New Prius: 50 mpg, optional solar roof, bigger engine, better drag coeff, EV Mode, etc • Hacker News Board

Re: New Prius: 50 mpg, optional solar roof, bigger engine, better drag coeff, EV Mode, etc

#11

Post by iigs » Tue, Jan 13, 2009, 8:10 PM UTC

sokoloff wrote: post #9

kyofiyfi wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why does everyone keep saying that it is about image? I want to buy a prius because they get 50 mpg (at least), not because I'm in the business of doing whatever pleases you.

Here in Cambridge, MA, I think there are an awful lot of people who want YOU to know that THEY are driving a hybrid. IMO, the Prius hybrid didn't bury the Civic hybrid because it was better (it is for city, not for highway), but rather because the Civic hyrid looks like a normal Civic, which doesn't allow for an ostentatious display of smugness. http://torontoist.com/2007/08/green_plate_par.php

Same story here (Seattle). The Prius is to the urban liberal the same thing the SUV is to the suburban conservative -- a premium-priced vehicle projecting an image.

Most of the time the suburban conservative would be fine in a Civic, and most of the time the urban liberal would be fine on the bus. But in either case it would be a slight trade of practicality and a large trade of social status -- not going to happen.

Re: New Prius: 50 mpg, optional solar roof, bigger engine, better drag coeff, EV Mode, etc

#12

Post by DaniFong » Tue, Jan 13, 2009, 8:34 PM UTC

vaksel wrote: post #2

Why do the electric/hybrid cars need to look so bad? If you are going to make the effort to design a new body, and not just slap an electric engine into an existing car like GM does, why not spend a few extra bucks to make it look good?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The Honda Insight has been superior technically, and was released earlier, but it has nothing like the mindshare of the Prius. We're hard pressed to account for this with anything other than branding and design.

Re: New Prius: 50 mpg, optional solar roof, bigger engine, better drag coeff, EV Mode, etc

#13

Post by kirpekar » Tue, Jan 13, 2009, 9:22 PM UTC

donw wrote: post #8

At least this one looks better than the last-gen Prius. Probably still has the same handling and acceleration characteristics of a dead llama, though. Rather than this hybrid nonsense, I would love to see some of the fun little city cars (like the Aygo) arrive over here in the US. Better mileage, yet still peppy and fun to drive.

The Yaris is based on the Aygo. Sorry, why is hybrid "nonsense"?

Re: New Prius: 50 mpg, optional solar roof, bigger engine, better drag coeff, EV Mode, etc

#14

Post by ntoshev » Tue, Jan 13, 2009, 9:27 PM UTC

kyofiyfi wrote: post #6

ntoshev wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aerodynamics? The buyers are supposed to care about mileage more than how it looks. Also it has a distinct look, I suppose Prius buyers like to be recognized as someone who cares about the environment.

Why does everyone keep saying that it is about image? I want to buy a prius because they get 50 mpg (at least), not because I'm in the business of doing whatever pleases you.

If you care only about total cost of ownership and/or ecology, my intuition is you'd be better off buyng any small second hand car. The milage would be worse, but the up front cost would be much smaller. Also you'd be extending the lifetime of an object that has a big environmental cost to produce. The carbon footprint would be worse, but at least there will be no extra toxic batteries to dispose of.

Re: New Prius: 50 mpg, optional solar roof, bigger engine, better drag coeff, EV Mode, etc

#15

Post by gravitycop » Tue, Jan 13, 2009, 9:36 PM UTC

kirpekar wrote: post #13

donw wrote: post #8

At least this one looks better than the last-gen Prius. Probably still has the same handling and acceleration characteristics of a dead llama, though. Rather than this hybrid nonsense, I would love to see some of the fun little city cars (like the Aygo) arrive over here in the US. Better mileage, yet still peppy and fun to drive.

The Yaris is based on the Aygo. Sorry, why is hybrid "nonsense"?

According to the latest Dust to Dust report update, the Yaris is vastly superior to the Prius. http://www.cnwmr.com/nss-folder/automotiveenergy/107%2008%20... [XLS]

In energy dollars per mile, that report shows:

  Smart           $0.583
  Ion             $0.621
  Focus           $0.621
  Cavalier        $0.655
  Xb              $0.683
  Aveo            $0.693
  xA              $0.713
  Corolla         $0.748
  Fit             $0.799
  Yaris           $0.916
  Crown Victoria  $1.134
  Le Sabre        $1.462
  Lucerne         $1.589
  Park Avenue     $1.924
  Sprinter van    $2.173
  Prius           $2.191

Here's the page showing the collection of reports: http://www.cnwmr.com/nss-folder/automotiveenergy

This is the Prius-beating Dodge Sprinter van: http://images.google.com/images?q=sprinter+van

It's big. It weighs 4,784 lbs., empty. Fully loaded, it's 11,000 lbs. http://www.google.com/search?q=sprinter+van+weight