The next Toyota Prius will offer an astonishing 113 mpg, according to a report by the U.K.’s AutoExpress magazine. (Note: 113 mpg in the U.K. is equal to 94 mpg here in North America). “The whole electrical system has been redesigned to improve economy” said a Toyota engineer was quoted as saying. “We are working on a prototype that runs solely on the electric motor in slow traffic, but switches to engine and motor drive when higher speeds are needed.” The 0-62 mph time will also be improved by more than a second, according to the report, bringing it to well under 10 seconds. Much of the improvement can be attributed to the use of lithium-ion batteries instead of nickel-hydride units. The lithium-ion batteries are smaller, lighter, and have greater electrical output.
you’re saving roughly 1500/yr in gas, based on 13000 miles a yr. idk how much the battery is, but say it lasts 100k, thats over 7 years of driving, or about 12k in gas that you’d save.
Isn’t the typical mileage of a current Prius way below it’s EPA estimate?
Besides, don’t they make more waste from all the dead batteries than, say, a Corolla would in greenhouse gases?
Do you have to plug these things in at night or something? It can’t all be regenerated power from the brakes.
Isn’t global warming just a theory without much concrete evidence behind it, especially evidence of human beings altering the global climate? (How blasphemous and arrogant…)
Yeah, uh, I’m kind of skeptical the whole hybrid car gimmick. Maybe I shouldn’t have read State of Fear.
Yes EPA measurements for Gas mileage are odd… they basically stick it on a roller and measure emissions… they don’t put 3 gallons of gas in it and run it out like I Think they should.
On another note… FInally a car that has mileage better than a lupo… Nothing like a tiny diesel motor to really bump up milage
It’s not a theory; it’s happened several times in our planets history. The debate that is going on now is whether or not the current rise in global temperature is due to man-made things or is it natural.
There is evidence of human effects altering the atmosphere, and this ties directly into altering the climate. One atom of chlorine can kill our entire ozone layer (given enough time) and since something like 99% of all chlorine in the stratosphere comes from human activity (in the form of CFCs) it’s obvious that we are to blame for some of it.
As for natural global climate change, lets look at Buffalo for example. Most of us around here live over a rock called Limestone. We know that Limestone forms in shallow water, tropical climates - as it’s forming off the coasts of Hawaii and in the Caribbean right now. From this we can conclude that at one time, Buffalo was under shallow water and of tropical climate.
Bottom line is the planet is warming. But are humans the sole reason? Probably not, IMO.
I’m not buying it. Hybrids aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Like was mentioned before teh mileage isn’t indicitave of EPA ratings ont he current prinus.
Global temp’s rise and fall natrualy, but they have never risen this fast… Humans are contributing to it… but there’s nothing that most of us can do untill China, Mexico, and other 3rd world countries stop spewing shit into the air… For the most poart… Mowing your lawn produces more emissions than a commute to and from work.
The point of the prius is not to curb global warming… I mean there are LOTs of cars that are now PZEV… and farting probably contributes more to global warming than driving for 10 min… but… The prius and other hybrids are there to save on gas $$, and reduce dependency of oil. Oil prices will not go down… and in the next 40 years… they will be unbearably high…
Did anyone see that show last night that Elaine from Sienfeld is starring in?
Someone said she was racist and she said, “I can’t be racist I drive a Prius”.
