5 Hybrid Car Myths Debunked

There are numerous myths and urban legends circulating on hybrid cars, and they die hard! Here are five of the most tenacious hybrid cars myths, debunked.

Hybrid Cars Are Less Powerful

While the first models of hybrids did lack in power, the newer, modern models have nothing to envy to their gas powered cousins; their performance is only increasing. According to Carsdirect.com, the Lexus GS 450h has more than 300 horsepower and can beat many gas powered vehicles in a 0 to 60 road test. And that says nothing of the myriad of performance-oriented hybrids, like the Porsche 918, on the horizon.

Hybrid Cars Are The Greenest of the Greens

Sadly, this is a myth too. While they undoubtedly reduce your gas consumption, hybrid cars are manufactured at a high ecological cost. The making of their battery, among other of their components, is extremely polluting and necessitate rare earth metals. The exploitation of rare earth is one of the most polluting industries on the planet.

Hybrid Cars Are Too Expensive

Granted, if you compare a hybrid with an equivalent gas powered car, the price will be slightly higher. But saying that hybrid are significantly and systematically more expensive is simply wrong. Truth is, hybrids, just like regular cars, come in a whole range of sizes and prices. Not to mention that, with all the money saved on gas, the investment is quickly made profitable. Here is a list of the 10 best hybrid values on the market.

You Need Practice to Learn How To Drive Them

For some reason, some people are lead to believe that hybrid cars are tricky to drive, that you must trigger some kind of complicated device in order to switch from gas to electricity. In fact, you don’t do anything differently when you drive a hybrid then when you drive a gas powered vehicle. You just buckle up, turn on your engine, press on the accelerator and drive. Your hybrid car itself will decide which power source is best, electric or gas.

Hybrid Cars Must be Plugged In

Hybrids rely on two power sources: Gas and electricity. When you run out of electricity, gas will take over and the battery will recharge itself, just like a conventional car’s battery recharge itself when the engine is running. Plug-in hybrids do require being plugged in to recharge their batteries, but conventional hybrids do not. Pretty self-explanatory, right?

Hopefully this has helped debunk some of the myths surrounding hybrid cars. Pretty soon, with gas prices only going up, we may all drive a hybrid of one kind or another.

Source: Gas2.0

2013 GS 450h EPA-rated at 31 mpg combined; 35% improvement over preceding generation

2013 Lexus GS 450h. Click to enlarge.

Lexus’s 2013 GS 450h—the new generation hybrid version of the GS 350, introduced at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show (earlier post)—offers EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of 29 mpg US city, 34 mpg US highway and 31 mpg US combined (7.7, 6.9 and 7.6 L/100km, respectively).

These figures represent a 32%, 36% and 35% improvement in fuel economy, respectively, compared to the prior generation of the GS 450h (e.g., MY 2011). These figures also represent a 53%, 21% and 35% improvement in fuel economy, respectively, compared with the conventional 2013 GS 350. (As a side note, the combined cycle fuel economy of the conventional 2013 GS 350 is now the same as the combined cycle fuel economy was for the earlier version of the GS 450h hybrid.)

The second generation of the Lexus Hybrid Drive system applied in the new GS 450h features a next-generation D-4S direct and port fuel injection system with an Atkinson cycle 3.5-liter V6 engine mated to a compact, high-output, water-cooled permanent magnet electric motor powered by a high performance NiMH battery pack. The two powerplants drive the rear wheels both independently and in tandem, as needed. Total system output is 338 hp (252 kW).

Features of the powertrain include:

• Improved fuel consumption is achieved through a high compression ratio of 13:1, a new mid-port intake tumble generator and the adoption of a Lexus four-stroke, direct injection technology, D-4S.
• With one injector installed in the combustion chamber and a second mounted in the intake port, D-4S combines the strengths of both direct and port injection, realizing optimum engine efficiency throughout the power band and improving torque across the rev range, while minimizing fuel consumption and emissions.
• The D-4S system features new slit-type injector nozzles with a modified port shape, a higher fuel pressure for more efficient combustion, and idle port injection for improved NVH characteristics.
• The cooling performance of the hybrid system’s Power Control Unit (PCU) helps reduce fuel consumption and has been improved through the adoption of dual cooling paths and a single-piece, integrated DC/DC converter.
• The PCU boosts motor drive voltage to a maximum 650V in Sport mode and limits it to a maximum of 500V in Eco mode under normal driving conditions where maximum output is not required. The motor is driven at lower voltage to provide a more environmentally advanced driving performance to help enhance fuel efficiency.
• The system’s regenerative braking operation range has been expanded, contributing to further improvements in fuel efficiency.
• A new stacked battery configuration maximizing luggage space allows the 2013 GS 450h to have more cargo area than the previous generation GS 350.
• Acceleration from 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds.
• Super-Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV) certification.
• Engine noise, vibration and friction have been lowered through the adoption of lightweight timing chain technology.

The GS 450h has five driving modes that can be operated by toggling the new Lexus Drive Mode selector. In addition to the Normal mode, the following settings let the driver customize the driving experience:

• ECO mode revises throttle mapping, seat heating, and climate control systems for better fuel economy. In ECO mode, meter lighting changes to blue.
• EV mode allows the vehicle to be driven short distances, under certain circumstances, using only the electric motors.
• SPORT S mode revises throttle mapping and transmission shifting priorities to fully exploit the capabilities of the powertrain. In SPORT S mode, meter lighting changes to red.
• SPORT S+ mode engages handling enhancements via a sport setting of the adaptive variable suspension, steering system, and Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management (VDIM) together with the powertrain enhancements of SPORT S mode.
  
  
  
  
  Source: Green Car Congress

scroll right 2013 Toyota RX 450h Hybrid And GS 450h Hybrid Prices Revealed

Toyota has released new or updated pricing information on the 2013 RX 450h hybrid crossover and the GS 450h hybrid sedan.

While the new GS 450h will carry the same list price as the model it replaces, the RX 450h gets revised pricing that’s now $675 higher for front-drive models and $485 higher for all-wheel-drive models.

For 2013, the RX 450h will start at $45,910 for FWD models and at $47,310 for AWD models, excluding destination charge.

The RX 450h returns with Lexus’ Hybrid Drive system, which combines a 3.5-liter V-6 with two (in FWD models) or three (in AWD models) electric motors. The net result is a crossover with V-6 power and noticeably improved fuel economy.

Lexus says the FWD RX 450h will deliver an EPA-estimated 32 mpg city, 28 mpg highway and 30 mpg combined average fuel economy.

Opt for the AWD RX 450h, and the fuel economy lowers slightly to 30 mpg city, 28 mpg highway and 29 mpg combined.

If a hybrid sedan is more to your liking, the 2013 Lexus GS 450h sedan will be priced from the same $58,950 starting price (excluding destination charge) as the model it replaces.

2013 Lexus GS 450h live photos

Power output drops unnoticeably, from 340 combined horsepower to 338 combined horsepower, but fuel economy is dramatically improved.

The 2013 Lexus GS 450h gets an EPA-estimated 29 mpg city, 34 mpg highway and 31 mpg combined, making it the most fuel efficient vehicle in its class. It’s also certified as a Super-Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV).

The previous GS 450h returned just 22 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway, so the 2013 GS 450h achieves 32-percent better fuel economy around town and 36-percent better economy on the highway. We’d call that a step in the right direction.



Source: Green Car Reports