[REVolution]

I liked that about the Volt also. It brought temperatures down really quickly and I didn't have to wait for the ICE to warm up in order for the A/C to be effective.

[G8mike]

So far the ipod has skipped every day. I've gotta think there's an issue with the interface to the stereo, because I haven't had that problem with any of the other cars I've tested.

[G8mike]

Today's chores completed and still averaging 5.7 litres/100km which is 41.2 MPG. Doesn't look like it's going to change from that figure. A few more chores to do tomorrow along with Canada Day festivities - I'll try to load it up a bit and see how much the mileage varies. Monday is photo shoot day and it goes back on Tuesday.

It's definitely been an interesting experience, and I'll have lots of suggestions for Toyota on what I think they could do to improve the car.:yeeees:

[lengnert]

G8mike;215229 Wrote:Today's chores completed and still averaging 5.7 litres/100km which is 41.2 MPG. Doesn't look like it's going to change from that figure. A few more chores to do tomorrow along with Canada Day festivities - I'll try to load it up a bit and see how much the mileage varies. Monday is photo shoot day and it goes back on Tuesday.

It's definitely been an interesting experience, and I'll have lots of suggestions for Toyota on what I think they could do to improve the car.:yeeees:

What ever could you mean? No Toyota is in need of improvement!

Thay are without fault and run until the owner decides they should not.

I smell undue bias. Where's FAS!

[G8mike]

^^ Guilty as charged.

[G8mike]

Ha ha! I did it. 17 km round trip (for a fuel up and a short scenic drive) at 4.4 litres/100 km. That's 53 MPG. How you ask? Very little traffic on the road, so I could experiment with staying in EV as long as possible, using the 'B' indicator, which gives you maximum regen braking (think engine braking for when you're going downhill) and generally just taking it easy. Had the A/C on too, so there you go, it can be done.

Trouble is, that is not what my normal driving conditions are like...

[lengnert]

Wow, you had to basically do what the hypermilers do in optimal conditions to get the suggested mileage Toyota seems to think you can achieve normally?

You can get a 50 mpg in damn 1995 Explorer hypermiling.

What the hell do I need a Prius for? (rhetorical question as there is no need for the damn thing)

[G8mike]

Spent a fair bit of time reading up on Hybrid Synergy Drive and I think I can condense it down to this - it's primary purpose is to squeeze all the energy it can out of a drop of gas.

Without getting into the technical differences (and frankly, I'm hanging on by my fingertips there) between this and Voltec is that Voltec is trying to squeeze every last bit of energy from electricity into motion.

The key differences I've taken away from it so far are:

1. If you beat the tar out of a Prius, you will indeed get terrible mileage - particularly since the atkinson cycle engine is appartently very sensitive to how responsibly you drive it (see Top Gear on that one - Prius vs BMW M3 I think it was).

2. If you beat the tar out of a Volt, you will get pretty much the same mileage as a half decent day in a Prius - somewhere around 37 MPG.

3. If you don't beat the tar out of either one, you may not save the planet, but you will save a ton of gas. Neither one is likely to pay back the difference in the purchase price over the life of the vehicle, but in both cases, that's not really the point. Buyers of both cars are making a statement. If I were to buy either one (and I'm still thinking very seriously of getting a Volt for my next daily driver) my primary goal is to flip the bird to big oil, not to be an 'eco weenie.'

Either way, I applaud the idea of energy diversity and conservation. Loads of people slagged the Prius when it came out, just like so many have dumped on the Volt. The thing is, if you don't like it, don't buy it, but I think it's good that the consumer has the option.

I also believe there will be significant future benefit to pursuing these technologies now and further developing and refining them.

I still remember the embargo, even though I was only just a kid - I didn't understand what was going on then, but it's plain to see how devastatingly dependent we are on oil, and that has got to change.

[G8mike]

Answered two of my own questions today - yes you can adjust the brightness of the nav/stereo display, but even at full brightness, it seems a bit dim.

Also, it appears you can't turn off the reverse beep. I really don't know why they chose to use such a weird shifter in this thing.