Quote:
Originally Posted by ray
And actually, in a fair comparison, hybrids save even less. A civic hybrid is a significantly less powerful car than is a convential gas-powered civic. What happens if you engineer the convential car to the power and speed levels the hybrid achieves? Gas mileage goes up, eroding or perhaps even eliminating the hybrid 'advantage'.
There is a historical precedent for this. The great oil embargo of 1973 produced a number of diesel-powered vehicles available for sale in the late 70's and early 80s. They produced better mileage, but had 50-60% the power of their gasoline-fired bretheren. Had the gas-powered version been engineered in a context where it needed only match the performance achieved by the diesel, the mileage would have essentially equalized.
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Unfortunatly that type of smaller engine movement isn't likely to happen here anytime soon.
Nobody wants to be the "first" to offer a subcompact with a 1.2 or similar small displacement engine. If the new Ford Fiesta came with a 1.2 it could likely reach 40+ mpg averages but every magazine and auto critic would cry foul as it being "underpowered" and "dangerous."
And besides. My bet would be by the time small engines reenter mainstreat hybrids will be pushing 70+ mpg or EV's will be out as well.