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Car Companies Tackle Hybrid Mileage Complaints

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by LaughingMan, Oct 8, 2005.

  1. LaughingMan

    LaughingMan Active Member

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    With consumers complaining that hybrids vehicles don't get the gas mileage advertised on window stickers, Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Co. are stepping up efforts to let drivers know why they might not get the desired fuel economy.

    ...

    To help drivers improve their mileage, Ford is creating a "Hybrid Patrol," a group of Ford staffers who will travel to 11 cities to talk about fuel economy.
    This weekend Ford is holding a clinic at the Ford Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn, Mich. More than 280 owners of hybrid-powered Escapes and their guests, who are traveling from 24 different states, will learn driving tips to improve fuel efficiency and get a chance to ask Ford engineers about hybrid technology.

    At Toyota, luxury brand Lexus has begun distributing through dealerships a pamphlet on the RX 400h, Lexus's luxury hybrid SUV, listing reasons why the vehicle may not get the 31 mpg the EPA estimated for the vehicle in city driving.

    The Article
     
    #1 LaughingMan, Oct 8, 2005
  2. djasonw

    djasonw Active Member

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    I read the article. They quoted a female attorney that was only getting 30 mpg in her Prius. How the heck can you get that type of mileage? Was she driving UP Lombard street with the parking brake on? Yes... I know Lombard street only goes down. :blink:
     
    #2 djasonw, Oct 8, 2005
  3. v.jones

    v.jones New Member

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    Pretty easy on Manhattan local streets during high traffic periods (weekdays from 6 AM til 2 AM :p ) Gas mileage is pretty poor when you have to drive with your bumper 6 inches from the idiot in front of you and the only modes of operation are full throttle and full brake. Even Hummers have problems with not being "seen" by taxi drivers.
    --
    Vince
     
    #3 v.jones, Oct 8, 2005
  4. Imaginator

    Imaginator New Member

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    Blimey - what's wrong with the internet and self-help? The emissions in flights and gas from this little exercise should melt a few glaciers. Will they be supplying nappies/diapers at these gatherings too?
    :blink:
     
    #4 Imaginator, Oct 8, 2005
  5. LaughingMan

    LaughingMan Active Member

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    Yeah somehow I don't think that this'll turn all those Escape owners into hypermilers overnight. :lol:

    They're probably just going to spread decent all around driving advice, which is good i suppose!

    It seems like a nice gesture on the part of Ford to show it's customers that it's committed to them and the techology. It would be nice if Toyota did the same thing but #1 there are too many of us and #2 most of us have figured it out on our own.
     
    #5 LaughingMan, Oct 8, 2005
  6. Vespasian

    Vespasian New Member

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    During evening rush hour in Chicago my fuel economy definitely decreases, but not by more than a few miles per gallon.

    EDIT: When the traffic is really bad, you should accelerate lightly so you use electric motor as much as possible.
     
    #6 Vespasian, Oct 8, 2005
  7. LaughingMan

    LaughingMan Active Member

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    It really depends. Hilly terrain really deals a lot of damage to mileage, and there's very little you can do about it. If she's really in San Francisco, I wouldn't be surprised. She should probably look for a more efficient route to wherever she has to go, but to a certain point, there's nothing you can do.
     
    #7 LaughingMan, Oct 8, 2005
  8. IsrAmeriPrius

    IsrAmeriPrius Progressive Member

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    Well, it appears as if some of the blame was due to her driving technique:

    Doh!!!
     
    #8 IsrAmeriPrius, Oct 8, 2005
  9. EricGo

    EricGo New Member

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    I'm not getting anywhere near EPA.

    I'd be disappointed if I was. :rolleyes:
     
    #9 EricGo, Oct 9, 2005
  10. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    i lived in san francisco before. i drove a chevy sprint for work. they were rated at 50 mpg. we averaged 25-45 mpg in them. only time we got any kind of mileage was on the freeway. street driving there was piss poor economy no matter what you are driving. so i can easily believe her stats.

    but i now live in Olympia, it is also a city near the Pac Coast on the water with similiar hills and such. i can also get pretty bad mileage too on certain routes. however, i know the city well enough that i can adjust my driving to get better mileage. that took me the better part of a year to do. last year, i struggled to get 50 mpg... today, i would cry if i did that poorly. and she already admits its getting better as she learns the car.
     
    #10 DaveinOlyWA, Oct 9, 2005
  11. JKnight

    JKnight Member

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    I wonder how many people who've switched to hybrids because of recent gas hikes actually compared the EPA and real-world mileage on their previous cars.

    Still, I'm glad the EPA will be revising its tests since the real-world results with hybrids do vary tremendously, and the disparity with the EPA estimates are too wide. Would any of these articles exist if the EPA had estimated 50 mpg instead of 60? Even at 50 mpg, people would be mightily impressed and they wouldn't have unreasonable expectations that are sure to be crushed.

    Jan
     
    #11 JKnight, Oct 15, 2005
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