Quote:
Originally Posted by spinner
The Civic Hybrid is the second-heaviest in the line, coming right after the Si. Even the ATs are lighter.
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Your forgetting one thing, the hybrid is hauling around a bunch 'o battery. Without serious effort (and extra cost) the things would weigh well over 3,000 pounds.
Quote:
Originally Posted by spinner
10 years ago you would have been content to push a Civic EX sedan around with 109 hp. The Civic Hybrid has 93hp from the engine, which is useable but the average consumer would think is underpowered.
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Yep, but as you pointed out the Hybrid is a heavier car. Less power and more weight, and that's after a bunch of government-subsidised weight reduction in the hybrid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by spinner
Hybrid technology has to move out of being a niche application and become the de facto engine system. It is years ahead of the efficiencies that can be dreamed up for just the engine alone.
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That remains to be seen. The thriftiest of the gas-powered vehicles availble can already approach the efficiencies being displayed by the hybrids if you normalize performance. You can bet that fuel efficiency is going to be priority one in the design of most car lines rather than continual advancements in specific output now that gas is expensive. And since the civic of today is nearly 50% heavier than one of 20 years ago and nearly twice the weight of a 30-year old civic the possiblity of a 10-20% lighter car exists should that become a similar priority.