Motor Trend Car of the Year

[Dr Mordrid]

2011 numbers -

Prius: 51 city/48 highway
Civic Hybrid: 40 city/43 highway

Volts CO2 is listed at 84g/mile, which is about 52.5g/km.

I believe Prius emits around 143g/mile, or 89g/km.

Last number I can find for the Civic Hybrid is 109g/km.

[Brian Ellis]

Thanks for the info. Bizarre!
For the Civic H, the EPA originally gave in l/100 km city/h'way 4.8/4.6 which was very optimistic
In 2007, they revised the figures for all cars and it became 5.9/5.2. which was realistic
On an average, from 2008-2010, I obtained 5,8/5.3, in practice, near enough to the EPA figures
New EPA figures are about the same (translated from mpg) 5.8/5.4
However, since 2010, with new software, I estimate 5,4/4.9

I haven't had the new software long enough to give precise figures, but there is a very significant and visible improvement. I would have thought the 2011 model would have it. Just as a practical illustration, to go into Larnaca for our weekly shopping is 25 km each way, with a drop of nearly 300 m in altitude. The first 10 km drops ~200 m with a couple of steepish hills, country road, undulating, 2 villages. The next 8 km may drop ~60 m, slightly undulating country road. The last 7 km is good urban road, traffic lights and roundabouts galore, often slow-moving traffic, dropping steadily about 40 m. Up to recently, the consumption for the round trip was anything from 5,9-6.5 l/100 km, with the last few km (steep hills) really pushing it up. The last two trips, since the servicing, has been 5.2 and 5.1 l/100 km respectively. BTW, no cruise control on those roads. I've not entirely sussed the differences why the consumption has dropped. I suspect a possibly leaner injection and less battery charging downhill and "freewheeling" with all engine valves open (although it is still more than adequate) and more electric traction uphill and accelerating, possibly kicking in at lower rpms.

I suspect the Prius has also had a software improvement; the figures you quote are significantly better than the previous ones, which were overall about the same as the HCH ones, although the city consumption was always lower and the highway higher (mpgs the opposite, of course).

[Dr Mordrid]

Who ever thought we would be discussing patches for a cars OS?

BTW: GM's control system is called HOS (hybrid opersting system) and it can handle a variety of configuations from the 2-mode in-transmission system developed with BMW, Daimler & Chrysler to the Volt and beyond. Hot rodders are already ankle deep into hacking it.

[Dr Mordrid]

Update from our Volt beta tester.

As I've mentioned, GM gives out new-tech vehicles to volunteers for real-world testing before release, and one recently updated his Driving Log showing 16 days of data & 1005.7 miles driven.

He reports using 5.87 gals of gas (yes, Volt can measure it), which calculates out to 171.33 MPG. Cost of electricity here is about $0.08/kWh, $0.65/kWh off-peak, so even counting it his cost/mile is miniscule.

BTW: it's user interface etc. is Android.

[Mehen]

The car is still too expensive. If you buy it now, it is to be an early adopter, reduce your emissions, and promote the technology. NOT to save $.

A tdi vw is, what, $15k cheaper? If you drove 16000 miles a year, got about 40mpg, at current Detroit gas prices that is only about $1000 a year in gas. It would take FIFTEEN YEARS for the Volt to be worth it. And iirc, the battery is only guaranteed for 8 years or 100,000 miles anyways. It would have to last nearly double that.

[Dr Mordrid]

The battery cells can be refurbished at a fraction of their initial cost. GM got the patent on the process this summer. 2nd & possibly 3rd-use cells go back into vehicles, very possibly as cells only as the monitoring system reports they've worn out, and they're working with the power industry to use them past that for buffering loads etc.

All this will lower the cost of the batteries and the Voltec cars substantially, starting in 2012/2013. That also coincides with an increase in power density and voltage/cell in 2012 due to electrode & chemistry upgrades that'll reduce the number of cells/battery and the mass by >100 lbs, just for starters

Bottom line is lower costs very soon.

I would also point out that Voltec isn't locked into LiION batteries; any flat prismatic cell that'll fit the battery case form factor can be used. If something cheaper comes along, they're ready.

Same goes for the range extender engine, which is also slated to be replaced with a smaller unit in the short term - they overdesigned. It could be replaced with a smaller gas or diesel IC, turbine, rotary, fuel cell or whatever as they become practical.

They've already tested 2 & 3 cyl gas, diesel and rotary, and ear-witness rumors abound that there are turbine Volts on the streets of SE Michigan.

Given that Williams International, the outfit that makes turbofans for the Tomahawk cruise missile and specializes in small & micro turbines, is local - headquartered not far from the GM Proving Grounds.....

[Brian Ellis]

I'm now pretty sure what the new software does in my car.

If the battery charge is good, "freewheeling" downhill and when approaching red lights does not try to continue charging, so the generator is not slowing the vehicle down. i.e. boyh the engine and the generator are effectively disengaged. OTOH, if the battery is low, then "freewheeling" will charge it, but I think at a lower rate than before.

Before, the electric motor kicked in at full power at ~3500 rpm. Now, it does it at ~2500 rpm when accelerating or climbing. As the fuel consumption is lower at 2.5 k, this makes a significant difference. Also, to reach 3.5 k, one had to consciously press the gas down, whereas 2.5 k is a typical highway speed, so that the motor kicks in uphill without increasing the rpm and consumption (assuming an adequate battery charge). In addition, the motor still kicks in when the charge is at about ¼, instead of nearly ½. Overall, these changes mean more electric traction and less petrol engine. The down side is that it may be possible that the car will run out of electric charge earlier with "sportive" driving and this is not good; I have run out of charge twice since I got the car and going uphill is hard work for the small engine. OTOH, the acceleration is better with the motor kicking in at lower rpms. Horses for courses. Certainly no problem for ordinary driving.

[Dr Mordrid]

Yup, how well a hybrid woks all comes down to software. I'm sure Volt will get its updates too, but from most accounts it's pretty good - especially when it comes to the transitions <-> EV and range extender. Most say there really isn't a physical feeling but just a sound change. I'll find out for myself soon.