Hybrids

[Watchman]

Chevy Volt Owners Take Flack For GM Flubs

General Motors earned considerable enmity in 2009 when it declared bankruptcy and accepted a $51 billion bailout from the U.S. government. Some GM customers have since discovered that they're in the crossfire as well.

A few owners of the Chevrolet Volt, GM's innovative plug-in hybrid, report that they've been booed, heckled and vandalized, presumably because they own a car deemed offensive to fellow taxpayers. These tales of Volt rage were uncovered by the car-research site Edmunds, which runs several online forums where owners swap stories.

A Michigan Volt owner, Dave Muse, told Edmunds that he drew boos when driving his Volt in a famed Detroit automotive parade -- a town, of all places, that gained as much as any city from the auto bailouts. Another time, a stranger insulted his car in a parking lot, then slammed the door shut while Muse was trying to get out. Muse also says his plug-in generates occasional family arguments.

Scott Leapman, a Volt owner in Florida, once stopped at an intersection next to a pickup truck whose driver rolled down his window and asked, "How do you like my car?" When Leapman asked what he meant, the driver answered, "My taxes paid for it!" then sped off.

A third driver, whom Edmunds didn't identify, said he was run off the road by a Volt hater.

[READ: A Defense of the Chevy Volt]

http://autos.yahoo.c...-221107898.html

My favorite part of this is "A third driver, whom Edmunds didn't identify, said he was run off the road by a Volt hater.".. Almost sounds like Cali...

Amazing how fuel-efficiency and having-balls-to-handle-criticism are inversely proportionate

Edited November 20, 2012 by Watchman

[chan5]

friend... i hav toyota vios and i thouht to sell it and get a hybrid,, so i want ur advices, u may pm me,,,

btw how abt the insurance cost and the battery life time???

if you analysis the costs, buying a hybrid is not profitable with the initial capital you invest for the car, unless you're a really tree hugger, buttery failures are not so commen ,

[XBeat]

friend... i hav toyota vios and i thouht to sell it and get a hybrid,, so i want ur advices, u may pm me,,,

btw how abt the insurance cost and the battery life time???

You may find the real life sri lankan hybrid owner's comments in following links. looks like they do not have big issues on maintenance.

http://hybridsrilanka.wordpress.com/about/

http://hybridsrilanka.wordpress.com/toyota/

http://hybridsrilanka.wordpress.com/honda/

[Gona]

US to feature hybrid battle tanks

It was announced today at the Pentagon that the United States Army was going to switch over to using hybrid tanks in its ground forces. The American military is the single-largest purchaser and consumer of oil in the world, the total of which consumed by all of its tanks, planes and ships is 340,000 barrels of oil a day.

"That's enough oil to fuel a small nation," said one analyst.

US tank maker and defense contractor money tosser, General Dynamics currently makes the Army's Abrams battle tank which weighs 60 tons apiece and gets about two gallons of gas to the mile. It is estimated that the new hybrid battle tanks will get about 30% better gas mileage.

The hybrid battle tank will run on a 3,000 horse power, four-stoke fuel injected Caterpillar diesel engine that switches over to a second, GE GEnx electric engine when the tank captain senses danger.

"These babies are monsters," said defense department mechanic statesman, Richard Cummings said about the new engine. "With them, we get the best of two worlds, power and fuel economy."

[Gona]

It seems every hybrid thread on AutoLanka turns into something like this photo (the car is not a hybrid, but it might as well be Sri Lankan Prius).

The usual hybrid haters have swung down from the trees and descended onto this thread. They are just bitter because every prediction and piece of advice they've made about hybrids in SL has turned out to be completely wrong. What they are most bitter about is the locals who don't share their mentality, and buy hybrids.

Cali,

Infact Toyota is thinking in your line see below news

Genetically Engineered Monkeys Now an Eco-Friendly Option for Hybrid Cars

In response to consumer demand for more ecology oriented automotive features, car manufacturers will be introducing a new line of optional trunk monkeys to help save on accessory power usage, thus reducing the car's overall carbon footprint.

Taking advantage of recent accomplishments in the genetic reengineering of monkeys, who can now claim, if they could speak of course, that their feet glow in the dark, automotive engineers will be training the monkeys to perform several tasks. "They are quite intelligent", says lead Toyota engineer, Taka Shitake, "Features like windshield wipers and sprayers, rear window defrost, and automatic battery recharging which normally require significant power, can now be performed by the monkey. It is a significant reduction in the car's carbon footprint", says Shitake.

[Warlord]

I agree.. I know that one of the cab services in Sri Lanka Nam** ***** are replacing all their Axios with Prius.. I was bit surprised to know that the vehicle is being used 24 hrs per day ( 3 drivers get rotated per vehicle ) They are very positive about the vehicles and the maintenance costs etc...

I think worrying days are now over for Hybrids in Sri Lanka....

[Warlord]

Have you ridden in one mate? Cheapskate rust buckets they are. All those new number plated priuses rattling the brains out of its passengers. Even my '92 festiva has better suspension... And let's not go there on the fuel figures. U bring some piece of shit here, badge it Toyota , and tell people that they can pump 500/- petrol for a whole month, hell the srilankans will buy it..... They do research ,.....my black local bottom

[Californikan]

atleast a sensible hybrid owner..... but looking at the kyron thread our fears about support holds true... especially if you are outstation and stuck there is no support even for the locally assmbled (i belive) kyron... this is the problem...

Fair enough to advise a person to not buy a hybrid because one feels that the support facilities are not in place island wide. Ultimately car buying is a personal decision and a potential buyer should make their buying decision based on what they feel comfortable with.

But it's interesting that these same fellows who advise against buying hybrids because they feel the support facilities are not enough island wide, don't have a problem with people buying other cars (say certain Euro cars) that have even less support available island wide.

If someone drives a Porsche outstation and it breaks down and strands them, the parts and repair know-how are not available outstation island wide. Using their logic then no one should buy a Porsche or certain other euro cars because of the lack of the island wide support facilities. But these same fellows never tell people not to buy those cars. Double standard?

[charitha19]

Fair enough to advise a person to not buy a hybrid because one feels that the support facilities are not in place island wide. Ultimately car buying is a personal decision and a potential buyer should make their buying decision based on what they feel comfortable with.

But it's interesting that these same fellows who advise against buying hybrids because they feel the support facilities are not enough island wide, don't have a problem with people buying other cars (say certain Euro cars) that have even less support available island wide.

If someone drives a Porsche outstation and it breaks down and strands them, the parts and repair know-how are not available outstation island wide. Using their logic then no one should buy a Porsche or certain other euro cars because of the lack of the island wide support facilities. But these same fellows never tell people not to buy those cars. Double standard?

look here nikan, people who wants to buy a euro cay or some other high performance car knows what they are getting into when they buy it and most have another car to do thier day to day shit... these people who buy these priass's are people who buy it for thier primary use.. so its more risky for them..... this u will never understand becuase u are in the states.... the social makeup for SL is way different to what u see in the US...

[Sylvi]

Fair enough to advise a person to not buy a hybrid because one feels that the support facilities are not in place island wide. Ultimately car buying is a personal decision and a potential buyer should make their buying decision based on what they feel comfortable with.

But it's interesting that these same fellows who advise against buying hybrids because they feel the support facilities are not enough island wide, don't have a problem with people buying other cars (say certain Euro cars) that have even less support available island wide.

If someone drives a Porsche outstation and it breaks down and strands them, the parts and repair know-how are not available outstation island wide. Using their logic then no one should buy a Porsche or certain other euro cars because of the lack of the island wide support facilities. But these same fellows never tell people not to buy those cars. Double standard?

'Californikan',

You have a very valuable point on your post.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[Pericles]

Nikan saw someone from the forums recommending that someone buy a Porsche? Musta been smoking some really strong stuff.

See, most people don't use US studies to recommend cars for people. Just a few days ago some chap was asking about Jag X types, and the unanimous advice was "not the car for you, don't do it". Jag maybe Indian owned these days, but I'm pretty sure people still regard it as a Euro.

Edited December 12, 2012 by Pericles

[The Don]

Fair enough to advise a person to not buy a hybrid because one feels that the support facilities are not in place island wide. Ultimately car buying is a personal decision and a potential buyer should make their buying decision based on what they feel comfortable with.

But it's interesting that these same fellows who advise against buying hybrids because they feel the support facilities are not enough island wide, don't have a problem with people buying other cars (say certain Euro cars) that have even less support available island wide.

If someone drives a Porsche outstation and it breaks down and strands them, the parts and repair know-how are not available outstation island wide. Using their logic then no one should buy a Porsche or certain other euro cars because of the lack of the island wide support facilities. But these same fellows never tell people not to buy those cars. Double standard?

Californikan, a mechanic experienced with servicing non hybrid vehicles, taking a step up to diagnose an issue with a sophisticated yet conventional (non hybrid) vehicle is a different from stepping up to diagnose an issue with a hybrid particularly something as sophisticated as the hybrid synergy drive for example.

The principles and concepts are very different, and the know how required to diagnose a problem is different. It is not just a case of the availability of spares.

And I do think fellow forum users only recommend sophisticated European cars to a certain caliber of car user, who has some technical expertise, who takes an interest in maintaining their vehicle well, who has some reserve funds in case parts need to be specially imported, and in particularly rare examples it is not their primary method of transport to something critical such as work.

It is time you stopped simply arguing for the sake of arguing and take on some of the merits of other people's arguments too.

[Californikan]

Californikan, a mechanic experienced with servicing non hybrid vehicles, taking a step up to diagnose an issue with a sophisticated yet conventional (non hybrid) vehicle is a different from stepping up to diagnose an issue with a hybrid particularly something as sophisticated as the hybrid synergy drive for example.

The principles and concepts are very different, and the know how required to diagnose a problem is different. It is not just a case of the availability of spares.

And I do think fellow forum users only recommend sophisticated European cars to a certain caliber of car user, who has some technical expertise, who takes an interest in maintaining their vehicle well, who has some reserve funds in case parts need to be specially imported, and in particularly rare examples it is not their primary method of transport to something critical such as work.

Hold on Don. The scenario being discussed is what happens when a person is in the outstation and their car breaks down or needs support, not what one's experienced mechanic can or can't do, or the caliber of the car owner.

If someone is driving their sophisticated Euro car through the outstation, through, say, a remote part of the Eastern or Northern province, and the car breaks down and leaves them stranded, it's just not reasonable to assume in that situation that an experienced enough mechanic who can do the job will be around. Or that a mechanic will even have the right tools and right diagnostic equipment for that car.

While it's true that Hybrid Synergy Drive is sophisticated and beyond many mechanics, you're not taking into consideration the fact that the hybrid system is the most over-engineered and over-built part of the Prius. It's not factual or reasonable to automatically assume the hybrid system is what will have a problem. If an Prius owner is going to have a problem with their car, it's far more likely to be with some other conventional part of the car than the hybrid system.

It is time you stopped simply arguing for the sake of arguing and take on some of the merits of other people's arguments too.

The first paragraph of my previous post was all about accepting the merits of other people's arguments.

.

.

[Pericles]

We'll be sure to keep a keen eye out for any spec of merit in your posts. Or you could go away until you actually have something of merit to say.

[The Don]

Hold on Don. The scenario being discussed is what happens when a person is in the outstation and their car breaks down or needs support, not what one's experienced mechanic can or can't do, or the caliber of the car owner.

If someone is driving their sophisticated Euro car through the outstation, through, say, a remote part of the Eastern or Northern province, and the car breaks down and leaves them stranded, it's just not reasonable to assume in that situation that an experienced enough mechanic who can do the job will be around. Or that a mechanic will even have the right tools and right diagnostic equipment for that car.

While it's true that Hybrid Synergy Drive is sophisticated and beyond many mechanics, you're not taking into consideration the fact that the hybrid system is the most over-engineered and over-built part of the Prius. It's not factual or reasonable to automatically assume the hybrid system is what will have a problem. If an Prius owner is going to have a problem with their car, it's far more likely to be with some other conventional part of the car than the hybrid system.

The first paragraph of my previous post was all about accepting the merits of other people's arguments.

.

.

Californikan, as sophisticated as some European cars are, as long as they have conventional internal combustion engines mated to a gearbox, most mechanics will understand the principles on which it works. Now they might not have the tools to perform proper diagnostics and at times, but their experience will prevail on most scenarios and I'm fairly sure even in the Eastern Province they can get you on your way around 80% the time (the type of problems motoring agencies who provide roadside cover in Europe and probably in the Americas provide)

But when it comes to a Hybrid you can't even jump start it in the standard way.

Now in time our mechanics will get to grips with these vehicles somewhat and this will not be an issue, but at this particular moment its still not the case and its going to take a bit of time. Meanwhile, the users of these vehicles will be guinea pigs of sorts as early adopters. Now it doesn't matter if its in Colombo and you just get yourself towed to the nearest garage and can call a cab or a three wheeler and get home. But its not the same when you are outstation away from a major city.

[XBeat]

Very Interestingly

Saudi Arabia could be an oil Importer by 2030 - Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest oil producer (11.1mbpd) and exporter (7.7mbpd)

Source: http://blogs.aljazeera.com/blog/middle-east/saudis-may-not-have-oil-export-2030

This is a huge impact on oil prices

So. Hybrids will be the mainstream vehicles for some time when oil prices started to rocket up.

......But not now.

There fore no point in wasting the hard earned money on a hybrid at the moment

[Californikan]

Californikan, as sophisticated as some European cars are, as long as they have conventional internal combustion engines mated to a gearbox, most mechanics will understand the principles on which it works. Now they might not have the tools to perform proper diagnostics and at times, but their experience will prevail on most scenarios and I'm fairly sure even in the Eastern Province they can get you on your way around 80% the time (the type of problems motoring agencies who provide roadside cover in Europe and probably in the Americas provide)

But when it comes to a Hybrid you can't even jump start it in the standard way.

Now in time our mechanics will get to grips with these vehicles somewhat and this will not be an issue, but at this particular moment its still not the case and its going to take a bit of time. Meanwhile, the users of these vehicles will be guinea pigs of sorts as early adopters. Now it doesn't matter if its in Colombo and you just get yourself towed to the nearest garage and can call a cab or a three wheeler and get home. But its not the same when you are outstation away from a major city.

I agree Don that an outstation mechanic may have higher odds of getting a broken down sophisticated Euro car going than a hybrid - as long as the problem that caused that Euro car to break down is a relatively simple one. If the problem that caused the Euro car to breakdown is a complex problem, then that Euro car driver is stuck like the Prius driver. A broken down Corolla driver has a higher likelihood of getting his car fixed and being on his way than both of them.

[Supra_Natural]

I agree Don that an outstation mechanic may have higher odds of getting a broken down sophisticated Euro car going than a hybrid - as long as the problem that caused that Euro car to break down is a relatively simple one. If the problem that caused the Euro car to breakdown is a complex problem, then that Euro car driver is stuck like the Prius driver. A broken down Corolla driver has a higher likelihood of getting his car fixed and being on his way than both of them.

So essentially you just admitted that a complex problem COULD potentially land a Prius driver in a lot of manure if he breaks down outstation where there is no access to specialized diagnostics.

That. Is. Exactly. What. The. Rest. Of. Us. Have. Been. Saying. All. Along!

Edited December 14, 2012 by Supra_Natural

[Californikan]

So essentially you just admitted that a complex problem COULD potentially land a Prius driver in a lot of manure if he breaks down outstation where there is no access to specialized diagnostics.

That. Is. Exactly. What. The. Rest. Of. Us. Have. Been. Saying. All. Along!

Hold your horses, Supra. The key word here is "COULD".

I've never written that a problem with the Hybrid Synergy Drive "can't" happen or "won't" happen. I've always written that the Hybrid Synergy Drive has such a strong 15 year global track record of reliability that the odds of a problem happening with HSD is statistically very very small. Big difference there. A Prius driver is far more likely to have a problem with some other conventional part of their car than the hybrid system.

But, yes, of course, a problem "COULD" happen with the HSD and leave the driver stranded. In the same way that a problem "COULD" happen with a sophisticated Euro car or any car for that matter, and leave the driver stranded.

[VVTi]

Well if a Prius breakdown in the jungles of SL, there are always tow truck services falling out of the trees these days to cheaply bring back the car to Colombo. But wait... most of the Prius owners will be too stingy to pay for a tow truck, they will bring it on the back of a Canter....

Cali, don't worry machang...

I've had one of my Euros stop in a rather inconvenient location in SL with a busted relay but lo behold, since some of us know our cars managed to by pass the troubled circuit with a bit of help from a local Auto electrician and continue our trip.

And another time again, one of my former Euro's remote lock stopped working and a very unlikely mechanic from the East coast fixed it. The another time, when Ripper and I were on our bike trip, his XR's rather complex ignition system conked out in Potuvil and a small garage boy fixed it.

So I think the first mistake you are making is underestimating the power of knowledge out there in the 'jungles' of SL.... give enough time and our buggers will make Vesak Koodu out of your precious Synergy Hybrid drives...

Edited December 14, 2012 by VVTi

[Californikan]

So I think the first mistake you are making is underestimating the power of knowledge out there in the 'jungles' of SL.... give enough time and our buggers will make Vesak Koodu out of your precious Synergy Hybrid drives...

Ummmm......it's not me that's been going on and on about the lack of hybrid knowledge, know-how and facilities in the outstation. A certain cleaner of manure and a few others are the ones who've been going on and on about that.

I look forward to when the average mechanic and garage in SL knows hybrids inside and out. The problem is that, because the Prius is so damn reliable and breakdowns are so rare, the mechanics of SL won't be getting much 'practice time' or 'practice opportunities' anytime soon to work on improperly-working Prii and learn the ins and outs of the hybrid system.

[virajkv]

In discovery turbo they showed in a fifth gear episode recently how much truoble they had to face when driving the new nissan all electric car for a certain road trip i n in uk...... its still i primitive stage.. or might be not... but to us srilankans it always is.... Hybrids are a different category... yet i dnt like to talk about that though...

[Pericles]

Sometimes I wonder who taught this moron, who has the less comprehension ability than my two year old niece, how to use a computer.

[VVTi]

Californikan

Did you see this news article?

http://autos.yahoo.com/news/cheaper-midsize-cars-rated-safer-than-luxury-models-001523428.html

This is the summary... Look at the last car on the list, the one that got a POOR rating..

New crash tests replicating some of the most deadly head-on collisions show less expensive midsize cars do a better job protecting the driver and front seat occupants than many luxury and near luxury midsize cars.

"This is a surprise to us," says Adrian Lund, President of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "It shows you don't have to spend a lot of money to get state of the art crash protection."

The latest IIHS small overlap crash tests measure how well mid-size cars handle accidents involving their front quarter panels. Small overlap crashes are responsible for approximately one out of every four frontal crashes. The Insurance Institute says more than 10,000 people are seriously injured or killed in small overlap crashes every year.

Crash test aftermath of the 2013 Toyota Camry, which has a 5-star overall rating from the NHTSA.The IIHS tested eighteen moderately priced midsize cars and rated two as "good" and eleven as "acceptable." The two cars rated as good by the IIHS are the Suzuki Kazashi and the Honda Accord. Lund credits Honda with making changes to the Accords design and structure so it can better withstand small overlap crashes.

Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering, also known as ACE, is the key the Accords rating of good. "The idea is to dissipate the crash energy while reinforcing the passenger cabin so the car can better withstand the impact," says Chuck Thomas, Chief Engineer of Auto Safety Research for Honda.

Here are the rankings of the midsize cars.

Good

Honda Accord (4 door)

Suzuki Kizashi

Acceptable

Ford Fusion

Honda Accord (2 door)

Nissan Altima (4 door)

Nissan Maxima

Subaru Legacy

Subaru Outback

Dodge Avenger

Chrysler 200 (4 door)

Mazda6

Volkswagen Passat

Marginal

Hyundai Sonata

Chevrolet Malibu

Volkswagen Jetta Sedan

Poor

Toyota Camry

Toyota Prius V

[Californikan]

Californikan

Did you see this news article?

http://autos.yahoo.c...-001523428.html

This is the summary... Look at the last car on the list, the one that got a POOR rating..

New crash tests replicating some of the most deadly head-on collisions show less expensive midsize cars do a better job protecting the driver and front seat occupants than many luxury and near luxury midsize cars.

"This is a surprise to us," says Adrian Lund, President of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "It shows you don't have to spend a lot of money to get state of the art crash protection."

The latest IIHS small overlap crash tests measure how well mid-size cars handle accidents involving their front quarter panels. Small overlap crashes are responsible for approximately one out of every four frontal crashes. The Insurance Institute says more than 10,000 people are seriously injured or killed in small overlap crashes every year.

Crash test aftermath of the 2013 Toyota Camry, which has a 5-star overall rating from the NHTSA.The IIHS tested eighteen moderately priced midsize cars and rated two as "good" and eleven as "acceptable." The two cars rated as good by the IIHS are the Suzuki Kazashi and the Honda Accord. Lund credits Honda with making changes to the Accords design and structure so it can better withstand small overlap crashes.

Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering, also known as ACE, is the key the Accords rating of good. "The idea is to dissipate the crash energy while reinforcing the passenger cabin so the car can better withstand the impact," says Chuck Thomas, Chief Engineer of Auto Safety Research for Honda.

Here are the rankings of the midsize cars.

Good

Honda Accord (4 door)

Suzuki Kizashi

Acceptable

Ford Fusion

Honda Accord (2 door)

Nissan Altima (4 door)

Nissan Maxima

Subaru Legacy

Subaru Outback

Dodge Avenger

Chrysler 200 (4 door)

Mazda6

Volkswagen Passat

Marginal

Hyundai Sonata

Chevrolet Malibu

Volkswagen Jetta Sedan

Poor

Toyota Camry

Toyota Prius V

These test results just came out today. Thanks for posting this, VVTi. You're reporting and posting FACTS (unlike some other people's posts) which is always a good thing and something that is sorely missing from AutoLanka.

Yes, the Prius V and Camry got rated as poor in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's brand new Small Overlap Crash Test. When they test the Prius, Aqua, and other Toyotas, those cars will probably get a poor rating also since Toyota has not designed their cars with this crash test in mind. Honda did, and got a rating of 'Good' for the Accord.