CNET: Chasing the Toyota Prius' 50-mpg nirvana

Just share the facts and data. No need to argue with the nonsense. For example, there is no special "construction" or "disposal" cost on my invoice (nor anyone else.) Plus Ebay shows an active market in salvage Prius parts and vehicles. <grins>

Bob Wilson

 

So, exactly what is the plan for the batteries that are in our hybrids once the battery is depleted?

 

I guess what I'm wondering is how it's 'recycled'. I'll have to look when I get a few more minutes to see if there is any actual information on how this is done.

I'm not arguing that it's worse or better for the environment, cause i don't know. I just think that we don't really know how much is expended mining for it, processing it, and recycling it, we shouldn't be so quick to dismiss the fact that it is possible for this to be worse for the environment. My goal has been to lessen my dependence on oil, and if less is put into the atmosphere in the process thats great too.

 

steviet, I agree with you. The read was not what I expected. My preconceived idea was the author was going to give a story about how other manufacturers have their work cut out for them ... catching up to the Prius' 50mpg nirvana ... how (old) GM et al would seem to rather waste more money dissing the Prius, than catching up to it ... or how they'd rather have guys like Spinella go write spin about the Sudburry mine (in operation decades prior to the invention of the Prius). In stead, the author states how his authority comes from being a writer for cnet's green tech blog. I'm guessing he prefaces the article so we'll pay attention. After all. He writes for green tech blog.

Finally, he tells about getting a some what stripped 2010, and that he wishes there were more options to chose from ... and he's having a hard time getting 50mpg. But he prefaces that by saying, "I used to drive a stick" ... I suppose, to say he likes to gun it sometimes for that 'power' feel. I went into the read hoping (as steviet was hoping) the author (after all ... he writes for green TECH blog ... thus ought to be able to give the tech behind recycling all the parts of the Gen III at the end of its life expectancy) would go into some interesting detail about recycling the eco-car of all time ... maybe do the recycling talk after the blurb about other manufacturers falling far behind. The recycling data IS out there ... and it IS very incouraging ... perhaps that data ought to be on a PC sticky.

Martin LaMonica's article dissapointed me too. He said there's no waiting list for the Gen III ... then based that off the fact that in his little area of the east cost, the Gen III "doesn't have a waiting list" ... but admits each Gen III is snapped up when it arrives. Too bad the tech writer didn't check the dynamics in other parts of the country / world ... where it seems to be much different. oh well ... hopefully his next article will have a little more substance.

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Hey,

Let's give the guy a break. He put his own money and family in his own Prius. Unlike the traditional 'automotive' writers who have 'loaner' or 'corporate' Prius to abuse and disabuse, he has 'skin in the game.'

His article reads like a hundred and one 'newbie' posters who just got their Prius and wonder, "What next?" Had he posted the same in the "newbie" forum, we would been courteous and helped him 'learn the tricks.'

Now the comments went "off the scale" with the usual suspects. That is something entirely different and independent of the original author's article. Those aren't the original poster's words.

Have fun with the comments but the article, I've read worse ... we all have who've read 'the skeptic press.' He's got 'skin in the game' so let's give him the benefit of the doubt.

Bob Wilson

 

Perhaps he's not averaging 50 MPG city since he may have failed to break-in the ICE per Toyota's recommendation -

'avoid extended, constant speed travel for first 621 miles'

Seems a 2,000 mile road trip day after delivery would have broken rule above. I wouldn't do it.

 

Considering that nickel is rather valuable (compare stainless steel with its nickel alloys to iron), there is strong incentive to recylce it. I don't know how this is done for nickel containing batteries.

 

Here is a fun video on the subject.

 

My experience in the DC area is 50 MPG in the city is easy....off rush hour. At the worst of rush hour, I spend too much time at stop lights. Also, if the trips are less than 3 miles, you will not average 50 mpg, as the first mile or so is warm up, and the ICE is running.

 

Someone took the translation from 1,000km a bit too literally! It's pretty arbitrary, really. They could have said 500 miles just as easily.

I find when following other traffic that most drivers can't keep a constant speed - they're always slightly accelerating between junctions, crests, bends and other hazards. I find that I get a better return from my Gen 2 by trying to hold a constant speed (I don't have cruise control). In doing so, the car seems to be able to run the engine at very low speed, simulating a very high gear.

It's important to remember that the stated fuel economy figures are for driving a specific programme, under specific conditions (and I believe in the US, some figures off the dyno are still discounted by fixed percentages to give more 'realistic' estimates). Your own driving can be better or worse than that estimate. The US testing now incorporates some conditions that cannot occur at the same time, for example both a high-temperature air conditioning use test and a cold temperature running test are combined into one City number.

The EU test is less representative than the US one, for it gives 72.4mpg (imperial) for the Gen 3, 60.3 miles per US gallon. The only major difference, apart from the driving cycle, is now that the fuel used in the EU test is 95 RON compared to the US 87 Road Octane Number fuel (about 91 RON). I haven't seen any suggestions that the EU version actually benefits from higher octane, though; as far as I can tell they're now mechanically identical.

 

Thanks for the links and info.