[ausev] A Quandary

[Chris Robison]

Charlesvsi at aol.com wrote:

>  If you want to change soon, However, I suggest a Honda Civic Hybrid  or 
> Toyota Prius, These are available new or even on the used car market, are  dealer 
> maintained, and  According to Consumer Reports ( and our experience  with a 
> Honda Civic Hybrid) very reliable and cost effective. They get 36 to 45  mpg in 
> mixed driving which is a great savings available immediately. 

If you decide to go with a Prius (and potentially in the future, the 
other vehicles on the market that are based on its drive system, e.g. 
the Ford Escape, etc) then you will have the option of converting to a 
"plug-in hybrid" (PHEV).

The benefit is that you will have the ability to actually use power from 
the grid (or from a solar/wind system at home) to drive, which of course 
is not possible in a normal hybrid. This makes it effectively an 
electric car for a certain distance, beyond which it reverts to normal 
(and still highly efficient) hybrid gas/electric behavior. There are 
limits imposed by the mechanical design of the Prius drivetrain (the 
engine has to turn on above 34mph), but it's a huge step in the right 
direction.

   --chris