Hybrid Electric
What brings the Hughes to look for a new car, well quite a lot. First the transfer case on the Jeep went out. Then the Bronco picked the coldest snow storm of the year, driving to Anchorage, to express its discontent by dying every 30 miles or 40 minutes. After ten minutes rest it is good to go. It made a long trip. The Jeep is in the shop for a rebuild of the transfer case, which is necessary for the 4WD. Meantime the Bronco is showing water in the oil with a creamy froth on the dip stick. Not a good sign. Homer is hard on cars. My Rabbit died on its second winter in Homer. The sea air the wet and the volcanic ash/grit is hard on cars. The gravel/dirt roads are worse. A truck works best. Ah, but moral justification and practicality prevail. Now with nearly 200K on both vehicles we’re ready, but out of practice. It’s been over ten years since buying a car.
The price of fuel, the energy policy or lack thereof, and the environment call for a ZEV. Well, zero emissions was abrogated by California, so there are no more electrics. It’s the hybrid or nothing. While nearly stranded in Anchorage, we looked at an Insight. Diane liked the red one.
Never mind the two seats and the 350# passenger and baggage limit, sounds like the Cessna 180, but this was what we picked, 66 miles to the gallon and at least half electric. We made an offer. It was too low and I was too stubborn. They sold it to some one else, so my assignment is to find another one, a red one.
Just got the word on the transfer case, $970, we think maybe it’s time! To that end, the Honda dealer let me drive a Civic hybrid this evening, “Take as long as you like.” Very impressive, it looks and drives like a regular car. Solid feel and stable at higher speeds on the highway, in a cross wind, more that I can say about the rental Escape.
The theory behind our choice of the little Honda Insight has more to do with the West Hill Road up the ridge to our house. It is a steep hill, 3-4% grade all the way. The hill burns out brakes and is the wrong pitch for either transmission. Most of our driving is just going to town, about 4 miles one way. We get lousy gas mileage on the hill and need a brake job yearly. There should be a double economy with the fuel mileage and the regenerative breaking of a hybrid electric. Instead of heat we can make electricity for the trip back up the hill or at least some of it, so the theory goes.
The price of fuel, the energy policy or lack thereof, and the environment call for a ZEV. Well, zero emissions was abrogated by California, so there are no more electrics. It’s the hybrid or nothing. While nearly stranded in Anchorage, we looked at an Insight. Diane liked the red one.
Never mind the two seats and the 350# passenger and baggage limit, sounds like the Cessna 180, but this was what we picked, 66 miles to the gallon and at least half electric. We made an offer. It was too low and I was too stubborn. They sold it to some one else, so my assignment is to find another one, a red one.
Just got the word on the transfer case, $970, we think maybe it’s time! To that end, the Honda dealer let me drive a Civic hybrid this evening, “Take as long as you like.” Very impressive, it looks and drives like a regular car. Solid feel and stable at higher speeds on the highway, in a cross wind, more that I can say about the rental Escape.
The theory behind our choice of the little Honda Insight has more to do with the West Hill Road up the ridge to our house. It is a steep hill, 3-4% grade all the way. The hill burns out brakes and is the wrong pitch for either transmission. Most of our driving is just going to town, about 4 miles one way. We get lousy gas mileage on the hill and need a brake job yearly. There should be a double economy with the fuel mileage and the regenerative breaking of a hybrid electric. Instead of heat we can make electricity for the trip back up the hill or at least some of it, so the theory goes.
posted by Clancy Hughes | 12/16/2005 08:52:00 PM
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