Bear Flag Republic Radio Weblog

John's Stuff - Toyota Prius Owner Advice 2. As widely reported elsewhere, hybrid cars gas mileage is less than many expect. On the other hand, hybrid cars due seem to run 35 to 50 mpg, although that may be because they use small engines, in small cars, like the fuel efficient cars of 25 years ago (many of us drove cars getting 35 to 45 mpg in the early 1980s because they were small cars with small eninges). Many hybrid owners boast of 50 mpg. However, that takes tricks - in many cases, tricks that also increase the mileage of conventional cars, like coasting whenever possible, avoiding short trips, and keeping highway speed low. Great details of typical Prius mileage figures.

Ford is coming out with a Hybrid Escape for 2005. Note in the specs that the highway mileages is much worse than city driving. This is likely because the main advantage of hybrids is in city traffic where the electric motor and regenerative braking are put to good use. On the highway ... well, its still pushing the air out of the way, for the same size and weight vehicle as if you just had a gas engine. Which seems to support my own theory that hybrid technology provides the greatest benefits for city driving, and will provide much less benefit to larger vehicles at highway speeds.