Cardinal64 asked:
Hi.
Does anyone know if hybrid cars are as fuel efficient on hills as opposed to level roads? I live on a small island where there are plenty of hills and one has to brake often due to the short distances – so you usually can’t go over a certain speed ( say 45 miles or so before having to slow down or stop ).
Does that also affect fuel consumption?
Gas prices here are pretty expensive – so I’m checking to see if it is worth it to invest in a hybrid vehicle.
Hi.
Does anyone know if hybrid cars are as fuel efficient on hills as opposed to level roads? I live on a small island where there are plenty of hills and one has to brake often due to the short distances – so you usually can’t go over a certain speed ( say 45 miles or so before having to slow down or stop ).
Does that also affect fuel consumption?
Gas prices here are pretty expensive – so I’m checking to see if it is worth it to invest in a hybrid vehicle.
Thanks
Tags: Distances | Fuel Consumption | Hybrid Vehicle | Invest
August 31st, 2008 at 8:33 pm
They are less fuel efficient on hills, but so are regular cars. Overall, you are still saving gas with a hybrid. Stopping and going, too, are going to hurt your fuel efficiency, regardless of what you drive. May as well get the hybrid.
September 4th, 2008 at 4:38 am
Short stop-and-go trips are what make the hybrids shine…they cut the gas engine at long stops which prevents unessecary idling.
Hills are a different matter…most hybrids use a small weak gas engine that has a hard time pulling its own weight (which the electric motor supplements for a short burst)
September 6th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
why are you scared of hybrids?
They do extremely well in small towns where there’s a lot of stop and go. They can borrow and regenerate into the battery.
Hills – depends on the hill. If you mean long mountain grade, no car handles that well. But if you mean short hills like for a block, or a lot of up-down-up-down, again hybrids win because they can use regenerative brake to go down the hill, and use that power later to climb it
It depends too on how you drive. Watch the MPG meter and experiment, you’ll be able to greatly increase your MPG.
Every hybrid made so far has a strong gas engine. Eventually you’ll see hybrids with “weak” engines, but those will have extremely strong electric motors.