Why does it take a hybrid to get 45 mpg these days

[ME_FPE]

Dleg,

I appreciate your response. I did not think I wrote anything that suggested I thought the environmental regulations were unneccessary--just that it was ironic that regulations that were supposed to be helping the environment actually lead to increased oil consumption in the form of lower fuel consumption efficiency.

Now, perhaps some of the newer control requirements cause additional performance hits, but I doubt they're significant enough to counterbalance the other factors that have led to low mpg vehicles in "modern times," such as power-hungry accessories, unnecessarily powerful engines, and heavy vehicle weights.

The "control requirements" I alluded to would add to the "other factors" you mentioned above in terms of decreasing fuel efficiency. Sacrificing extra mpg in order to breathe cleaner air is certainly worth it, but still contributes to higher fuel costs and aids in consuming a rapidly dwindling global oil supply.

 

[Dleg]

^Agreed. But, the low 20s and sub 20s mileages that have become standard for the American suburba-tank is absolutely unjustified. New Honda Civics can get nearly the mielage their 1980s counterparts got, while at the same time meeting all current environmental regulations, and still scoring at the top for safety.

But, I'm almost as guilty as anyone else. I don't drive a Civic, I drive a RAV-4 that gets 24 mpg. :suicide:

 

[Capt Worley PE]

^Agreed. But, the low 20s and sub 20s mileages that have become standard for the American suburba-tank is absolutely unjustified.

I call them Suburbayukahoes.

New Honda Civics can get nearly the mielage their 1980s counterparts got, while at the same time meeting all current environmental regulations, and still scoring at the top for safety.

True, but I sure wish they still had a hatchback...

 

[roadwreck]

It doesn't take a hybrid to get 45mpg, just do what this person did and buy a 1996, 2-door, 3 cylinder 1.0 liter Geo Metro...

...for $7,300.

:Locolaugh:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/0...ref=mpstoryview

The car cost $9,000 brand new!

 

[MEPE2B]

It seems those old cars that got 40 or more mpg couldn't hardly get out of their own way, especially when carrying two or more passengers. People have come to expect a bit more pep from a new car.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

My 89 Civic Si would get 38 mpg in mixed driving and could hit 60mph from a standstill in a little less than 9 seconds. Hardly a slouch there.

 

[MEPE2B]

My 89 Civic Si would get 38 mpg in mixed driving and could hit 60mph from a standstill in a little less than 9 seconds. Hardly a slouch there.

I have to admit that sounds pretty decent. My sister used to have a Honda Civic hatch-back of mid-eighties vintage (can't remember exact year) that seemed pretty spryly when I was driving on a flat road by myself. However, when I was carrying a passenger in the car, and a full gas tank, I remember being pretty tentative about trying to merge into interstate traffic on a particular on ramp that had an uphill grade. I guess my opinion was based on my recollection of that car.

 

[itsmemario]

Have any of you heard of the water4gas system; it uses HHO gas (Browns Gas) to improve the gas mileage. Some are saying they get 60+mpg gas mileage on a regular basis with this home built system.

 

[Dleg]

Sounds familiar... Could you post a link to some information?

 

[C-Dog]

Now that I am driving the speed limit, my VW Jetta TDI is getting over 58 mpg running on B20 (20% biodiesel / 80% diesel). This has been consistant for 3 tanks now. Before I slowed down to the speed limit (75 mph or more) I was getting around 47 mpg.

 

[udpolo15]

Has anyone read anything about the improvement in mpg if they would use electric motors (powered by a gas engine) to drive the wheels? I read about this somewhere and it basically said that the current system is extremely inefficient (25% sticks out, but don't remember exact #) in converting the power generated by the engine to forward motion.

I read this somewhere, but can't remember. Of course if it was that easy, I am sure the Big 3 would have thought of it.

 

[C-Dog]

Has anyone read anything about the improvement in mpg if they would use electric motors (powered by a gas engine) to drive the wheels? I read about this somewhere and it basically said that the current system is extremely inefficient (25% sticks out, but don't remember exact #) in converting the power generated by the engine to forward motion.
I read this somewhere, but can't remember. Of course if it was that easy, I am sure the Big 3 would have thought of it.

I believe that is how the diesel locomotives work. Diesel Engine connected to a generator connected to electric motor and they can haul a ton of freight 400 miles on 1 gallon of diesel (according to the CSX TV commercials)

 

[itsmemario]

Sounds familiar... Could you post a link to some information?

http://www.water4gas.com/2books.htm you have to sift throught too much comercial b.s. to get to the facts but its a pretty informative website...you can either find a dealer who sells premade systems or you can just download the instructions and make the systme yourself using simple parts that you can find from any general hardware store.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water-fuelled_car

http://www.brownsgas.com/hho_gas.html

you can google HHO or BROWN'S GAS