Hybrids or diesel which is most economical?

gilbert_and_sullivan

almillar wrote: »

Buzby, do go on about these bargains...

guilbert and sullivan -
Noisy diesels - depends on the specific car (and the age of the engine in it) but 4 cyl diesel engines can be very quiet at idle. When they're warmed up.
I also don't understand your coment on auto diesels being horrible in traffic and lacking durability.

Because unless you go for a torque converter auto, and apart from Korean that normally means either MB or BMW, the rest are a mixture of twin clutch and automated manuals coupled to horrible 4 pot Diesels that should in an ideal world be left in tractors and vans, no one could accuse either of those latter boxes as being in the least pleasant in traffic or manoeuvering, and both have histories of emptying their unfortunate owners wallets when they go wrong.

sh0597

Don't the electrics have small petrol engines for when the battery is empty? It's not like they just stop in the road.

Strider590

You could just keep what you have and spend the money on fuel instead of throwing £5000 down the drain in VAT.

knightstyle

We have just PX'd our 1.4 diesel Auris, not a clonky diesel like the old ones were, very quiet and only notice the diesel noise at rest.
Plus 70 mpg! Have a test drive in a later one, ours was '07 and they are better now. Made in UK under Japanese quality control.

BeenThroughItAll

sh0597 wrote: »

Don't the electrics have small petrol engines for when the battery is empty? It's not like they just stop in the road.

No, that's a hybrid. A 100% electric car will eventually run out of battery and stop, just like a torch going out.

iolanthe07

It's not like they just stop in the road.

Yes, they do. Well, they'll slow down a lot first to give you time to get to safety. According to Honest John using the heater will reduce mileage by 45% and air conditioning by 25%. I am very attracted to the idea of an electric car, but will wait until they can guarantee at least 200 miles with the heater on. (can't afford a Telsa)!

BeenThroughItAll

iolanthe07 wrote: »

It's not like they just stop in the road.

Yes, they do. Well, they'll slow down a lot first to give you time to get to safety. According to Honest John using the heater will reduce mileage by 45% and air conditioning by 25%. I am very attracted to the idea of an electric car, but will wait until they can guarantee at least 200 miles with the heater on. (can't afford a Telsa)!

I'm with you on that. I like the idea of instant torque, cheap charging, quiet motoring, fewer moving parts etc; but an electric car won't work for me until

1. It can travel 300+ miles on a charge (yes, I do regularly do those sorts of distances in one hit)
2. it can be charged in under ten minutes (because I can't be doing with sitting in the services for an hour waiting to get on my way)
3. It costs no more than a comparably sized and specified 'normal' vehicle
4. I can carry five people in comfort, plus luggage for a week away (inside the vehicle)
5. I can tow a trailer, caravan, boat, etc
6. I can use any of the equipment without fear of not getting to the end of the road

Sadly, we're a long way from that - and until people get over the idea of batteries being the way forward and we start to see decent hydrogen powered vehicles commonly and cheaply available - that's not going to change.

sh0597

The ampera has a 1.4 litre petrol engine as back up, that is what I was looking at.


I think a diesel makes the most sense for now.

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

sh0597 wrote: »

The ampera has a 1.4 litre petrol engine as back up, that is what I was looking at.


I think a diesel makes the most sense for now.

A friend of mine has an Ampera and it works well, it is quite a sensible set up: it can work as electric, electric with a generator on board (effectively like a typical diesel electric train where the engine generates power which the electric motors consume) or with combined electric motor and engine.

However, they are quite expensive, but there are then some grants around IIRC that bring the relative cost down.

Thefrugalwhippet

Thanks for all the replies. I think based on what you have all said, a diesel will probably be the most economical to run and affordable to buy. I would have an electric car but my pocket won't allow me to buy one and worrying about charging it between destinations is a concern but I guess as technology gets more advanced and cheaper it will be a future car for me!