If anyone is interested in some personal experiences with Hybrids, I have been driving my Honda Insight for over a year now. You can get pretty much the mileage you want to get with this car...the way I drive, I usually get between 45 and 50 miles per gallon. The car has digital readout on your instantaneous use of gas, so if you want to get 60 miles per gallon, up to about 70 mph, this is very possible. However, in the heavy Interstate traffic of South Florida, and the constant rush we are in, impatience will usually cause lots of sudden braking and then sudden acceleration, so 45 mpg is often the result. If you are really in a rush, this car has easily cruised from West Palm to Orlando at speeds averaging between 105 and 115 mph, during which time mileage dropped to about 27 mpg. The Insight handles turns and high speeds like a real sports car, and would destroy a Prius in any type of competive handling. It will actually out handle most cars in high speed interstate driving, this not including Corvettes or other cars with speed capabilities unrelated to real life needs.
On scenic coastal roads like A1A, where the speed limit ranges from 35 to 40 mph, the Insight can easily get 75 and even 80 mpg, and you don't feel like you are trying that hard to accomplish this ! Dan V > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Fred Enga > Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2004 2:27 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [Biofuel] Hybrid Vehicles in real life > > Hybrid cars shine in city stop and go, report shows > > Vancouver, November 18, 2004 - A new report on the > performance of 100 hybrid electric vehicles has documented > substantially lower fuel costs and reductions in air > pollution, with some owners reporting up to 60 percent > savings when using hybrids compared to the vehicles they replaced. > > The report released today by Fleet Challenge BC, a program of > the Fraser Basin Council, concluded 3hybrids appear to be > well suited to stop and go applications like urban commuting, > taxis, and couriers.2 The report's researchers says its > findings will be of particular interest to consumers and > vehicle fleet managers looking to save on fuel costs while > reducing greenhouse gases and other harmful emissions. > > North America's two highest mileage hybrid taxis logged > 675,000 kilometres during the past three years without > problems, the report said. > > The B.C. government, which operates a fleet of 61 2001 Toyota > Prius vehicles, the largest hybrid fleet in Canada, reported > an average fuel efficiency of 5.8 litres per 100 kilometres > during 2.5 million kilometres of driving throughout the province. > > 3As Minister responsible for government1s fleet, I look for > opportunities that encourage the use of greener, more > fuel-efficient vehicles,2 said Management Services Minister > Joyce Murray. 3The results of the Hybrid Experience Report > will be useful as B.C. continues to demonstrate leadership in > reducing emissions and fuel costs across ministries.2 > > "Transportation accounts for about 25 percent of Canada's > greenhouse gas emissions, the main contributor to climate > change," said the Honourable R. > John Efford, Minister of Natural Resources Canada. > "Initiatives like Fleet Challenge BC and this report are > important in two ways. First, they educate Canadian fleet > managers about hybrid vehicles. Second, they show that hybrid > technology can have both environmental and economic benefits, > and help Canada effectively respond to climate change." > > "The City of Vancouver is very excited to be part of this > study," says David Cadman Councillor for the City of > Vancouver and GVRD Director. "Increasing the use of hybrid > vehicles is one measure that will help the City of Vancouver > meet our Cool Vancouver goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions." > > BC Hydro recently added nine hybrid vehicles to its fleet and > already they are making a significant contribution to the > bottom line, said Bruce Sampson, Vice-President of > Sustainability, BC Hydro, who added: 3We'll be sharing our > operating experience with these vehicles through the Hybrid > Experience Report.2 > > > The Report provides information on hybrid vehicles currently > in production by major manufacturers, including the Honda > Insight, Toyota Prius, Ford Escape, Honda Civic Hybrid, and > Chevrolet Silverado truck, plus commercial vehicles such as > delivery trucks and transit buses. The Report noted that an > additional 15 hybrid vehicle models will be introduced by > manufacturers between 2005 and 2007. > > The Report is available on the website > www.hybridexperience.ca <http://www.hybridexperience.ca/> . > > The Report's website has many features that will help users > become better informed about current models, the technology > behind them and how well each model has performed in terms of > both fuel use and emissions. The website also makes available > easy to use calculators that enable consumers and fleet > managers to assess and compare hybrids to other vehicles in > terms of fuel use, greenhouse gas emissions and total cost of > ownership. > > The preparation of the report was supported by VanCity Credit > Union, Greater Vancouver Regional District, Natural Resources > Canada, City of Vancouver, BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air > Protection, Alberta's Climate Change Central, BC Hydro, and > the Fraser Basin Council's Fleet Challenge BC and BC Climate > Exchange programs. > > - 30 - > > Hybrid Experience Report Website www.hybridexperience.ca > <http://www.hybridexperience.ca/> > > > For more information contact: > > Jim Vanderwal, Program Manager, Fraser Basin Council > Phone: (604) 488-5359 > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > _______________________________________________ > Biofuel mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://wwia.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/biofuel > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: > http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html > > Biofuel archives at Infoarchive.net (searchable): > http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/biofuel/ > _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://wwia.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/biofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuel archives at Infoarchive.net (searchable): http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/biofuel/
