You got me wondering about Jetta mileage, so I went and checked the
EPA ratings. A diesel 5-spd Jetta is rated 47/36; the gas version is
31/24. We all know that the EPA ratings are pie-in-the-sky numbers. I
sure don't remember any Hondas that got mileages in the 40s. I had a
Datsun 1200 that got in the mid to high 30s on the road, which was
considered pretty darned good. My MGB got 27 MPG on the CA trip a few
years ago.
Peg's Prius got 45 MPG on its first tank of gas, mixed freeway and in
town. It does better in heavy stop and go traffic where the engine
shuts down and it runs on the electric motors. Other Prius users
regularly get 45 - 50 MPG in their daily commuting. The Honda Civic
Hybrid isn't far behind. The hybrids are for real alright.
A diesel hybrid might be the way to go when and if biodiesel and
low-sulfer petroleum diesel fuels become more readily available. The
engineers have a long way to go in cleaning up diesel engines, though.
Good luck on your electric car. Sounds like a worthwhile project.
Cheers,
CR
Stephen West-Fisher wrote:
> My problem with the hybrids is that they don't seem all that much more
> efficient than, say, a Jetta GTI, with real fuel mileage in the 50mpg range.
> I also remember that a long time ago ('80s perhaps) one of the Hondas got
> very high 40s. I just don't see the advantage of the current crop of
> hybrids. Now, I will admit that these current cars are probably much
> friendlier to the environment from an emissions standpoint, but not from the
> non-renewable resource standpoint.
>
SNIP
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