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Nobody understands the point of hybrid cars [video]

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Re: Nobody understands the point of hybrid cars [video]

#81
post #68
post #50

I have all three ICE, EV and hybrid at home. I was hesitant at first when getting the EV because we already had the hybrid, but we needed a second SUV to carry kids. After two years with the EV it became evident to me the hybrid doesn’t make sense. It has some of the gas savings of an EV but you still deal with the inconvenience of maintaining a ICE. My EV has received zero maintenance other than cleaning the cameras…

How many miles in that two years? I put about 14k miles per year on my ICE and have only needed oil changes for 5 years. I know I have a big 200k service coming up but if I only look at the past five years it’s just oil every 7k and tires. Not THAT different, yes?

If you want it to last you should also be flushing the coolant and brake fluid, changing the transmission oil, air filter and at some point serpentine belt, rad hoses , spark plugs and leads

Re: Nobody understands the point of hybrid cars [video]

#82
post #18

I always thought the problem with hybrids was the complexity of the drive train, but this video is challenging that notion. It argues that the hybrid pack (minus the battery, perhaps?) is more compact and simpler than a manual gearbox, even. It consists of two electric motors and a planetary gear set, which is seemingly simpler than clutch packs, gear sets and belts of regular transmissions, including CVTs. Time code…

On a completely tangential note, has anyone ever tried a hybrid that was like a diesel-electric train? The engine just charges the battery. IIRC it can be much simpler, no need for gearing at all, the engine just runs at a constant speed and the battery handles delivering variable amounts of power.

RAM and Ford are about to launch range extended EV pickups with 609 miles of Range and 14,000lbs of towing

https://expeditionportal.com/the-extended-range-ev-influx-is...

Re: Nobody understands the point of hybrid cars [video]

#83
post #76
post #50

I have all three ICE, EV and hybrid at home. I was hesitant at first when getting the EV because we already had the hybrid, but we needed a second SUV to carry kids. After two years with the EV it became evident to me the hybrid doesn’t make sense. It has some of the gas savings of an EV but you still deal with the inconvenience of maintaining a ICE. My EV has received zero maintenance other than cleaning the cameras…

How many kids do you have that you need two SUVs to carry them all? its not common.

In my experience it is that mom and dad both sometimes need to have all the kids and there is no good car swap in between. I drop the kids off for their before school jazz band practice, then my wife picks them up from their after school practice. I really want a tiny car that handles well, but that won't allow the above so I'm driving a SUV that is barely big enough and not fun at all.

My kids are soon to reach driving age and that means they can drive themselves - but only if I have another car.

I wish I lived where transit existed, but that is a different rant.

Re: Nobody understands the point of hybrid cars [video]

#84
post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How many miles in that two years? I put about 14k miles per year on my ICE and have only needed oil changes for 5 years. I know I have a big 200k service coming up but if I only look at the past five years it’s just oil every 7k and tires. Not THAT different, yes?

If you want it to last you should also be flushing the coolant and brake fluid, changing the transmission oil, air filter and at some point serpentine belt, rad hoses , spark plugs and leads

Sure, but those are every 100k miles in most cases. That doesn't happen very often.

the brake fluid is in the EV as well.

Re: Nobody understands the point of hybrid cars [video]

#85
post #76
post #50

I have all three ICE, EV and hybrid at home. I was hesitant at first when getting the EV because we already had the hybrid, but we needed a second SUV to carry kids. After two years with the EV it became evident to me the hybrid doesn’t make sense. It has some of the gas savings of an EV but you still deal with the inconvenience of maintaining a ICE. My EV has received zero maintenance other than cleaning the cameras…

How many kids do you have that you need two SUVs to carry them all? its not common.

I'm willing to bet they didn't mean to carry kids that don't fit in two SUVs. Probably meant that logistically, they need two SUVs available. If you aren't American—or are, but don't have kids—you might not be aware that even two kids past 10yo and a sedan is a pretty bad experience. And I'm saying this as someone who loves his sedan, hates large cars, passionately hates SUVs, and definitely never wanted one.

I have three kids under 10. None of them can legally ride in the front of my sedan. So they had to be in the back. Three of them in one bench seat. Physically possible, and we did it for a while, but it's just non-stop screaming and fights, and with very little space for all their after-school stuff. I threw out my back trying to make their sports and music stuff fit with my baby's stroller and diaper bag etc.

And this is the kicker if you aren't American: everything you do in life has to be done with a car, which means even at two kids, you might be transporting loads of gear every day.

I always thought, like my experience growing up, my kids should learn a musical instrument and play a sport. So if a kid picks cello and the sport is tennis, your entire trunk is filled now. And that's not even with a stroller for your third kid that is not self-ambulatory yet. Forget about a tire inflator, jumper cables, or any other standard stuff you should be carrying in your car at all times.

So with three kids (extremely common in the US), a sedan is practically unworkable. (Again, I'm saying this as someone who would only drive sedans my whole life if I could. I hate big cars and think they're a needless risk and expense for most people and wish we could heavily restrict their ownership.)

Now what if one parent is in charge of the morning stuff then works late, but the other parent is in charge of afternoon stuff because they get off work early.

Now you need an SUV for each parent just to manage three kids with a completely normal set of childhood activities.

I drive a ID.Buzz now, the LWB so it seats seven. Life is immeasurably easier. Perfect timing, too, with the gas price situation, and I keep the car at 80% charge every day, a few hours of charging off one 120V plug while I sleep, everything's gucci.

*edit* One thing I forgot to mention is that carpools to kid events are common here. So extra space to be able to drive one of your kid's friend to the after-game hangout is a of high value. Increases community, etc.

Re: Nobody understands the point of hybrid cars [video]

#86
post #76
post #50

I have all three ICE, EV and hybrid at home. I was hesitant at first when getting the EV because we already had the hybrid, but we needed a second SUV to carry kids. After two years with the EV it became evident to me the hybrid doesn’t make sense. It has some of the gas savings of an EV but you still deal with the inconvenience of maintaining a ICE. My EV has received zero maintenance other than cleaning the cameras…

How many kids do you have that you need two SUVs to carry them all? its not common.

not OP, but apparently all it takes is 2 kids that are independently into multiple sports + both parents being actively involved in the clubs/work schedules that allow us to regularly make every training session and game means we're regularly playing taxi for multiple families and having to split ourselves across locations when fixtures clash. Also all their kit just takes up a heap of space too. I wanted a sedan when we upgraded one of our cars late last year but it just wasn't going to work given all of the above.

Re: Nobody understands the point of hybrid cars [video]

#87
post #50

I have all three ICE, EV and hybrid at home. I was hesitant at first when getting the EV because we already had the hybrid, but we needed a second SUV to carry kids. After two years with the EV it became evident to me the hybrid doesn’t make sense. It has some of the gas savings of an EV but you still deal with the inconvenience of maintaining a ICE. My EV has received zero maintenance other than cleaning the cameras…

We have a couple EVs. Great, except for road trips, where range is more limited at freeway speeds, and charging is slow and obnoxious.

Re: Nobody understands the point of hybrid cars [video]

#88
post #50

I have all three ICE, EV and hybrid at home. I was hesitant at first when getting the EV because we already had the hybrid, but we needed a second SUV to carry kids. After two years with the EV it became evident to me the hybrid doesn’t make sense. It has some of the gas savings of an EV but you still deal with the inconvenience of maintaining a ICE. My EV has received zero maintenance other than cleaning the cameras…

I have a plug-in hybrid and, although it was not my initial opinion, I came to think that it is the most adapted tech to my usage:

  - I do 90% of my kilometers to commute to work: 2x40km / day

  - I need my car to drive 7 hours roughly 4x or 5x per year
In my case, I can drive electric to commute to work, as I can charge sporadically (can't do it at home).

When driving long distance, I get to use the ICE while charging stations get jammed e.g. on peak traffic weekends. Consumption is much less than pure ICE.

Breaking pads are spared by the magnetic brake as well.

Re: Nobody understands the point of hybrid cars [video]

#89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, but specifically about the Toyota's hybrid system. Other systems are more complex, they have a traditional engine and transmission and an electrical system on top.

Ford has been making very similar hybrids for 20+ years. The old Escape, the Fusion, CMax, Maverick. These are all the same general layout as the Prius.

I probably should have said Toyota-like hybrid system, to include manufacturers that either licensed Toyota's system or developed something similar themselves.

Re: Nobody understands the point of hybrid cars [video]

#90

The title doesn't match the point of the video. What he is trying to show is the world would be a better place if we could establish that hybrids come in two flavors: Toyota and non-Toyota. There's really no better hybrid design. Unfortunately that means they aren't scrapped after decades, and Mongolia has become a dumping ground for them.[1] So it still is the best hybrid drivetrain in the world, but much like plast…

africa imports a lot of used Japanese vehicles as well - majority of vehicles on the road in RHD countries r ex-jap.

I think - that's still a good thing though - as long as the used ex-jap hybrid vehicle can still save fuel.

Chinese EVs n hybrids will probably make that less common as they're cheap enough.

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