Hybrid

Grumpy_chap

IC = Internal Combustion
A conventional petrol / diesel car yo you and me.

FWIW, I had a Toyota Auris Hybrid (2014) and only achieved the same mpg, or a couple mpg higher, than I now achieve in a 2007 petrol Focus.  I put the disappointing fuel economy down to a high proportion of motorway mileage so little opportunity to gain from the electric mode and assumed that if I did more town driving the economy would be much improved.  Based upon what others are saying in this thread, too much town driving would also not achieve the mileage gains from the electric mode on the hybrid.

Makes you wonder what type of use would actually make good sense for the hybrid and realise benefits?

I agree with others, a full EV (such as the MG5) would seem ideal for your type of mileage so it is a shame you do not have suitable charging available.

ComicGeek

I have a Toyota RAV4 hybrid (2.5L petrol self charging hybrid, not the PHEV version). I get about 50-55 mpg on motorways (I could improve this a lot if I drove at about 60mph) and about 65-70 mpg on normal roads. The hybrid is even better at short distances and town driving as long as you're careful with the accelerator, and I can get up to 90mph on short trips. My wife gets 32mph in her Volvo XC60.

Even in winter, the EV mode kicks in once I get to the end of my road, never had any problems with recharging and using on short trips in the 5 years I've had Toyota hybrids.  

The battery holds charge well, and is constantly being used and recharged whilst driving - you don't wait until it's fully charged to use.

Silverbird65

That's more encouraging. The Yaris is the tops for mpg but a bit tinny if you get what I mean the new corolla hybrid icon is nice car about bigger than used to but for comfort good.

coffeehound

ComicGeek said:

 and I can get up to 90mph on short trips. 

Now that's just irresponsible

ComicGeek

coffeehound said:

ComicGeek said:

 and I can get up to 90mph on short trips. 

Now that's just irresponsible

Haha, very true! 

But to be honest, the only 2 things I don't like about the car are the whine of the CVT gearbox and the wind noise, so no way that it would be comfortable driving that fast anyway.

Herzlos

Grumpy_chap said:

Makes you wonder what type of use would actually make good sense for the hybrid and realise benefits?

Urban journeys with lots of stop/start should be good for self-charging hybrids, since the braking will recharge the battery, it's not using any power when stationary and can use the stored charge to get moving again.

You'd need to be doing longish journeys to get enough braking or engine use to recharge the battery, and to justify the extra cost (because even if you gain 5mpg you're going to need to do a lot of miles to break even).

Grumpy_chap said:

I agree with others, a full EV (such as the MG5) would seem ideal for your type of mileage so it is a shame you do not have suitable charging available.

It's certainly worth investigating, and if it's really low usage then it may be worth taking it to a supermarket or train station once a week or so to use a public charger.

BOWFER

ComicGeek said:

coffeehound said:

ComicGeek said:

 and I can get up to 90mph on short trips. 

Now that's just irresponsible

Haha, very true! 

But to be honest, the only 2 things I don't like about the car are the whine of the CVT gearbox and the wind noise, so no way that it would be comfortable driving that fast anyway.

Crikey, it doesn't say much for the Rav4 if 90mph would be uncomfortable......
I've been at that speed in a CR-H and it was fine, but the horrible gearbox ultimately did put us (me) off to the point we discounted it.

ComicGeek

BOWFER said:

ComicGeek said:

coffeehound said:

ComicGeek said:

 and I can get up to 90mph on short trips. 

Now that's just irresponsible

Haha, very true! 

But to be honest, the only 2 things I don't like about the car are the whine of the CVT gearbox and the wind noise, so no way that it would be comfortable driving that fast anyway.

Crikey, it doesn't say much for the Rav4 if 90mph would be uncomfortable......
I've been at that speed in a CR-H and it was fine, but the horrible gearbox ultimately did put us (me) off to the point we discounted it.

Cruising at 70 mph is fine, but accelerating up to that isn't particularly pleasant, particularly compared to the joy of driving my wife's Volvo XC60 at any speed.

I haven't driven much faster than that, but the wind noise is very noticeable at even 70mph - the engine noise is really not pleasant maintaining speed up hills either, but is brilliant cruising at 30/40mph which is probably 95% of my driving anyway.

AdrianC

Can I just throw in another option?

If the car's only ever used for very short trips, and it's required for those for disability/health reasons... how about a mobility scooter?

Silverbird65

Thanks for your help. It would not be suitable for me