Cheap Gas vs. Supercharging

[gene]

I hate fracking and shale production, so I am happy that pressure is being put on that awful technology that is destroying huge swaths of our country.

FWIW

I agree with you here. My gal has a "gas hog" Prius. I can't stand she isn't driving an EV and I have offered to buy her a Leaf or whatever. Aargh! She is one of those "I like to be independent, don;t buy me a car". Hmm.....If I bought it for my own use, and loaned it to her......she'd probably never give it back.
:biggrin:

 

[Ohm Alone]

I just realized that at today's lower prices, I'd still save over $2,000 a year--even driving a Volt or an Energi let alone a Tesla--over driving my Prius C. (I take talking books on discs or cell when I drive in it, because even the shortest trip feels like forever.) But, besides hyper-miling a Prius C just for the (no) fun of it, the only time my eyes light up driving it is when it is cruising on electrons. Sure, its slow, and handles as nicely as stilts with roller skates attached, but for a short instant in time of maybe a kilometer or so, its not burning dinos. I think I'll have to wait for a Tesla III to afford one, though.

 

[jerry33]

I just realized that at today's lower prices, I'd still save over $2,000 a year--even driving a Volt or an Energi let alone a Tesla--over driving my Prius C. (I take talking books on discs or cell when I drive in it, because even the shortest trip feels like forever.) But, besides hyper-miling a Prius C just for the (no) fun of it, the only time my eyes light up driving it is when it is cruising on electrons. Sure, its slow, and handles as nicely as stilts with roller skates attached, but for a short instant in time of maybe a kilometer or so, its not burning dinos. I think I'll have to wait for a Tesla III to afford one, though.

Note that the best mpg in the Prius is obtained by using the battery very sparingly. The reason is that every bit of energy the Prius uses comes from the gas tank. When you use the battery, there are additional energy conversion losses. The electric motors are there to disguise the fact that the gas engine is 70 hp, and to allow the gas engine to shut off during conditions when the gas engine would be inefficient. Think of the battery as a credit card. If you use it just a little you can pay it back at the end of the month. If you use it a lot, you might not be able to and you'll pay high interest charges.

 

[Ohm Alone]

Note that the best mpg in the Prius is obtained by using the battery very sparingly. The reason is that every bit of energy the Prius uses comes from the gas tank. When you use the battery, there are additional energy conversion losses. The electric motors are there to disguise the fact that the gas engine is 70 hp, and to allow the gas engine to shut off during conditions when the gas engine would be inefficient. Think of the battery as a credit card. If you use it just a little you can pay it back at the end of the month. If you use it a lot, you might not be able to and you'll pay high interest charges.

True, and I have been able to get over 2.7L/100 km =104 (Imperial) mpg = 86+ US mpg many times in the Prius, but at the end of the day, and dawn too, its still an ICE, its no fun to drive at its best and my most tolerant, and when I consider what I've spent on cars over recent years, I could have gotten at least an almost new MS 60. The Walter Mitty in a Tesla thing is mostly on gentle downhills...in silence and without the Ta-pock-eta-pock-eta-pock-eta...

BTW, is there a good and overriding reason why a 'original Prius' metal-hydride 12 volt battery style wouldn't work as a replacement to a 12 volt lead-acid type that is so problematical given the unique demand and recharge setup found in Teslas which is really hard on a 12 V L/A battery? M-H can't carry a big charge that lasts a long time, which is why they are used in Prius-style hybrids, Even Toyota uses a (laughable) Lithium Ion battery in their plug-in Prius. Metal H batteries have the nice ability to take countless charges without degrading. It would be more expensive than a L/A but good for years and years.

 

[N4HHE]

BTW, is there a good and overriding reason why a 'original Prius' metal-hydride 12 volt battery style wouldn't work as a replacement to a 12 volt lead-acid type that is so problematical given the unique demand and recharge setup found in Teslas which is really hard on a 12 V L/A battery? M-H can't carry a big charge that lasts a long time, which is why they are used in Prius-style hybrids, Even Toyota uses a (laughable) Lithium Ion battery in their plug-in Prius. Metal H batteries have the nice ability to take countless charges without degrading. It would be more expensive than a L/A but good for years and years.

Prius does not use a "metal hydride" 12V battery. Prius uses a conventional AGM lead-acid. Know first hand because my P.O.S. 12v Prius battery only lasted 6.5 years. :smile:

Prius traction battery is NiMH, the 12v system is not. The traction battery is built using 7.2v modules.

 

[jerry33]

Prius does not use a "metal hydride" 12V battery. Prius uses a conventional AGM lead-acid. Know first hand because my P.O.S. 12v Prius battery only lasted 6.5 years. :smile:

Prius traction battery is NiMH, the 12v system is not. The traction battery is built using 7.2v modules.

Right, the 12V is AGM. Anything over five years on the 12V is borrowed time.