Quote:
Originally Posted by island911
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The funny stuff aside, this is the real issue with Hybrids today. They do not get astounding fuel economy. You could put a 60 hp, 1.6 engine into the car with a standard drive train and probably get better mileage for 1/2 the cost.
And a hybrid is false economy. The energy required to make a hybrid car is enough to make the life energy (manufacturing + life time operation) MORE than some smaller SUVs, let alone small standard cars.
My 1978 Datsun B210 would do an actual 39 mpg on the highway, at 70 mph. And when I owned it, it was 6 years old. That same 1.6l engine, with a modern valve train, fuel injection, etc, inserted in a Hybrid body, would probably do 50 mpg, on gasoline. Remember, the Jetta gets a mileage boost of around 20% just from being on diesel, since it has more BTUs per gallon.