So, exactly how does waterboarding work? Did you spill the beans?
2 Likes
… probably why EVs are hard to find and why Hybrids (non-plug in style) are seeing a rise in popularity (at least in our region of Texas).
3 Likes
When we “retired”-or at least the husband did, we got rid of two of our cars-one to an adult child who had recently had a car totaled, without her injury, in a holiday accident.
We did this to save(mostly) on insurance and maintenance. The car we kept was an 3 year-old gas-powered SUV. After having at least 2 cars for over 45 years, I was concerned we wouldn’t be able to survive w/ just one vehicle. We make a trip to the P.O.(30 minutes away) 6 days per week…
I knew someone who did this in retirement and made it work. The savings-gas/insurance, etc were substantial. And one son-the environmentalist- went into huzzahs about the old luddites from TEXAS/dependent on an oil-based economy, reducing our carbon footprint.
Yes, we combine 2 -4 trips now, and always a drive to the P.O. Pretty easy as long as we keep track of each other’s schedules. The worst was my 6 months driving hiatus when I had a issue w/ cataract surgery; couldn’t see to drive-which had nothing to do w/ vehicles/how they’re fueled and everything to do w/ my feeling of helplessness.
We’re buying a hybrid, next time!
7 Likes
Same here… Best option IMO
5 Likes
Agree, though check the performance and specs on time (miles) to engine start.
I recall riding in a Prius a number of years ago. It only got one block and the gas kicked on.
When we are not touring in our Smart EQ, we charge every two days or so.
35 to 40 miles is our run around town distance each day. If we had that in a hybrid, we would be happy. We would also be happy with a larger car. Though we bought the smart since it looked so odd. We wrapped it with our brand.
Odd thing is the car is so odd, no one askes about the brand, only about the car.
4 Likes
My sister in law is getting 65 MPG on her Honda CRV Hybrid. That’s incredible.
She uses it mostly as a commuter car to and from the train station a few miles away. Goes months without filling up which isn’t exactly good bc gas doesn’t age well…
3 Likes
Yeah always worried about that esp with E mixes. I know modern cars have better seals but ethanol eats things
3 Likes
It’s a problem I deal with on my old “muscle cars” that routeinly sit for weeks, sometimes months without being driven. They have stabilizer in them. Maybe go through 2-3 tanks each a year.
Used to drive them to work from time to time but I don’t go anywhere anymore. LOL
3 Likes
We have a few stations with E0 around me
3 Likes
Could probably find one around here for sure but who has the time…
Cars are built to run 87, I use 93 which helps on the breakdown a bit on performance but doesn’t help the other damage ethanol does.
Knock on wood - other than replacing a 37 year old original fuel pump in my Mustang, no other obvious issues have crept up because of it.
That pump more than likely failed from being, you know, 37 years old…
6 Likes
We got the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid. A fill up after 250 miles is about 5 gallons.
Plugin Hybrids have larger batteries and will get around 30 to 35 miles a charge. When the charge runs out, they are gas only.
Non-plugin Hybrids have smaller batteries and will get 20 to 30 in EV mode only if it has a full battery at start up. They never really run out of a charge as you charge them as you drive. When we go into our larger town (27 miles away) to shop or for doctors, the day trip is usually about 70 miles round trip. The vehicle system gives a report at the end of the trip and has been reporting 44% EV time for the trip. Driving of the highway at 75mph, it is 98% gas but, once you drop below 50mph, it will go in and out of EV mode (especially around 35 to 45) as the battery charges up and discharges through use. Vehicle range on a tank is about 400 miles.
Hoping someone will come out with El Camino style hybrid (or full EV).
5 Likes
My wife wants to replace her Chevy Traverse with this. I think it’s too small…
2 Likes
This is also an issue for us. I am, ahem, a large person w/ back trouble. My husband is 6’4"-he’s shrunk a little w/ age- and good-sized. Our children range from 6’7" to 5’10". I hope the grands wind up playing in the NBA/ WNBA and will recollect their elderly relatives while rolling in the bucks. So we don’t fit in just any vehicle. Plus books…gotta have room for boxes of books,
If could afford it, would buy a Suburban-I know, heavy and a gas guzzler!! The above mentioned environmentalist son would never forgive us. Not PC!
We had one 20+ years ago-put over 330,000 miles on it-so comfortable to drive/travel in!! Had very little maintenance issues, so would be likely last us out. Averaged less than 15 miles per gallon-I think all of 18 on several cross-country junkets. Friend who bought it from my daughter-in our family, vehicles are often generational- rolled it. RIP-dear Suburban.
4 Likes
Then step up to the Toyota Highland Hybrid …
My wife is 4’ 9" on a good day 
so we need vehicles that she can step into. The Toyota Corolla Cross made the cut because it is a little lower than the others and yes … it is on the small side if you compare it to the Chevy Traverse.
3 Likes
What about the horse and buggy?
4 Likes
Emphasis added For a hybrid that does not provide that much detail. For instance the claim is our (plug in) Smart EQ gets 120 (equivalent) miles to the gallon.
I am providing this information just to help others thinking about the option. This weekend we are down to only the all electric car. No long trips and we had to rent a car to move some items for business reasons.
We installed TED-Energy Detective in our home, it monitors the circuits individually and the overall power used. After considerable testing we came up with the three cents a mile. Our electric rates are high here in New England.
Now when we compare that to our 20 year old Honda Pilot it gets about 17 MPG average. Today gas is $3.44 a gallon so the cost to use that vehicle is about 20 cents a mile, over the 3 cents a mile on the Electric. That is 6.6 times the cost to run. Plus oil and other consumables that do not exist in the smart car.
However the Pilot can hold a 4x8 sheet of materials. The Smart is only as big as a sheet of plywood.
I appreciate the conversations about the Plug In Hybrids since I have no data or experience with them.
A quick internet search shows the Honda CRV Plug In Hybrid goes about 29 miles before the engine starts. For us that is just a bit short for a day of work. However, at least we could get home when driving the coast or mountains visiting customers.
On that reported distance, you must take into performance in the ambient cold and heat. I would guess that is at summer temps, not winter. And that 29 would drop to 17 in the winter. If you did not use the heater. No air use in the summer or you have the same problem.
We use the seat heaters in the Smart, and only the defrost cabin heat when we have to. The seat heaters do not drain the batteries much at all.
3 Likes
Plug-in hybrids are probably going to rule the roads for the next decade or two. The tech for both electric and gas vehicles has been nearly perfected, and it just remains to integrate them. When properly done, PHEVs have a great deal of flexibility, which means people can use them as they wish.
The rabid environmentalist can plug in at night, during stops for coffee, and even in traffic jams. The rest of us plug in when we remember, and drive on gas when we don’t.
The real impediment here is not the tech, but the people. Most people are slow, stupid, and do not like change greater than a new set of headphones.
We are only a hi-tech society because 5% or so are technically competent. The rest just follow along, or are dragged along.
This is why hydrogen, fusion, and anti-matter cars will not populate the roads any time soon, even if the numbers look good. Tech changes quickly, but people don’t.
I recall a TV show a year or so ago, set in the late 1800s. The docs were just beginning to use electrically powered equipment. It as not well grounded, and not very reliable.
One wire came loose, fell, and danced about the floor, spitting sparks. A passing nurse was carrying a metal pan of water. She saw fire, and reflexively dumped water on it. She died instantly, of course. ( This is apparently a true story )
Most people do not have a greater understanding of the tech that they use. We think ourselves more modern than that nurse, but it is only because we have greater tech. We do not have a greater percentage of people understanding it.
Plug in hybrids will proliferate because they require the least change by people.
3 Likes
We would say Non-Plug in Hybrids require the least change by people as they do not have to remember to plug them in and still need to visit the gas station … so nothing has changed for them.
We think Plug In Hybrids will be adapted more in the urban areas and Non-Plug In Hybrids will be adapted more in the rural areas … short ,quick and close stops (urban) verses remote long distance traveling on a daily basis (rural).
3 Likes
This is the 2026 Audi RS5, a plugin hybrid that has been seen testing in garishly camouflaged mules. A computer replaced the irregular black and white with a matte red.
It will have either a 2.9 or 3.0 twin-turbo V6 plus electric motors for something in the 450-600 HP range.
I may buy one if it doesn’t get priced over 100K.
2 Likes
There isn’t much in the options for plug-in hybrids that seat 7.
I still love my pacifica hybrid minivan, but they have transmission issues and even though ours is a 2022 with just just about 10,000 miles on it yesterday we started getting the error that most likely means new transmission.
Luckily there is a 10 year warranty on the transmission. California also requires a 10 year warranty on the battery system.
I still feel somewhat confident in this vehicle and we don’t really drive much so I’m not so worried about the issues. Doing research and still not really like what I see when it comes to plug in suv, combined with interest rates, that I’m still very content to keep my Pacifica even with the issues.
So hopefully in the next 8 years there will be more plug-in hybrid options that seat 7….and in a few years as some of the kids grow up and move out I might not need a 7 seater…but I do love my minivan.
4 Likes