@longprime: Since emergency vehicles can go through red lights anyway, if this ‘gadget’ exists, it would make the most sense to turn ALL of the lights in the intersection red to take all traffic out of the equation, then resume normal operation after a preset time, perhaps 30 seconds.
A neighbor of mine owns a Civic Hybrid. Bought it in 2002. He’s into sales. So he does a lot of driving and barely gets on the highway. He’s now considering a new vehicle since this one is approaching 400k miles. Been extremely reliable. On the original hybrid battery too. No engine work besides oil changes and tuneups. Hybrids are the way to go IF you have the right commute and put enough miles on it to make it worth it.
Agree,@oblivion, but it’s a government thing., 30 sec,s at an intersection with all traffic stopped and that E V is long gone, is a l-o-n-g time.
Just a quick note, you’re looking at a minimum of 6 years for breakeven over the standard Fusion if you get close to EPA numbers and do all city driving. As far as being “green,” hybrids really aren’t saving the planet like the marketing suggests.
Just a quick note, you're looking at a minimum of 6 years for breakeven over the standard Fusion if you get close to EPA numbers and do all city driving. As far as being "green," hybrids really aren't saving the planet like the marketing suggests.
The number of years is relative to the number of miles/per year. Some will see a payback sooner…some later…some may never see a payback. If you drive 30k+ miles a year then the payback will be closer to 3 years.
Hybrids make sense for taxis and not much else, IMHO.
I won’t argue that hybrids make great economic sense for everybody. But it sure is nice having to fill up half as often. An how much money do folks spend to get more hp, a better stereo, or a nicer interior? At least the hybrid ‘option’ has very real and valuable benefits.
Hybrids make sense for taxis and not much else, IMHO.
Then you haven’t done much analysis. While agree there is a limited market…but there are plenty of people who put a lot of miles on their vehicles and drive enough to make it worth while. You don’t have to put 100k miles on a year to benefit. 30k miles and mostly rural driving is MORE then enough to make hybrids worth the purchase.
The other thing which is rarely considered is the fact that pretty much ALL hybrids come fully loaded. I haven’t bought a base model vehicle in years. So when you add in the options a person typically compared to the hybrid the cost is much closer.
I hear that UPS is going to use hybids. Makes sense, when there is a lot of engine starts and braking. Fossil fuel used in transportation is huge relative miles driven
Stop-start technology isn’t just for hybrids. Here is a something I wrote in this forum in February 2009, that might be relevant to this discussion:
According to Bosch (who makes a “stop and start” kit for non-hybrids):
For the Bosch start-stop approach, developers have designed a specially adapted starter, the Smart Starter Motor. There is no need for any further adjustments to the drive train or the engine. This gives the system its excellent cost-benefit ratio, and makes it so attractive compared with alternative systems. The number of engine starts the starter has to make ? its service life, in other words ? has been significantly increased for this application. In addition, the starter's improved-performance electric motor, and a low-noise, stronger pinion-engaging mechanism ensure that the engine starts reliably, quickly, and quietly. Despite the increased number of functions, the starter is compact, and can be integrated into the vehicle just as easily and quickly as other starters. (http://csr.bosch.com/content/language2/html/4355_ENU_XHTML.aspx)Bosch developers also designed a special starter for the start/stop system that the company has been supplying to BMW since March (2007). Moreover, Bosch already produces the battery sensor that is needed to detect the battery’s current state of charge and to communicate this information to the energy management system. A regulation software module can be integrated into the engine control units. (Sustainability | Bosch Global)
BTW, the links are no longer valid.
Oooh, just made “Duct Tape Specialist”
“Oooh, just made “Duct Tape Specialist””
@longprime, I made Long Lost Magliozzi Brother last week! Wanna kiss the ring? 
Stick with us and you can be a brother, too.
so, how many tire rotations do I have to get to be a Brother of the piston ring?