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Car Forum / Toyota / Prius / May 2008very short trips: hybrid pointless
OK, I drive very little, and my car gets heroic mileage (5+ mpg over the EPA) "on the road" but shitty in town...and it's because of how I use it. It never warms up. And yes, I often walk the trip, but for reasons I'll omit, many times I cannot walk or bike. So....the main trip I make is 3.2 miles from start to destination. It involves four left turns and three right. It also includes three steep hills, on which I simply coast. What I despise is idling. I don't want to idle at all, and most of the short trip is idling. There are six traffic lights involved. So I thought a Prius would be a good solution, but my friend who knows cars says the battery wouldn't stay charged because the gas engine would never attain enough usage/power. (I realize an all-electric car would be best, all things considered, but part of the trip is 40 mpg believe it or not, so, and the electrics have other problems, and no, I can't use a scooter either). yes, I could get a Fit or Yaris and improve economy, but I would still be spewing fumes at idle. So does anyone have the technical knowledge to tell me if the hybrid would in fact do its job, or if I'd end up depending on the gas engine and a dead/useless battery? here's the other piece. Some days I make only PART of that trip (my workplace is on the way) and I drive exactly .8 miles one way. Two steep hills downward, one up....three left turns and two right. sigh. I have my life planned out so that I live about 90% of it within a 2.5-mile radius (yes, I would take the Prius on the road, for volunteer work, probably two-three times a month, a 20-mile drive one way). Can anyone help? If I borrow one for a test drive, would that give me my answer? I'm not that techno savvy. thanks for any help here. > OK, I drive very little, and my car gets heroic mileage (5+ mpg over the > EPA) "on the road" but shitty in town...and it's because of how I use it. It [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > fact do its job, or if I'd end up depending on the gas engine and a > dead/useless battery? You would do no harm to the Prius power system by driving it the way you drive (or any way, for that matter). The big point is that the Prius is also designed to be a very low emissions vehicle. To that end, the car wants to warm up very quickly. To do that, the engine runs. You would be on engine much of the time during your commute, especially if the temp dropped under 65 degrees or so. Like the man said, you don't need a car, you need a scooter. You need to evaluate your fanatic desire not to emit pollution against what it costs the environment for you to take up one of the Priuses that could be going somewhere else more useful (as opposed to simply keeping your existing car). No car will suit your needs. Said another way, a multitude of cars will sin equally in your world. yep, you're preachin to the choir bro. I know it, which is why I've kept this car since 1994. I can't do scooter because of my passenger, who can't ride on a scooter. Sidecar, just possibly, but it would be pretty unsafe (not just because of traffic flow--four lanes--but because of frequent rain)... the one point you made, about "taking" a Prius from someone who could be using it better, doesn't quite make sense (believe me, I would not buy a new one!!!! I don't buy new anything; you could also argue that the current vehicle would (shudder) end up in the hands of someone who would drive it 20,000 miles a year. eeek. I'd better just park it. or wait, I could kill myself, and eliminate all the damage I am doing by breathing and consuming and...eeee..... interesting definition you have for the word "fanatic." I'm just doing due diligence here. and oh, has it been fun! the piece below is the one I needed, thanks. now to hang with my biodiesel friends, and the ethanol groupies, and the HPV and solar dweebs...... > You would be on engine much of the time during your commute, especially > if the temp dropped under 65 degrees or so. > ... > Can anyone help? If I borrow one for a test drive, would that give me my > answer? I'm not that techno savvy. thanks for any help here. You might be a good candidate for an EV switch ... especially if combined with a tickle charger for the main battery. Bob Wilson > You might be a good candidate for an EV switch ... especially if > combined with a tickle charger for the main battery. Better make that a trickle charger. Tickle charger sounds like... well, never mind what it sounds like. ;-)  Signature<http://designsbymike.net/shop/mac.cgi> Mac and geek T-shirts & gifts <http://designsbymike.net/election.shtml> Election 2008 goods. <http://designsbymike.net/shop/prius.cgi> Prius shirts/bumper stickers <http://designsbymike.net/shop/greet.cgi> Holiday cards with attitude thanks, good suggestion. And for those with fourth-grade minds...I hate tickling but I love groping. >> ... >> Can anyone help? If I borrow one for a test drive, would that give me my [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Bob Wilson The answer depends on the question. You drive very little but need a car; do you want to: - minimize petroleum use and air pollution? Then get a Prius. - minimize total direct cost of ownership? Then get a used Corolla, Civic, or Kia. > OK, I drive very little, and my car gets heroic mileage (5+ mpg over the > EPA) "on the road" but shitty in town...and it's because of how I use it. It [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > solution, but my friend who knows cars says the battery wouldn't stay > charged because the gas engine would never attain enough usage/power. Your friend would know more if he didn't think he knew cars. He certainly doesn't know Prius. The Prius battery has no problems staying charged at any speed. The engine doesn't stop unless its at least partially warm *and* the battery is reasonably charged. Sit stopped with the A/C on the engine will run a couple of minutes every 5 or 10 which the charge on the battery varies from nearly low to nearly full for the range it displays. > (I > realize an all-electric car would be best, all things considered, but part > of the trip is 40 mpg believe it or not, so, and the electrics have other > problems, and no, I can't use a scooter either). What the heck do you mean by, "part of the trip is 40 mpg"? > yes, I could get a Fit or > Yaris and improve economy, but I would still be spewing fumes at idle. So > does anyone have the technical knowledge to tell me if the hybrid would in > fact do its job, or if I'd end up depending on the gas engine and a > dead/useless battery? Do you worry about the battery in a conventional car going dead due to such short trips? No? Why not? Hint: same reason a Prius isn't going to have battery charge problems on your short trips. No more than you worry about the battery going dead due to sh > Can anyone help? If I borrow one for a test drive, would that give me my > answer? I'm not that techno savvy. thanks for any help here. Some national chain rental car places rent Prius. I think you need a Tesla: http://www.teslamotors.com/ . Put your money down now and you might get one in 12 to 18 months. >OK, I drive very little, and my car gets heroic mileage (5+ mpg over the >EPA) "on the road" but shitty in town...and it's because of how I use it. It [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] >Can anyone help? If I borrow one for a test drive, would that give me my >answer? I'm not that techno savvy. thanks for any help here. I would say you need an electric for running around in town, and you could then rent a car for the trips for which an electric would be unsuitable (those 20 mile drives still seem within electric vehicle range, however). When the plugin hybrids come out (2010 or 2011 model years at earliest), they might be suitable for what you want. |
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