RE: PH Service History: Hybrid Theory

[RossP]

josh00mac said:

Given that my phone and laptop battery are totalled after 5 years, who will be buying these things 3rd hand?

Indeed. But your phone and laptop don't have a highly sophisticated battery management system to look after the batteries health. Cars do, which is why the i3 has a 100,000 mile 8 year battery warranty. Even after the warranty has expired, it will have plenty of life left. BMW have seen very little degradation in i3 batteries since they have been around from late 2013.

[Dale487]

The one hybrid I would consider, Golf GTE, still has some hefty compromises compared to the Golf GTI:

- Massively reduced boot space due to the batteries & fuel tank taking over the under floor storage (380 litres V 272 litres)
- When you run out of battery power, you're lugging around 100Kg (?) of batteries and have a smaller fuel tank that compromises it's petrol only range substantially
- (Assuming you don't live anywhere that has parking or congestion charge benefits to hybrids) the price difference, C£3K - buys you a lot of petrol
- I have the same 1.4ACT engine in my Leon and the car magazines that have a GTE on long term test don't seem to be achieving a significant improvement on MPG in mixed use (Car Magazine are getting 37.2 MPG - I get c45MPG on mixed driving and 54+MPG on a long run)
- DSG only

The Golf GTE has sold so well that they can't take any more orders - so clearly its the right car for a large number of people, just not me (currently). But improved battery technology will mean that either the electric range will improve for the weight & size of battery or the battery can get smaller for the same electric range, diminishing some of the compromises. Or just make a manual, estate.

Edited by Dale487 on Monday 16th April 13:35

[98elise]

RossP said:

josh00mac said:

Given that my phone and laptop battery are totalled after 5 years, who will be buying these things 3rd hand?

Indeed. But your phone and laptop don't have a highly sophisticated battery management system to look after the batteries health. Cars do, which is why the i3 has a 100,000 mile 8 year battery warranty. Even after the warranty has expired, it will have plenty of life left. BMW have seen very little degradation in i3 batteries since they have been around from late 2013.

Same with Tesla's. 8 year unlimited mile warranty on the battery pack and drive unit. Quite a few early cars are getting to 200k + with low degradation.

[JonnyVTEC]

Julian Thompson said:

Just a thought - would there be any mileage in a hybrid system that didn’t have a motor, and instead used the regenerative power to run everything electric on the car? You’d need presumably small and light batteries and a very much reduced weight and complexity? How much energy would this save?

A hybrid without a motor? That’s called a normal car isn’t it.

The motor is how it regenerates electricity to go back into the battery.

[unsprung]

SidewaysSi said:

I quite fancy one of these or a Civic hybrid for the wife but what's the battery life like? Don't want to buy one to then be faced with a big bill for fixing it!

The one in our extended family is adored by its non-enthusiast owner, a woman who delights in being able to fold the back seats and, consequently, to fit all manner of large and numerous things. When parked up, it exhibits a pleasing sort of futurism. It weighs a remarkable 1250kg.

This car has less than 40,000 miles on it and returns the UK equivalent of no less than 50 MPG. Often more. No degradation of the battery has been discernible, and the vehicle functions like new.

There is nothing to plug in, as the battery is charged when braking. The electric motor then assists the main petrol motor at various times as determined by driver input and vehicle status. Although this is the full-fat version with better wheels, enhanced cabin appointments and navigation, it was less than £14,000 (2014 exchange rate) on the road when new.

You can see what Honest John had to say about it, here:
https://youtu.be/XfDRAr_uFts

[Toltec]

Most hybrids appear to be a compromise between having a car that has low pollution around town and ICE range elsewhere. Generally they are heavier, more complex and more expensive, though they can of course have tax advantages. Cheaper than having an EV for town and local use and an ICE for longer journeys, but not ultimately as good as either.

Then there are the performance oriented hybrids where the electric motors are used to increase overall power and fill in turbo lag to allow more boost and therefore power from the ICE and still feel responsive. These tend to be even more expensive and economy is not really the aim.

[smilo996]

The i3 is such an innovative contruction and looks great in the flesh, the i8 as well.

The 918 is Porsche’s modern 959, technically misses the point that the LA F and P1 hit, much like the F40 as compared to the 959.

Hybrids, a good compromise.

[diddy_p]

Honda do indeed do some interesting Hybrids, but for me I have no idea why they don't make the Vezel (JDM name for HRV) Hybrid AWD a global model?!

The current HRV is OK - diesel is on it's way out and to my eyes the best way for Honda to clean up that segment is to introduce the Vezel 1.5 Hybrid AWD DCT... perhaps there are production scaling issues? I'm sure someone cleverer than I knows why Honda chose not to bring it here as a HRV.

http://www.automobile-catalog.com/car/2017/2002505...