steady. 

Not planning on buying any more vehicles but if I were I would hope they have a electric plug in truck with a small gas engine to recharge the battery. I would plug it into solar panels when parked at home and would likely be able to do most of my driving without having to buy fuel. 

I know everyone thinks the numbers do not work but they are getting dam close and if we have economic problems , civil unrest effecting fuel delivery you would be very happy to have that set up. Volt is looking at just that a system to sell homeowners that runs the house and charges the car enough for a 30 to 45 mile commute .


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Many would see me as the last person to own a hybrid. In fact at a family gathering and niece , was shocked. I explained to her I purchased it in-spite of it being a Hybrid . The car fit what we needed/wanted and all a round was a very nice vehicle . When dealer put a price on it , hybrid no longer an issue.


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## azrancher (Dec 14, 2014)

And of course we had a Volkswagen Jetta, that cheated on the EPA testing, which I think is BS... the EPA testing wasn't sophisticated enough to design a test that couldn't be beat.

That Jetta got 41-45 MPG, turbo diesel, zoom zoom. And I understand that the diesels in Europe are even better, but then we have the EPA to protect us from ourselves.

We took the $$$ buy out and put it towards part of a F350 Crew, 8' bed, SRW, 4X4, I'm still going thru sticker shock, even with the Ford Family discount.

*Rancher *


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## Alteredstate (Jul 7, 2016)

I really hope Tesla changes the automotive world. I am a real free market advocate. And want them to stand on their own but it will be hard to do when we are supplementing fuel costs pushing for "energy independence" which means manipulation and control of fossil fuel production to insure the petrol dollar does not crash.

I honesty think electric motors are superior to gas powered engines. Large horse power electric motors on pumps will easily run for 30 years. That type of longevity can be emulated for autos the battery packs are their now. If our Congress will stop limiting high transition solar panels the gas powered motor will be dead in short order.

Already Scandinavian countries are regulating the continuance of gas powered production vehicles.

It is clearly the wave of the future and our current administration is looking to the old days. The trillions of dollars directed toward fossil fuel infrastructure should be steered toward solar panel systems for every house hold and mass production. The transference of taxable revenue basis is the main reason our government is not supporting the transition. Everyone will be avoiding federal anyway road use and fuel tax and the entire infrastructure system will collapse. So the government will need to institute tax by usage, which would necessitate tracking each vehicle, and the public does not have the stomach for that level of tracking yet. A real catch 22 for the government.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Alteredstate said:


> I really hope Tesla changes the automotive world. I am a real free market advocate. And want them to stand on their own but it will be hard to do when we are supplementing fuel costs pushing for "energy independence" which means manipulation and control of fossil fuel production to insure the petrol dollar does not crash.
> 
> I honesty think electric motors are superior to gas powered engines. Large horse power electric motors on pumps will easily run for 30 years. That type of longevity can be emulated for autos the battery packs are their now. If our Congress will stop limiting high transition solar panels the gas powered motor will be dead in short order.
> 
> ...


Yep..that fellow I mentioned earlier in the thread is fond of all electric cars. He says they are a much better alternative for the future than are hydrogen fuel cell models. It apparently takes a lot of energy to make hydrogen.


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## bigdogmom (Aug 28, 2015)

Here are my thoughts...

First of all, you could not pay me to own a Prius. Too many stupid people own them (yes...they give all Prius owners a bad name). That being said, I would own other Hybrids, just no a Prius.

That being said, when we bought our last car we went diesel. We went this route because we already owned three other diesels, because it needed to have four wheel drive (we get feet of snow in the winter) and a higher wheel base and I needed something that could haul three giant dogs around in an emergency. My Jeep gets 27 to 30 mph in a mid sized SUV, which is pretty good. The other reason a Hybrid is really great for us is I only travel under 35 mph for about 3/4's of a mile. After that, it's running on the motor. Now if they come out with a diesel Hybrid, I might have to rethink the idea.

Now on electric cars, I would not risk owning one where I live, mostly because of snow storms and being stuck on a highway with an empty battery in frigid weather. Recipe for disaster. If I was a city dweller, maybe, but not out here.

Droid did it!


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

bigdogmom said:


> Here are my thoughts...
> 
> First of all, you could not pay me to own a Prius. Too many stupid people own them (yes...they give all Prius owners a bad name). That being said, I would own other Hybrids, just no a Prius.
> 
> ...


Liberals and hippies drive a Prius


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

I know and do not deny my Hybrid would cost 3 times the price if someone else was not paying for the cost. Same with solar the only way it works is someone else has to pay the cost for those wishing to use it. Even when Solar companies are given cash they can't make it work. Maybe someday it will be different but now someone else has to pay for it.
I would love to have diesel in my C max, they do in other countries. But EPA regs just make not worth while for them here.


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## Pir8fan (Nov 16, 2012)

My wife drives a 12 year old Prius. Never had any trouble with it and it averages in the mid-40s. Highway mileage is low 50s


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

One of my old viet vet pals had a Prius. He come to get me one day and I said how come your driving a *** car? Apparently it hurt his feelings pretty bad cause shortly after than he showed up in a big pickup. He said he traded for it because he did not want to dirve a *** car. Now he might have been teasing about that..but I dont think so. lol. The guy on the radio brags a lot on Mazda Suvs. Claims they got got the best mid sized SUV in America. The one he recommends is a four cylinder some kinda super charger gizmo on it. Gets good gas mileage.


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

Pfft ...


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Your dont want a Mazda are you speaking to somebody else? lol. Think I am fixing to trade this giant Tundra off and get one. Maybe. If my humpback brother ever straightens up. He think he might could be comfortable riding in it at that point. Now I would really like a Lexus suv. I have one of the old 92 model cars which has 160 mph on the dial and pretty sure it could still do it if anybody got stupid..lol. 200 k on the odometer love it Best free car I ever got from my other brother. He didnt act like he liked me much growing up. He obviously has a guilty conscience about making me watch a fluffy headed bastid named Dick Clark instead of Bull Winkle and Rocky at 4 PM. Nearly put me in the nut house. I still start gagging when I hear doo *** music.


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## Old SF Guy (Dec 15, 2013)

This is the only hybrid i'd ever drive....


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Mighty nice and classic. We had a red and white 71 I think. that was very slick. Bought it for the oldest boy in high school. Had made in Mexico wrote right on it. How unamerican huh? That one about 63 or thereabouts?


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

The Ford C-max is still going strong. Life time average is 41 MPG not bad considering winter driving is equal to good weather driving in total miles. Also the driving it does most often is not best suited for a hybrid. The C-max is a lot bigger that the Prius . 
Again we did not purchase a C-max because it was a hybrid. It just was the best fit for what we wanted and it was priced right at the time. Longer we have have it the more we like it.
The key to selling Hybrid cars is to make them work and fit the needs of the owner. As a selling point the Hybrid part should not be first consideration . Build a car people want not one forced on them.


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## preppermyA (Aug 19, 2017)

There was a story about a guy who took an old Prius and parked it to use as a generator. Don't remember where I read it. Could have even been here. It was a while ago.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

preppermyA said:


> There was a story about a guy who took an old Prius and parked it to use as a generator. Don't remember where I read it. Could have even been here. It was a while ago.


 Heck Wife Great grandfather used his Ford. Jacked it up belt went around the rim one pulley pumped water for the cows and house the other could run a generator. When they need it for a feed run it came down and was driven into town.


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