Hybrid/diesel -Why not?

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: jamesn
Honda has effectively stopped its hybrid development programs. honda will be bringing its lovely new diesel engines to the US market in 2009. they currently have an accord equivalent in europe that gets upwards of 70mpg. why would they need hybrids? as they say, "the juice ain't wort the the squeeze" in putting a hybrid system on a diesel.


One of my car mags (latest CD?) tested a Civic Diesel and it only got 33 mpg. They said the engine is the same one that WILL be in the 2009 Accord.

That car will be around 30 mpg (maybe) if the civic got only 33.

The accord is a lot bigger / heaver.

Your NOT going to see a 70 mpg accord.

Bill

 

[Jonny Z]

Their test MPG probably included drag strip runs and figure 8's. On the other hand, 70 MPG Accord is unreal.

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: Jonny Z
Their test MPG probably included drag strip runs and figure 8's. On the other hand, 70 MPG Accord is unreal.

I'm absolutely sure that it did. Their "CD observed" mpg figures are always somewhat (sometimes a lot) on the low side. My point is that even accounting for their driving shenanigans, it's pretty extreme for a Civic diesel to be getting only 33 mpg, when compared to all the starry-eyed promises that get thrown around about the as-yet-unseen superdiesels. Again, I'm sure that the new TDI will do better, but still.

 

[ffracer]

Originally Posted By: ekpolk
Originally Posted By: Jonny Z
Their test MPG probably included drag strip runs and figure 8's. On the other hand, 70 MPG Accord is unreal.

I'm absolutely sure that it did. Their "CD observed" mpg figures are always somewhat (sometimes a lot) on the low side. My point is that even accounting for their driving shenanigans, it's pretty extreme for a Civic diesel to be getting only 33 mpg, when compared to all the starry-eyed promises that get thrown around about the as-yet-unseen superdiesels. Again, I'm sure that the new TDI will do better, but still.


Good point. You do have to understand, that like hybrids on the highway, diesels in mixed driving and hard acceleration have to be driven properly with the right shift points and momentum or you get lousy milege. Even a Prius only gets 17 mpg on a road course at wide open throttle.

I have personally gotten 38-40 mpg in a Ford Focus diesel in France this summer driving at high speeds, and around 50 in a Citroen Xsara the year before in more typical speeds. Good thing too, fuel was $7/gal!! Both of these cars are relatively large too, not little tiny cars.