Hybrid Cars Don't Live Up to Mileage Claims

Omega1045 writes "Wired News is running a great little article about how hybrid cars (specifically Honda and Toyota models) do not come anywhere close to living up to their fuel efficiency claims. The article highlights that the EPA tests are more to blame than the car manufactures. Consumer reports has shown that the mileage for these cars can be as low as 60% of the claims. The article also links to a blog authored by hybrid enthusiast Pete Blackshaw detailing his failures getting any real answers on why his Honda Civic Hybrid isn't getting better fuel mileage. It looks like these cars are more hype than help in the battle against pollution and foreign fuel reliance."

Comments

Re:Get an SUV

[pe1rxq]

Does this mean I should get an SUV

Ofcourse! Because if a hybrid is only doing better than a normal car instead of much better you should get the most polluting car you can get.

Jeroen

Re:Better than nothing

[MrIrwin]

About a year ago I read some figures (in an EU auto magazine) for a hybrid golf prototype developed by a private firm. They split the figures so you could work out what you would expect to get on your itinarys.

Upshot was that my daily trip to work consumed more than I would expect from a MPI diesel utility, which would also have more performance.

I think the best way to make a quantumn leap in world ecology is to simply get rid of the Americans.