Inefficient Hybrid Vehicles

Amory Lovins (www.rmi.org) writes in the Fall 2005 issue of "RMI Solutions" (p. 16) about the common misperception that hybrids inherently fall short of EPA ratings more than nonhybrids. "By now many people wrongly believe that hybrids can't save much fuel (a view not discouraged by US automakers lacking attractive hybrids models)."

The urban myth that hybrids are inefficient is based on Consumer Reports tests, which, like the New York Times own tests, mistakenly drive hybrids the same way as nonhybrids. Lovins statest that Consumer Reports refuses to disclose, and might not realize, that this uniform and hence seemingly unreasonable test method unfairly disadvantages hybrids, for reasons inherent to their design.

"Contrary to what we were taught in prehybrid driver's education classes, hybrids use less fuel by attaining cruising speed quickly. Brisk acceleration, gentle braking far in advance of a stop (to recover maximum braking energy for reuse), aqnd other simple driving tacts to exploit hybrids' unique features all enable properly driven hybrids to get closer to EPA mpg ratings than nonhybrids can."

Lovins hopes the Times will retest hybrids the way they're meant to be driven, then report the results, thus teaching readers how to enable these inherently farr more efficient vehicles to do their best. With identical mass and total horsepower, a hybrid-electric vehicle will accelerate faster than a nonhybrid.

Lovins states that with a well-designed and well-driven hybrid, you can have it all: with one concept car (Opel's 2002 CE two-seat carbon-fiber diesel hybrid Eco-Speedster), 155 mph, 0-60 mph in 7.4 seconds and 94 mpg.