spoonyfork's Journal: Top 10 Misperceptions About Hybrid Vehicles -- From Ford

From Car Buyer's Notebook...

1. All hybrids are the same: There is a "full" hybrid system that gets best fuel mileage in city driving, and a "mild" hybrid system that gets best mileage on the open road. [Ed. -- Ford vehicles have a full hybrid system.]
2. Gas savings will quickly neutralize the premium hybrid sticker cost: Even cab and other prolific drivers won't break even the first year -- and it could take a small town farmer a decade to break even.
3. The hybrid model's EPA sticker is the mileage you'll get: The mileage depends on how you drive. A group of Ford engineers achieved 38 MPG in Manhattan -- 5 MPG higher than the EPA estimate.
4. Hybrids have a limited driving range: A tank of gas in the Ford Escape or Mercury Mariners hybrids will take you about 500 miles in a combination of city and highway driving under normal conditions.
5. Hybrids are the future: Hybrids are only part of the future. Other mileage and emissions breakthroughs are coming, including hydrogen-powered vehicles.
6. You have to plug them in: No, the gas engine and the brakes recharge the electric battery.
7. Hybrids are less powerful: The electric engine in the Escape and Mariner hybrids provide more torque at low speeds than their gas-only versions.
8. Everybody is buying hybrids: Although 29.4% of new-vehicle shoppers will consider a hybrid, they only account for less than 1% of current new-vehicle sales.
9. Replacement batteries will cost a fortune: The battery warranties on hybrids are extensive. The Escape and Mariner hybrids both have eight-year, 100,000-mile warranties.
10. The [USA] federal government is increasing the full hybrid tax credit for all hybrid buyers next year: The new energy bill taking effect January 1, 2006 will increase the tax break, but the full credit only applies to the first 60,000 hybrids sold from each manufacturer.

Battery Warranty

[jeepliberty]

Do they use standard Lead-Acid car batteries? My last battery died after 40,000 miles and 36 months of use. Do they expect the batteries to last that long? Warranty claims are probably prorated and valid at Dealers only.

Do they have a bio diesel engine option? Exhaust that smells like Dunkin Donuts or Popeye's Spicy Chicken. I can see Homer Simpson now...

Re:Battery Warranty

[Some Woman]

No. The battery component of the hybrid system is NiMH. In the case of Honda's hybrids (I don't know about the others), the vehicle contains an additional "normal" lead acid battery as a part of the gasoline engine.

I notice how that particular point conveniently sidesteps the issue that, yes, the hybrid batteries are extremely expensive to replace, luckily the hybrid system warranties tend to be pretty good.

Re:Battery Warranty

[spoonyfork]

The Escape Hybrid storage battery is nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH). The battery warranty is 8 years/100,000 miles. Not sure what you mean by prorated. If the battery failed on mile 999,999 or year 7.99 I would expect a full replacement.

I don't know about any factory biodiesel models although I have heard of aftermarket modifications allowing Ford diesels to run on it. They do have a hydrogen ICE [ford.com] in the works though. I wonder what that would smell like, if anything.

Interesting

[jawtheshark]

I don't know about any factory biodiesel models although I have heard of aftermarket modifications allowing Ford diesels to run on it.

As far as I know normal Diesel engines burn it just like Petrodiesel. No modification necessary. Biodiesel@wikipedia [wikipedia.org]: "Biodiesel functions in current engines, and is a possible candidate to replace fossil fuels as the world's primary transport energy source."

I have heard about systems to enhance the (cold) starting of engines where normal diesel is used to start the

Re:Interesting

[spoonyfork]

No modification perhaps but Ford's biodiesel technology page [ford.com] lists some issues in using over 5% biodiesel in fuel, including low temperatures.

When reading about this stuff all I can think of is Mr. Fusion from the movie Back to the Future... banana peel, beer, beer can, etc.

Re:Interesting

[Ethelred Unraed]

Biodiesel should only be used if the manufacturer approves the engine for it. The reason is that the engine hoses and connections need to be a bit more sturdy and robust, because using biodiesel can possibly damage standard engine parts. However, IIRC in most cases it's possible to do with most modern diesel-powered cars, so long as the manufacturer supplies the necessary parts.

Biodiesel is fairly popular in Germany as an alternative fuel, and while it's not ubiquitous, usually there are at least a few st

Re:

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