[AlanHo]

How about this for a wheeze

Government-subsidised plug-in cars may never have been charged - BBC News

[Dazzler]

 

[beerman]

Never really saw the point in the plug in hybrid.

The range was only 40k or so, so one trip to school for the wife, come home charge the car back to school again.

I would have thought the hybrid part of the car would still deliver good economy, unless the cars are doing mainly highway work, in which case the benifits deminish from my research (which dates back to my last vehicle purchase).

[AlanHo]

Never really saw the point in the plug in hybrid.

The range was only 40k or so, so one trip to school for the wife, come home charge the car back to school again.

I would have thought the hybrid part of the car would still deliver good economy, unless the cars are doing mainly highway work, in which case the benifits deminish from my research (which dates back to my last vehicle purchase).

My previous car was a KIA Venga 1.6 petrol 6 spd DSG auto. Over 11,100 miles (1780 km) it averaged 38.9 mpg (7.27 l/100 km)
Its best economy on a long return journey to Plymouth of 432 miles (695 km) was 49.26 mpg (5.73 l/100 km)
The highest mileage on a tank was 446 miles (718 km)

My present Niro 1.6 petrol hybrid 6 sp DSG auto has so far done 14,620 miles (23530 km) with an overall of 61.09 mpg (4.62 l/100 km)
Its economy on the same trip as above to Plymouth and back of 441 miles (751 km)  was 70.7 mpg (4.00 l/100 km).
Its highest mileage on a tank was 649 miles (1044 km)

All figures are brim to brim manually calculated. Both cars have a nominal 40 litre tank

The Niro is a bigger and heavier car than the Venga but out-performs it in every way - especially on kick-down when when the engine and motor kick-in the acceleration would easily match the i30 1.6 diesel.

The low economy figures for hybrids mentioned in the news article are almost certainly the result of business drivers hammering their car with gay abandon - after all - the cost of petrol is not their problem, they aren't paying for it.

I gave up tear-arsing about the Country and cornering on two wheels and a door handle quite a few years ago.
On motorways I set the cruise to a GPS speed of 60 mph and without cruise drive with a light foot. It probably takes me 30 minutes longer to get to Plymouth than in former years - but it is less stressful, more comfortable and with less ear-bending from the wife. More importantly-less costly

There I rest my case.

[beerman]

Again from my reading but not experience the hybrid engages the petrol engine for my kind of highway driving (120k/h on the highway (74.5 mph). If I was to do 60 mph it would be stressful becaise of the B double drivers who would be less than impressed  and sit on my rear bumper.

The mighty i40 gets 5.3/l 100 for some reason I have stopped using cruise. The best economy for the previous i40 (may she rest in peace) was 4.8/l 100 with 5 adults on board on a little run from the ACT to Brisbane (1200 km). I am of the opinion the new i40 would lower that mark easily.

Have always been interested in Hybrid, but they have never stacked up costwise.

Would love to get the good wife a pure electric car in a couple of years, but suspect they will still be too expensive.

[AlanHo]

I reckon my hybrid cruising at 110 kph over a long distance would probably average about 6.2 l/100km.

This is because the battery is recharged on the over-run or when braking and at a constant speed would not be being charged.

If however - the highway was busy and you are regularly slowing then speeding up - the economy would be better.

I went into the purchase of a hybrid after a long and intensive research because it would be ideal for our life style. We do a lot of short journeys in town - slow speed, stop start, battery recovering energy leads to good economy. Then we do a couple of long distance trips a month - preferring main roads for the scenery rather than join the suicide squad on the motorway. Cruising at 95 kph on the main roads with some stop starts and using a light foot is again economical.

In the UK KIA have launched a plug-in Niro and lots of people are buying them and even trading in their basic Niro for one in the belief it will be more economical with a 30 mile electric range instead of the 3 miles for my car.  After all the official government economy figure is about 2.2 l/100 km.

It is a myth - and only applies if you do short journeys mainly on electric and charge the car every night.  On a long journey it is little better than my car because the battery will power the first 40 km or so - after that you are driving a petrol car unless the journey includes lots of slowing or stopping to recover the energy.

I have a colleague who was so impressed with my car and the economy I get - he went and bought the new Niro PHEV which cost him an extra £2900. I haven't told him this, but I calculate that it will take about 14 years for the fuel savings per year compared with my Niro to recover the extra outlay.

My Niro - has produced a better overall economy that my three i30 1.6 manual diesels. It is a reasonable comparison because my lifestyle, light touch driving and the mix of journeys has not changed.

2010 FD             5.76 l/100 km
2012 GD            5.26
2013 GD Tourer  5.41
Niro Hybrid        4.62 to date

[Dazzler]

I am fairly certain that if (or when) I buy another car for me, it will be a Hybrid. Either a Hyundai, Kia or Toyota. 

[beerman]

Most of my highway stuff is nice and clear.

Basically comes down to the cost of the vehicles and the expected savings. With the Wife's FD the cost of the vehicle (19.5k new) was too good when compared with the cost of a Prius the only hybrid on the market when we looked.  Now if they were the same price, the choice would have been different.  Same with the i40, the price was right when considering the driving I undertake.

As an aside, I saw a Ioniq hybrid at the lights on Saturday. They look nicer than the current Prius.  Though I suspect their competition is the Corolla, which is cheaper.

Would love electric, but suspect that they will be in big demand with fleet buyers. I wonder if Labor will give better lease incentives should they get into power?

[Dazzler]

The mid range Camry Hybrid gets several points better economy than the top spec but still has most of the features I must have (except auto wipers)  It is really well priced. I suspect about the same as an entry level Ioniq Hybrid.

Lucky Trish wont let me swap for another couple of years.. Absolutely love my SR, but the better economy, quietness and extra room is tempting.