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Old 03-27-2013, 01:26 PM   #59 (permalink)
sidecar
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elhigh View Post
I don't think I would do a swap to put Prius mechanicals into another car. Ford did similar with the Escape but that was using their own hardware - they licensed the tech from Toyota because theirs was so similar, did the licensing just to cover legal tripwires. But generally I think I'd be happier with most of my cars converted to a small diesel, not a hybrid.

I do mostly medium-long distance commutes, a hybrid's forte is stop-start. 22 miles to work, 17 on Interstate. Kids go to classes, 5 miles on high-speed highway, 10 on medium-speed with a few stops. Diesel is a better solution for the projected use. Occasional light towing (generally under 2000lbs) in the truck = diesel.
I think the possibilities for maximising MPG are dependent on test conditions, and that could favour a diesel tuned to a particular gearing and speed wherever those conditions exist. The problem is the world isnt like that, driving conditions vary as stop start in cities, to hills and curves limiting optimum cruising conditions in other places.

Even on a completely flat straight course, it is a juggle for resistance at a given speed vs the fuel spent overcoming that resistance. It is on one hand speed limited, and on the other speed optimised, making an optimum mechanical arrangement only suitable within a narrow scope of conditions.

Ultimately there is no complete solution to defeating these circumstances, at some point the benefits of load balancing come to the fore, this in some sense is what a hybrid is meant to achieve.
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