Quote:
Originally Posted by RustyLugNut
Electrify and hybridize larger, less fuel efficient vehicles. They need the help the most. They also have the profit ceilings to absorb the associated costs and still make a handsome profit... Toyota should have hybridized it's pickup line.
|
I've been saying this since forever. Where are all the large hybrids? They are the ones able to recapture the added expense of hybridization faster since they save larger quantities of fuel.
Let's say a (relatively) small car like the Prius is 20% more efficient due to the hybrid system. Maybe without the hybrid drive-train, it would get 40 MPG, but since it has it, it gets 48 MPG. Over the course of 12,000 miles in the year, the hybrid system would save 50 gallons of gasoline.
Now take a Ford F150 that gets 20 MPG, but can get 24 MPG with a hybrid system (20% better). It saves 100 gallons of gasoline driving those same 12,000 miles compared to the Prius.
Obviously it's more efficient to drive the Prius, but if someone insists on driving a larger vehicle, it makes more sense for these larger vehicles to be hybrids. Not only is there much room for improving fuel economy, but there is much room to improve performance. A relatively small 4-cylinder engine might be big enough to accelerate with a load when assisted by powerful electric motors.