New hybrid taxicabs for London
It seems a shame that when NYC went to redesign their cabs, they had used a conventional low efficiency gasoline engine design from Nissan, while London seems to be making a much wiser choice.
http://www.hybridcars.com/new-london-taxicabs-range-extended-ev-proposal/
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Agschmid
(28,749 posts)It does seem silly though...
BlueStreak
(8,377 posts)They made the Leaf EV, of course, but they have very little experience with hybrid drives. They made some specialty hybrids in the Infinity division, but they are just now shipping what I'd call a regular consumer product with the 2014 hybrid Pathfinder. Early reviews are not very flattering regarding driveability, and they only improved MPG by 20%. Nobody else is doing much better on SUV-sized vehicles. Almost all of them are under 30 MPG. The Ford Escape is rated a little over 30.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)I love Subaru's but they have one model right now that is a hybrid, I will really be considering it next time I buy so hopefully they get it together!
BlueStreak
(8,377 posts)here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/11301193
I had not read that. I had no idea the Nissan taxi plan was going up in flames. It struck me as strange that any jurisdiction would build a plan that called for only one qualified supplier.
Yes, I really wish Subaru were much farther along. We have owned several Subarus before we switched to Priuses. It is disappointing that after all this time, their first hybrid would be so unimpressive. It is hard to go back to around 30 MPG when you have been getting about 45. I understand that the Subaru vehicle is designed for more utility and less fuel economy, but it really should do better than that at this stage of vehicle evolution.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)The whole plan going up in flames has been unreported IMO but I understand why it is somewhat of an embarrassment to NYC.
In regards to Subaru's I have owned two. The first was a 1996 Subaru Legacy which I just got rid of two years ago, it was funny because that car got 26 MPG and when I got my new 2012 Legacy the marketing said it should get about 33 MPG but in reality I get about 30. For me getting 45 MPG would be insane... I really love the reliability so it works for me but only my next purchase I will consider MPG more seriously.
BlueStreak
(8,377 posts)Toyota tapped into the market segment that really cares about this. Everybody else is just giving lip service, IMHO. (Honda has been a serious player.)
The bottom line is that the thing that actually moved car companies to improve their fuel economy was the increased CAFE standards. The idea the the invisible hand of the market will drive this is preposterous. Americans are short-term thinkers. Most of them will not look at a vehicle that costs $1500 more even if it will save them $4000 in fuel because it doesn't save them the fuel this week, and they really don't feel any personal responsibility for the impact we have on our environment.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)BlueStreak
(8,377 posts)and many of them are not in our best long-term interests. We have to keep nudging the industry along. We can't expect the market to do it.