Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard
Hi Chris,
In certain situations, it does feel slow; but if this was an issue, then I think there would be a lot more Prius' in the body shop? It accelerates onto a highway as quickly as it needs to; and certainly it can be driven much faster than is good for FE.
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I actually have a problem with the Prius, and all parallel hybrids by extension, and performance and FE are the reasons.
I've read articles and posts from numerous people on the Internet, (perhaps some here?), that parallel hybrids are more efficient than series hybrids. Something that doesn't stack up in my mind. I think if the Prius were re-designed today, with say, a 750cc twin, (basically cut the existing engine in half), tuned to get peak efficiency while driving a generator, which drove electric motorS (plural, I'd like some AWD), you'd have a higher-performing, more efficient vehicle. Still using a battery so as to shut off the engine during lights and during initial accel, and allow it to be used as a plug-in, of course.
I'm of a mindset that you can have high-efficiency without high-performance, or high-performance without high-effciency, but having both be low is astoundingly stupid. Which is why I'm always arguing with my father about his Bravada. It is actually slower than the Prius, if you can imagine that, and gets astoundingly poor FE. Though it could be worse, it will pull away from a stock H2.
Pardon the rant, the Prius is just the bee in my bonnet right now.
Don't nobody get me started on friction brakes, that conversation will turn bad fast!
