Hybrid v Diesel - a little research

[andy665]

Doing some research and would really appreciate your thoughts.

Take two different cars, of comparable quality, driving dynamics, price etc. MPG likely to be virtually identical, CO2 output a little lower on the hybrid. Maintenance costs definitely lower on the hybrid.

Option 1 is diesel powered

Option 2 is full hybrid, that is it would have ability to run on petrol, electric or a combination of the two

Which would you choose and why

Edited by andy665 on Wednesday 30th June 16:16

Edited by andy665 on Wednesday 30th June 17:03

[TheRoadWarrior]

andy665 said:

Doing some research and would really appreciate your thoughts.

Take two different cars, of comparable quality, driving dynamics, price etc.

Option 1 is diesel powered

Option 2 is full hybrid, that is it would have ability to run on petrol, electric or a combination of the two

Which would you choose and why

Edited by andy665 on Wednesday 30th June 16:16

You've just told me everything that matters is the same... so either.

[Exige77]

TheRoadWarrior said:

andy665 said:

Doing some research and would really appreciate your thoughts.

Take two different cars, of comparable quality, driving dynamics, price etc.

Option 1 is diesel powered

Option 2 is full hybrid, that is it would have ability to run on petrol, electric or a combination of the two

Which would you choose and why

Edited by andy665 on Wednesday 30th June 16:16

You've just told me everything that matters is the same... so either.

What about mpg and CO2 output ? Thats the only reasin to have either.

Ex77

[andy665]

First post edited to include mpg and CO2 output indications

[nonuts]

Not a big fan of diesel, so if hybrid means petrol is kept then that's the way for me (LS600h for me please). In reality the diesel will be a better car and probably less damaging to the environment to make.

[eldar]

Lots of steady speed motorway work, probably diesel. Otherwise hybrid, I suppose.

[snotrag]

andy665 said:

Maintenance costs definitely lower on the hybrid.

What makes you think that?

Hybrids must be crammed full of ECUS, motor controls, servos, cooling fans, etc et, not to mention the actual motors and batteries?

[mikeveal]

Until the Hybrids are given two features, my answer will always be diesel.

1/ Ability to "go home" on electric only. Either link to a sat nav, and if told to go home, switch to battery so that the battery is discharged upon arrival. Or just flip a switch on the dash and drive on battery only.

2/ Recharge from the mains as well as from the petrol engine / braking inertia.

Doing these two things would allow you to switch your consumption from petrol to mains electricity for the majority of journeys. The current crop of hybrids still shackle thier owners to the pump and because of this they can never realise a significant saving over a diesel.

[Busa_Rush]

Think of the batteries . . . .

Heavy, really heavy ! Need to be charged. Have very limited range. Have limited life - probably need to replace them after 4 years to retain anything like the original range. How many people are going to want to buy your used, incredibly expensive batteries come the time you want to change the car ?

Diesel cars are in good demand and will be for some considerable time, they are a known quantity, lots of diesel specialists if you need them, cheap to run and insure . . . can't go wrong.

Hybrid cars are a solution to a political problem, not a fuel problem.

[kambites]

Given those things, the hybrid. Under your rules there seem to be no advantages in the diesel at all. I'm not at all convinced by your criteria, though.

I can't understand why anyone would choose the diesel.

Edited by kambites on Wednesday 30th June 17:33

[andy665]

snotrag said:

andy665 said:

Maintenance costs definitely lower on the hybrid.

What makes you think that?

Hybrids must be crammed full of ECUS, motor controls, servos, cooling fans, etc et, not to mention the actual motors and batteries?

Based on SMR (service, maintenance repair) cost calculations over a 36 moth, 60k period - based on the calculations I have seen I have no reason to doubt them

[andy665]

Busa_Rush said:

Think of the batteries . . . .

Heavy, really heavy ! Need to be charged. Have very limited range. Have limited life - probably need to replace them after 4 years to retain anything like the original range. How many people are going to want to buy your used, incredibly expensive batteries come the time you want to change the car ?

Diesel cars are in good demand and will be for some considerable time, they are a known quantity, lots of diesel specialists if you need them, cheap to run and insure . . . can't go wrong.

Hybrid cars are a solution to a political problem, not a fuel problem.

Not talking about pure EV here, the batteries are charged from excess engine power, regenerative braking. Battery life is not going to be an issue for 1st and 2nd owners, in terms of weight the overal weight of the vehicle I'm talking about is no more than its conventional powertrain competitors.

Diesels in good demand, known quantity etc - I otally agree.

Not trying to argue the case for hybrid, just interested in peoples views / thoughts

[flakeypaul]

My FIL's Lexus GS450h is great on juice round town (30mpg +) and can get from 0-60 in 5.7 seconds. Unfortunately (for the mpg) it can only run continuously on batteries for about 2 minutes without any form of regeneration (i.e. braking) before the V6 cuts in and drops the consumption down the the low teens.

So in a nutshell, they're great in heavy traffic. They can run off batteries only in heavy traffic and when you're stationery they uses nothing whatsoever. Show them any kind of non-urban driving however and you're just running a normal petrol engined car that has to lug about a great wad of batteries (that take up most of the boot space).

I'd go diesel, in fact I just have! Already halved my monthly fuel bill.