Hybrid cars and EPA estimates: This is war
--> EPA fuel efficiency estimate revisions and hybrids
Are some journalists
ignorant, liars, or just plain biased?
How many articles have you read about hybrid
cars, such as the Toyota
Prius, and how they don't achieve EPA estimates?
For the record, the Prius CAN meet EPA estimates. If you
are on the highway you have to drive 55 mph, without air
conditioning, without excessive wind, and on flat roads,
etc.
However, in city driving, the Prius can also achieve 60 mpg,
even with the AC on if you are in extreme stop-and-go
traffic. Yes it's rare and most don't achieve these
levels of fuel efficiency, but that isn't the point.
The real point is the gross inaccuracy of EPA estimates
on ALL vehicles. According to some studies, the average
CONVENTIONAL vehicle - not hybrid - falls short of its
EPA fuel efficiency ratings by as much as 35%! Other
studies indicate that most vehicles are around 15-25%
less efficient that EPA estimates dependant upon driving
conditions.
According to a recent Consumer Report's study, in city driving 9 out of 10 vehicles fall short of their EPA estimates by as much as 50 percent. Unfortunately, even though city driving, congestion and stop-and-go driving is the future, most fuel economy estimates are done either using only highway estimates, or mostly highway estimates.
Equally important, it
isn't hybrid producers trying to inflate the fuel
economy estimates of hybrid cars that is the cause of
this problem.
In fact, according to the Detroit
News, the latest effort to fix the EPA fuel
efficiency ratings wasn't prevented by Toyota to protect
its hybrids, rather it was blocked by Detroit.
HMMM, I wonder what Detroit has to hide? Are Detroit's gas guzzlers even far more gas guzzling than the EPA rates them? YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For example, according to a previous Consumer Reports study, a number of Dodges achieve a whopping 8 mpg in the city. Chrysler's 300C, estimated to achieve 17 mpg, actually achieves just 10 mpg. The worst culprit, the Jeep Liberty Diesel, estimated at 22 mpg in the city, actually achieves only 11 mpg, 50 percent less than estimated.
Of course, not all hybrids are perfect either. CR notes that the Honda Civic hybrid only achieved 24 mpg in the city - missing its EPA estimated city fuel economy by 46 percent.
Nonetheless,
hybrids still fill the top 3 most fuel efficient
vehicles slot - not bad considering only a handful of
hybrids are available. And the Civic hybrid's 24 mpg in
the city is still better than almost every single
conventional vehicle on the road today.
Simply stated, hybrids are not all the same. The Honda
Accord hybrid and the Civic hybrid are built upon
the same hybrid technology, but not the same hybrid
technology as the Toyota
Prius hybrid.
Toyota hybrids, such as the Prius or
the Highlander
hybrid, can actually function on electric power only
at low speeds. This means that in city driving, where
congestion creates stop-and-go traffic, Toyota hybrids
can use much less gasoline, as can the Ford
Escape hybrid.
Honda hybrids, especially the first generation Honda
hybrids tested by CR, do not benefit from this gain. The second
generation Civic hybrid offers more electric
capabilities, but its electronic components
will still not equal that of Toyota hybrids.
Thus, all hybrids are not created equal and viewing
hybrids as one class is as inaccurate and misleading as
utilizing EPA fuel economy data. While the Civic hybrid
only achieves 26 mpg in the city according to CR, the
Prius achieves 45 mpg. The Ford Focus, for a
conventional comparison, only achieves 17 mpg.
At today's gas prices, driving 15,000 miles per year in
city driving,
the Civic hybrid would save you $1500.00 in gas versus
the Focus, the Prius would save $4500.00 per year in gas
savings versus the Focus. Of course, not everyone drives
in these conditions all the time, but for those that
live in large cities, the cost-benefit of hybrids like
the Prius can be pretty dramatic.
Additionally, if you HAVE to drive an SUV and you drive
mostly in the city, driving a Highlander hybrid or
Escape hybrid will probably save close to $700 - $1000
per year. For many hybrid drivers, gasoline savings in
the real world ARE enough to cover the cost of hybrid
components, plus you are helping to clean the
environment - can you really put a cost on that?
Ultimately, hybrids are not all the same. Currently, the
Prius is best in class - at least until the second
generation Civic hybrid. Still, it isn't just the fuel
economy of hybrids that should be in focus, rather it should be the incredible fuel inefficiency of
conventional vehicles - the majority of vehicles on the
road today..
So, the next time you read a journalist start to discuss the shortcomings of hybrids by noting that they don't achieve EPA estimates, realize you are dealing with either an ignorant or biased journalist.
6 Comments:
--> Hybrids only 9% more efficient than regular vehicles?
--> New EPA Fuel Mileage, hybrid cars and the future
--> More on fuel efficiency and fuel economy
fuel
efficiency Testimonials
- Ford
Escape hybrid
- Honda
Accord hybrid
- Honda
Civic hybrid
- Honda
Insight
- Lexus
RX400h
- Toyota
Prius
- Toyota
Highlander hybrid
I came to this site looking for information on American made hybrid cars. Somehow this reviewer managed to drag his disgusting left wing politics into what should be a reasonable, unbiased discussion of the facts.
So who is the "biased media whore" (your words) here? Yes, I agree the EPA needs to change the way they measure gas mileage. As for the political equation, last time I checked, 99% of the media was biased the same way you are, so I don't know why you are complaining about your brothers in deception.
It is dangerous, utter folly to blame the Islamic fundamentalist attacks on our purchase of oil produced in Islamic countries. They want you dead, whether or not you buy their oil. In fact, if the terrorists ever suceed in taking over our society, their first target will be the freedoms that liberals use to swamp us with their tawdry entertainment and their (your) elitist propaganda.
Doug,
Please.
Bin Laden has stated quite clearly that America's presence on the Saudi Arabian Peninsula and its influence and practices in Muslim countries are the reason for his angst and hatred of America.
Do some research.
Numerous ex-officials from the CIA, NSA, and the Pentagon agree that foreign oil dependency is the greatest threat to American National Security. This includes CIA directors from past Republican administrations.
America's presence in the Middle East is about one thing, OIL. If you don't believe that then you are simply being silly.
This isn't a leftist issue, this is a National Security issue.
As for a "biased media whore", I am biased, but I am not a media whore as I don't sell advertising to the companies that I write about, therefore, I am not whoring myself to my advertisers.
Also, I wish I could have been writing about American hybrids, but since American automakers, such as GM, would rather spend $3 billion per year marketing gas guzzling vehicles, rather than developing fuel efficient vehicles, I guess I won't get to do that. That's American!
Oh, yeah, fuel cells, right, Doug?
Sure, GM has been buying American polticians for decades telling them that fuel cells are just around the corner and they'll be just around the corner for another few decades.
Remember, the saying "Hungry, try eating your import." Why doesn't that count for oil, Doug?
Do I smell hypocrisy?
If you think America's ever-increasing foreign oil dependency is a good thing - it INCREASES every year - keep driving your gas-guzzler.
And, if you think foreign oil dependency isn't funding terrorism and that American funded dictators in Suadi Arabia don't breed hate of America in Saudi Arabia, then you live in fantasy land, not reality.
there's real world gas mileage estimates for hybrids (and conventionals) here:
http://www.gasaroo.com
This whole article is based on false information. The Ford Focus get 26 at worst not 17 city miles per gallon as stated in the article. I own one with 90K miles and no problems - I believe that Atlanta traffic and getting from 31 - 25 MPG on average is better than the 17 MPG stated in the article. get the facts right before you write an inaccurate article.
Why would I get my facts right if my goal was to write an inaccurate article?
Make a clear argument at least.
As for my 'facts'. Any fuel economy estimates I use come from Consumer Reports. If you want to question their 'facts' that's fine, but I'd still say they are more objective than you.
Some Prius drivers achieve over 60 mpg, others achieve only 40 mpg. Obviously, in all cars, there is great range in fuel economy - that's why they use an average.
Additionally, just because you live in Atlanta doesn't mean your commute is mostly congested miles. The point of Consumer Reports was to demonstrate that in stop and go traffic almost all vehicles achieve far less than their EPA estimates.
So, take it easy.
Well, if journalists can be such liars and CR posted 26 mpg for the Civic, then why even refer to that figure? Heck, why not check the www.greenhybrid.com mileage database and to your amazement (I guess !!!) you'll see that the Prius II and Civic hybrid II are just 1 mpg appart... this is according according to the thousands of users that log their mileage there regularly. Also for a good double-check stop by www.cleanmpg.com for a verification of this fact.
I own a 2007 Prius and 2006 HCH and they are literally producing the same mileage (the Prius has a 1mpg edge over the HCH during the summer, and the roles reverse during the winter). Does that make the Prius 2 as much of a winner as you claim it to be over the HCH ?
Regards;
DF
Msantos-
How does 'DF' and 'Msanstos' synchronize?
O.K. whatever.
I don't mean to be rude, but if whatever site you reference claims that fuel mileage between the Civic hybrid the Prius are equal, then that site is full of it.
Even worse, a Prius equal to a Highlander hybrid - please! That is complete nonsense.
Once again, the fuel economy reports are independent of any of my views. Consumer Reports, Forbes, and many other independent news channels have found the Prius to be the undisputed king of fuel economy.
So, if you're telling me that the Prius is no more efficient than both the Civic hybrid and the Highlander hybrid, then I'd say go smoke some more of the joint that you were smoking before this post because you are absolutely, 100%, full of it.