"John Horner" <jthorner@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:wETje.3104$6d.1549@trnddc02...
>L Alpert wrote:
>> muzz wrote:
>>
>>>It might help you to be aware that even tho the Honda people advertise
>>>48 mpg on the civic hybrid, mine gets 33 in the summer and 34 in the
>>>winter after 18 months of conservative driving.
>
> Count me as a hybrid skeptic right now. Most people seem to be reporting
> real world fuel economy much lower than the EPA published numbers.
>

Here in Tucson, we've had good mileage with our Civic Hybrid. In cool-season
city driving, we really do get 45-48 miles per gallon (those are our
calculations--the car's computer display inflates mileage by about 3 mpg),
with the CVT. In summer, we probably lose about 3 miles per gallon, thanks
to the A/C, and whether we have to force the engine to run to keep the cool
air blowing at traffic lights (when it's 110 degrees outside).

Freeway driving gives around 36-42--speed limit is 75; real-world practice
is closer to 80. Mileage is somewhat better on two-lane roads where the
limit is 65. I've noticed a bigger hit on this car from using A/C than on
other cars we've had. I'm not complaining; the vast majority of our driving
is city driving, and that is this car's strength. It's very enjoyable to get
close to 600 miles on a tank of gas.

David

 

On 23 May 2005 13:59:51 GMT, Jim Yanik <jyanik@abuse.gov.> wrote:

>Matt Ion <soundy@moltenimage.com> wrote in
>news:Oe8ke.1449067$8l.39712@pd7tw1no:
>
>> K`Tetch wrote:
>>
>>> 99 is only 5 years.Still well within life. I've got a niMH battery in
>>> my MD recorder thats from 97, and thats still going strong, despite
>>> having a hell of a lot more c/d cycles than that prius. 5 years
>>> isNOTHING to a battery. 8-10 is the end of the life, even for the very
>>> best batteries 9which include hawker sbs series, which is around $250
>>> for a 30Ah 12V battery (also the ONLY lead acid batteries, that i'm
>>> aware of, that can be checked into aircraft luggage)
>>
>> Rechargeable batteries are an odd creature. I have a little Milwaukee
>> power screwdriver (like the ol' Black & Decker "PowerDriver", but an
>> actual pro-duty tool) that came with two 2.4V NiCads, which have long
>> been notorious for short life, voltage fall-off and "memory effect".
>> The first battery I had to replace after *EIGHT YEARS* of regular use,
>> when it wouldn't take a charge anymore. The second finally gave out
>> three years later... or at least came close to giving out, before I
>> replaced it anyway. 15 years after I bought it, that driver is the best
>> $200 I ever spent.
>>
>
>
>
>NiCds are "use it or lose it" type of batteries.If you use
>infrequently,they do not hold up as well as if you use and recharge them
>often.
>Also,using a "fast" smart charger (1 hour or less charge time)goves a
>longer battery life.

ACtually, that depends very much on the model of the cell, and its
condition. There are ways to condition cells, but i don't reccomend
them to those unskilled, but it basically involves zapping the cells,
to break down the crystal biuldup 9conductive crystals form, which
produce a 'shotened' battery, hence the memory effect.

Condition them right, charge them, look after them, and they'll always
do you good, right to the end of their design life, and often beyond.

 

On 23 May 2005 13:59:51 GMT, Jim Yanik <jyanik@abuse.gov.> wrote:

>Matt Ion <soundy@moltenimage.com> wrote in
>news:Oe8ke.1449067$8l.39712@pd7tw1no:
>
>> K`Tetch wrote:
>>
>>> 99 is only 5 years.Still well within life. I've got a niMH battery in
>>> my MD recorder thats from 97, and thats still going strong, despite
>>> having a hell of a lot more c/d cycles than that prius. 5 years
>>> isNOTHING to a battery. 8-10 is the end of the life, even for the very
>>> best batteries 9which include hawker sbs series, which is around $250
>>> for a 30Ah 12V battery (also the ONLY lead acid batteries, that i'm
>>> aware of, that can be checked into aircraft luggage)
>>
>> Rechargeable batteries are an odd creature. I have a little Milwaukee
>> power screwdriver (like the ol' Black & Decker "PowerDriver", but an
>> actual pro-duty tool) that came with two 2.4V NiCads, which have long
>> been notorious for short life, voltage fall-off and "memory effect".
>> The first battery I had to replace after *EIGHT YEARS* of regular use,
>> when it wouldn't take a charge anymore. The second finally gave out
>> three years later... or at least came close to giving out, before I
>> replaced it anyway. 15 years after I bought it, that driver is the best
>> $200 I ever spent.
>>
>
>
>
>NiCds are "use it or lose it" type of batteries.If you use
>infrequently,they do not hold up as well as if you use and recharge them
>often.
>Also,using a "fast" smart charger (1 hour or less charge time)goves a
>longer battery life.

ACtually, that depends very much on the model of the cell, and its
condition. There are ways to condition cells, but i don't reccomend
them to those unskilled, but it basically involves zapping the cells,
to break down the crystal biuldup 9conductive crystals form, which
produce a 'shotened' battery, hence the memory effect.

Condition them right, charge them, look after them, and they'll always
do you good, right to the end of their design life, and often beyond.