Hybrid cars

[Dutch Uncle]

Am thinking of trading my current car in and buying one, mainly for green reasons. Most of my driving is short town journeys.

Anyone got any experience, good or bad, and any recommendations? Currently looking at Hyundai Ioniq (dealer walkable from my house).

[BillyStubbsTears]

Having the same thoughts myself. Anyone got any experience with a Prius?

[Bentley Bullet]

The last hybrid I had was rubbish. It was the front of an Escort welded onto the back of a Cavalier.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Wey-hey!

[dknward2]

Best advice avoid any self charging hybrid rubbish you are just putting fuel in to run the motor to charge batteries.

Everything depends on size of vehicle, new or used etc, the Hyundai ioniq is supposed to be a great car and the all electric version are very good.

I understand the draw for a hybrid if you only do local driving but be wary of problems that if you don’t use the engine every now and again the fuel can sit in the tank and then cause problems when you do go to use it.

Recommend you watch either Fully charged or EVM on you tube, EVM is good as he is a Yorkshire man so knows how to save money

[Dutch Uncle]

Many thanks dknward.

[Dutch Uncle]

The last hybrid I had was rubbish. It was the front of an Escort welded onto the back of a Cavalier.

The French have a version of just the same thing - and they call it l'escalier. They claim it is several steps above.

[MachoMadness]

My in-laws drive one of those mini hybrids (countryman I think?) and he won't hear a bad word against it. He regularly makes the trip from Birmingham to ours without any problems, and he says it's saved him a fortune.

[Dagenham Rover]

I had toyota hybrids (Not a prius though)for about 6 years the last was a Auris and used to get about 45 to 50 to the gallon yes its fun to start with trying to keep it running on the electric motor as long as possible.
Its a long story but for all sorts of reasons I decided I didnt want another pcp car  so got rid and looked for a little runabout but wanted an auto due to a serious back injury and after the hybrids I'd just got used to them.
Anyway I came across a big runabout an 07 plate volvo s40 2.4 dirty diesel auto, full main dealer history  and only 55k  I get an average of about 44 to the gallon not that much different really  yeh ok ive now got road tax on top

I never had any trouble with the hybrids but was a bit disappointed   with the true mpg

[BillyStubbsTears]

Dagenham..

I've heard that said specifically about the Auris. That no-one ever gets close to the Toyota claim for mpg. Not heard anyone say that about a Prius.

[albie]

Depends on whether you are buying new or used I guess.

Hybrids are a transition tech, for people with range anxiety.
The new battery range is much higher than 5 years ago, so I would expect hybrids to fade away in the near future.

Trouble is the second hand market only gives the older models with more limited range.
Prices are likely to fall quite quickly going forwards, but new at the moment is relatively expensive.

Against that, the running cost per mile is much lower than petrol.....even better if you have solar panels on the house.
https://www.greencarguide.co.uk/

You could try leasing, if that works for you.
Try before you buy, like Rovers with the loans!

[Dagenham Rover]

Dagenham..

I've heard that said specifically about the Auris. That no-one ever gets close to the Toyota claim for mpg. Not heard anyone say that about a Prius.

I had a Yaris hybrid before the Auris  I seem to remember i was getting closer to 60 but its a while ago  but I was disappointed with the Auris  I saw another in a car park when we were out and the owner came back I asked him out of interest and his mpg was similar would have probably been better off with the diesel variant

[BillyStubbsTears]

Depends on whether you are buying new or used I guess.

Hybrids are a transition tech, for people with range anxiety.
The new battery range is much higher than 5 years ago, so I would expect hybrids to fade away in the near future.

Trouble is the second hand market only gives the older models with more limited range.
Prices are likely to fall quite quickly going forwards, but new at the moment is relatively expensive.

Against that, the running cost per mile is much lower than petrol.....even better if you have solar panels on the house.
https://www.greencarguide.co.uk/

You could try leasing, if that works for you.
Try before you buy, like Rovers with the loans!

Thanks for that info Albie. Very useful.

Second hand for me and relatively old second hand at that. I do enough long drives to make range a key issue.

I'd love to move to to a full electric car eventually but one point that concerns me is I have on-street parking. Is there any way of getting charging from the house to an on-street car?

[albie]

Your Leccy utility will have a scheme to subsidise an electric charger on your property, if you have a drive for example.

On street parkers will be charging up at rapid chargers, which are springing up at leisure centres and supermarkets etc.
Rovers would be a good place to charge up, once set up.

Zap Map has the up to date charging info;
https://www.zap-map.com/

It is changing very quickly.

[dknward2]

Connected kerb do solutions for on street parking.

Mg are bringing out a new car mg5 ev in a few weeks it's an estate car with approx 220 range as a minimum should be around 20k

[BillyStubbsTears]

Your Leccy utility will have a scheme to subsidise an electric charger on your property, if you have a drive for example.

On street parkers will be charging up at rapid chargers, which are springing up at leisure centres and supermarkets etc.
Rovers would be a good place to charge up, once set up.

Zap Map has the up to date charging info;
https://www.zap-map.com/

It is changing very quickly.

Cheers Albie
I'll keep an eye on it, but we don't have a drive.

dkn. Thanks for that info - I'll look into Connected Kerb.

[Ldr]

BST / DU I lease a 330e (old shape) through work and would say the very limited electric range works for me pottering about town but in general its a tax thing more than anything. The hybrid version is 100 per month cheaper than the petrol or diesel versions due to this. If leasing its great, if buying I suspect you would not make enough savings to justify the extra purchase cost

[Donnywolf]

All

Take a look at Honestjohn and the real MPGs of the Hybrids

I have had 6 Hybrids in a row and as with the declared MPGs for all cars I reckon that 80% of what they say you will get - you get. So 60 = 48 for example

My first Prius I was actually getting 55mph on average - and had the stats to "prove" it (it was booked at 72 so not far off my 80% therory).

Prius in general a very good car and my second was a beauty. I introduced my Seat buddy at Rovers to them and he is on his fourth now and getting towards 70 mpg in real terms by dint of netter Battery power / storage and the way he drives it

The "trick" is driving them to maximise the mpg - by pulling away using the electric power - by lifting in places where you are not supposed to do 30+ and use the Battery to its max. You see its charging status building up on the superb graphics and if you are determined you could then empty it (only about a mile at 30 mph) and then start charging it again - the latter happens "automatically" or sub consciously I suppose and you can do it whether you cruise to traffic lights that are on red and you now you are going to stop anyway or use the regenerative braking etc

Points to note on all hybrids - they are much better in warm weather than cold weather so in the USA for example drivers in States bordering the Canadian border KNOW they will not do as well MPG wise as California residents. I found that with every hybrid I have had Summer better than winter and long journeys better than short shopping trips several times a day

Another "problem" people dont think of and again common to every Hybrid I have had is the noise it makes (or more correctly does not make). In town centres and even moreso in Supermarket Car Parks people dont hear you coming and step out right in front of your car. You have to be really aware of that and be their eyes for them.

Then they see you and jump up (usually) or back - and as the driver you have a certain smile always the same smile - reserved for just that situation. I have had hundreds of such smiles !

Then once I was in a leafy Budapest street on a sunny summer day. There was nothing coming and having looked the wrong way by tradition right left right instead of L-R-L - I stepped out to cross the road. A Prius had joined from the side street and the driver braked and let me jump backwards out of his way. Needless to say I recognised HIS smile and what it meant !

One other problem - the Catalytic convertors are targetted on Prius and certin other hybrids and can be stolen in minutes. The industry is working (its says) to solve the problem.

That said the Prius is great.

However I graduated to the Hybrid Rav. I used to have one ages ago that was a brilliant Car but that did only 27mpg giving a range of say 11x27 or around 300 in total and I got rid of it and waited for it to change to Hybrid or electric and years later eventually it did.

I had 2 in a row and could not fault it and got 42 mpg (real figures). I get them on PCP deals each 2 years and was in for a 3rd in a row when Mrs DW stepped in and as a non driver selected a Lexus for me to have. It is an NX which is Rav like (but NOT a Rav) and mpg is "just" 38 in good weather but I suppose it is 2.5 Litre and perm 4 WD so I suppose it was to be expected

However having reviewed the above Cars I was deffo going to have an all Electric car like a Leaf (dealer wasnt interested in serving me and suggested I look at the online). I made my excuses and headed for Nissan at Scunny but they had upped sticks to Lincoln and so I shelved that.

A Niro would have been good but it and its twin Hyundai Kona were both a 6 month minumum lead time - and whilst the dealers were symapthetic they could not provide what I wanted for months - and I needed one in a short time

Whether Corona will put paid to this I dont know but Lexus are bringing out an all electric UX version and I was VERY  impressed with that * (Nissan Juke sized) and it is slated at 196 range which would do me just fine - and so I hope to give that a go if they bring it out

* Hope this helps those asking above and as a ps I really dislike cars. I am not fussed what I have usually and see them as strictly A to B. The one I have now is virtually a wheel borne computer - with talking text - radio I can change by voice - handles that light up as I approach at night etc etc etc and it means nowt to me. Its still just a car

In its favour the CAT is virtually impossible to get to - and it has a tilt alarm but will the thieves realise that ?

[Dutch Uncle]

Many thanks for that review DW 

[Donnywolf]

No problem - I did mean to add that if you had any more specific questions I will gladly answer them

I favoured the RAV over the Prius simply becasue at 6'5" tall it was far easier to get in and out of. My mates Prius really is a superb Car

[BillyStubbsTears]

Cheers DW. Very helpful.

[redarmy82]

Had a Mitsubishi Outlander hybrid a year or two back.

Completely pointless. Less than 20 miles from a full charge, and a combined MPG of less than 20mpg.

[SydneyRover]

Good interesting stuff Wolf, I have said before but will repeat that my friends had a taxi in Cairns and the only time they made a real profit rather than wages was when they started running a Prius, rather than a standard car.

[albie]

Put your postcode in, and your preference, to see what is available near you;
https://www.theaa.com/used-cars/displaycars?keywordsearch=electric%20&fullpostcode=DN45JW&travel=20&sortby=priceasc&pricefrom=0&priceto=1000000&fueltype=Electric

Gives an indication of second hand electric prices. Hybrids will be there as well, under that search.

[Axholme Lion]

I wouldn't bother with anything that plugs in. At the moment self charging would be my preferred option. Plug in electric/hybrid cars will be the Betamax VCR's of tomorrow once battery technology improves and you can just go and swap battery units. I work in the trade and the plug in hybrids we sell are a total waste of time and get nowhere near their claimed range. Suzuki do a good range of easily affordable reliable hybrids, but if you have a bit more cash to play with Subaru have the self charging e-boxer engine which is bullet proof. by the way I don't work for either of these companies but in my honest opinion they are the best.

[jonrover]

I've got a Toyota Auris hybrid as my company car.

I was sceptical at First, mainly because I didn't like the idea of having to drive an automatic all day. But to be fair, it's a decent car, on the power mode it shifts adequately and the electric motor will go up to 45mph if the rev needle is in eco, which is pretty good.

And the battery charges up through some fancy technology that pushed charge in when coasting and braking, so it's a very eco friendly option.

The only negative is Kwik Fit, who I used to use for servicing as per the lease company request when I had my old diesel Astra, said they can't touch hybrids due to the complex nature of the technology. So I guess the only downside is the extortionate service bills from the main dealer....luckily I don't have to cough up for those!

[albie]

Tonight on ITV was about electric cars.

You can see it on catch-up;
https://www.itv.com/hub/tonight/1a2803a1256

Not too bad, but I reckon the fella advocating Hydrogen was pushing the boat out.

[dknward2]

Hydrogen is pointless takes so much energy to convert into a useable fuel for cars is huge. It has its place in say lorries or buses but passenger cars work excellent for batteries.

Most new battery cars can do around 150 to 200 miles which at average traveling speeds is around 3 hours driving and most will charge to 80 percent in 20 mins which is enough time at a motorway service stations to get a drink and use a toilet and then get on the road again.

[drfchound]

.....if there are enough charging points available without having to wait for one to become free for use.

[Donnywolf]

.... by those Cars that are Petrol etc. The charging spaces have become the new Disabled spots as they are really close t the front of the Stores (Asda Doncaster for example)