http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/66260/prius_hits_113mpg.html

The article says 113 mpg, but that's british gallons.

Toyota is charging ahead in the race for domination of the hybrid car market, according to Auto Express spies.

The firm's next Prius will be so efficient it will be the first production car capable of returning more than 110mpg. The newcomer is being developed to try to improve European sales. While the car has been a success in the US, it has met a mixed reaction on this side of the Atlantic, due to the popularity of diesel models.

But now we've been told that engineers working on the new Prius have a fuel economy target of 40km/litre - a mind-boggling 113mpg.

"The whole electrical system has been redesigned to improve economy" said one Toyota engineer. "We are working on

a prototype that runs solely on the electric motor in slow traffic, but switches to engine and motor drive when higher speeds are needed." The secret lies with the batteries. The current Prius uses nickel-hydride items, which currently offer the best balance between cost and performance.

But engineers are working on new lithiumion cells, which are lighter, smaller, generate more power and last longer. Subaru and Mitsubishi both plan to sell electric cars by 2010, but Toyota hopes to get its new model on the road as early as 2008.

And improved economy isn't the firm's only goal, as engineers are working on reducing the current car's 10.9-second 0-62mph time by more than a second.
Peter Lyon

4/12/2006 9:51:09 AM

thats all well and good, until our country's atmosphere is black with a thick layer of SMUG!

4/12/2006 10:37:42 AM

i'd buy one and put a big fuel tank in it and drive forever

4/12/2006 11:14:33 AM

how is a britsh gallon different from an amercan gallon?

4/12/2006 11:56:04 AM

how lazy are you
http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=deskbar&q=british+american+gallon+difference

A British gallon is 4.5 litres and an American gallon is 3.8 litres

4/12/2006 12:01:46 PM

are those in british litres or american liters?

4/12/2006 12:13:47 PM

^^^^^ & ^Bwahahahahaha

[Edited on April 12, 2006 at 12:24 PM. Reason : It's good mileage, but the car still looks like ass.]

4/12/2006 12:24:28 PM

I can't find the thread right now on my sailing website, but some guy tried to tow his 2500lbs keelboat + 500lbs trailer behind his Escape Hybrid and the thing blew up.

It literally got an electrical fire.

4/12/2006 3:25:10 PM

"dont touch the big red wire"

4/12/2006 3:35:20 PM

^^shoudn't have tried to tow with a hybrid, dummiss

4/12/2006 9:11:46 PM

Quote :

"^^shoudn't have tried to tow with a hybrid, dummiss"

WHICH IS WHY I'LL NEVER OWN A HYBRID.

4/12/2006 9:14:13 PM

for somebody like me that drives very little in town, a hybrid wouldn't do much good. diesels are the way to go, but especially in trucks, it would be very hard to justify the extra cost with the current fuel savings

4/12/2006 9:18:31 PM

I read a study that the price of gas would have to reach over 5 dollars a gallon, and you would have to drive your hybrid 125-150,000 miles before its economically worth it.

4/12/2006 9:56:48 PM

well its at 3 already for premium users. 5 isn't too far away.

4/12/2006 10:30:54 PM

^^ Very true, but that's for "now" hybrids.

If I could get ~100mpg, I would likely own one.

4/12/2006 11:27:58 PM

Quote :

"I read a study that the price of gas would have to reach over 5 dollars a gallon, and you would have to drive your hybrid 125-150,000 miles before its economically worth it."

I think that, for most people, the idea of driving a hybrid transcends the simple economic issue. There are big environmental concerns that come into play here, and it's the big reason that Toyota can't keep 'em on the lot.

For most people, paying money for peace of mind and the ability to claim benefit for the environment without having to make a concerted effort more than offsets the cost difference.

4/13/2006 1:13:22 AM

they'll have to make a concerted effort once those batteries die!

4/13/2006 8:38:42 AM

lupo 3L tdi was getting almost the same fuel economy years ago...

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/press/Lupo_3L_in_Guiness_World_Record

[Edited on April 13, 2006 at 10:29 AM. Reason : 3L designates 3L/100km]

4/13/2006 10:29:40 AM

Electric will never beat Hydrogen Fuel unless they can develop cheaper batteries/fuel cells.

4/13/2006 10:56:03 AM

but can it go 94 mph?

4/13/2006 11:04:29 AM

Too bad they look gay as shit

4/13/2006 1:29:35 PM

Quote :

"Electric will never beat Hydrogen Fuel unless they can develop cheaper batteries/fuel cells. "

Why don't you enlighten us and tell us where you're gonna get cheap and plentiful Hydogren. B/c the last time I checked it doesn't naturally exist on its own.

4/13/2006 1:48:50 PM

Quote :

"but can it go 94 mph?"

how is that relavent? you wont be going that fast if you're concerned at all about gas mileage... defeats the entire purpose..

[Edited on April 13, 2006 at 2:46 PM. Reason : besides, who cares as long as it gets to 88mph]

4/13/2006 2:45:41 PM

^ if you want to save gas

4/13/2006 3:48:44 PM

or... buy a hybrid or small diesel..

let make a thread about it..

oh HEY! here it is...

4/13/2006 4:32:50 PM

Quote :

"I read a study that the price of gas would have to reach over 5 dollars a gallon, and you would have to drive your hybrid 125-150,000 miles before its economically worth it."

You don't really need to read a study to grasp the economics of this. Open up Excel and see for yourself how much money you spend on gas.

Using your numbers of $5/gallon and 150,000 miles, a car averaging 40 mpg would use $18,750 of gas. A car averaging 20 mpg would use $37,500 of gas. Savings: $18,750
Now subtract the premium put on the price of a hybrid over its nonhybrid counterpart ($5-6000, maybe?), and perhaps some replacement batteries. (How much are those? I don't feel like looking it up.) Looks pretty good.
Or for gas costing $2/gallon, the savings is $7,500. Still coming out about even.
Or for gas costing $2/gallon for 100,000 miles, the savings is $5,000. Probably a net loss in money, but at least you get to feel good about yourself.

For a 94 mpg car versus a 20 mpg at 150,000 miles for $5/gallon gas, that's a savings of $29,500 ($7,980 for the hybrid and $37,500 for the normal; 1,600 gallons of gas vs 7,500 gallons).
Same scenario, $2/gallon gas, savings is $11,800 ($3,200 vs $15,000).
100,000 miles, $2/gallon, savings is $7,900 ($2,100 vs $10,000; 1,060 vs 5,000 gallons).



(but of course, you have to compare apples to apples (which I might not have done) - if you don't buy a hybrid, what will you get in its place? a 15mpg SUV or a 30mpg sedan?)

[Edited on April 13, 2006 at 6:01 PM. Reason : ]

4/13/2006 5:54:38 PM

you should compare a car that is both regular and hybrid, like the civic...

you also have to consider the damage you are doing to the environment when those batteries (that you will eventually have to replace) have to be disposed of

[Edited on April 13, 2006 at 6:24 PM. Reason : ...]

4/13/2006 6:22:12 PM