Does this thing make any sense to anyone? Sounds similar to Honda's IMA (Integrated Motor Assist), but the 'assist' is at the crankshaft. Not sure how this thing could effect power or efficiency . . .
The individual logic behind a decision to purchase a new hybrid vehicle does not work for me. They are efficient, but a new hybrid vehicle will cost at least 25K (plus the cost to replace batteries, the energy to make the new car, etc.). That's 10-15K more than a solid LC or LX. That's a hell of a lot of a gas money for me!
Anything that can help my mileage is just a bonus.
The Electrocharger Super Capacitor Battery Pack (they need a smarter name) would be $1000-$1200 (lithium-type), according to what I've read, with a 'lifetime' warranty.
I like this. The concept is pretty simple really and should work. To the engine it should seem like the car was being pulled by an external force like gravity so ignition and timing should all work fine. This should be a good option to increase city mpg.
The individual logic behind a decision to purchase a new hybrid vehicle does not work for me. They are efficient, but a new hybrid vehicle will cost at least 25K (plus the cost to replace batteries, the energy to make the new car, etc.). That's 10-15K more than a solid LC or LX. That's a hell of a lot of a gas money for me!
Anything that can help my mileage is just a bonus.
Well that sounds more like a problem with the logic of buying new vs. used, since most new cars are at least in the 25k price range these days. If you are buying new, a lot of the hybrids (like the Accord, Escape, Highlander, RX400h, etc.) make sense from a long-term fuel-savings point of view.
The batteries in the current factory hybrid systems are made to last 10-15 years depending upon use. Adding a turbodiesel to your 80 will cost you a LOT more than adding one of these electrochargers. I'd be interested in finding out more about this system.
I wasn't even thinking in terms of putting a TD in my 80 vs an electrocharger and 500 lbs worth of batteries...... but I guess that is the intent of this thread so I perhaps should have worded my post differently. Instead I was actually thinking more in terms of a new vehicle coming equipped with either a TD or a gas electric hybrid, and which powerplant would be better for me.
I really think that if I want to get better mileage out of my 96 LC, I would either trade it for a 6.5 TD suburban or tahoe, or I would keep the LC and buy a cheap VW TD jetta or new beatle..... I have enough money invested in this thing as it is that I cant swing dropping the coin for a diesel converison or messing around with electrocharger experiments
a couple thoughts about hybrids...... their main benefits are from regenerative braking and shutting off the internal combustion engine during idle - neither situation really helps out too much when you are looking at a steady state 4 hour interstate trip at 70 mph (which is wehere most of my miles come from)
So as I see it, the benefits and $$ returned from hybrid technology really depends on how much city driving one does
and as you know from our experiences with our current FZJ80's - ones driving style plays a huge role in what mpg we get.... because the hybrid recoups energy lost during braking the benefit of a hybrid is somewhat dependent on driving style (if the owner drives like a teenager - racing from stoplight to stoplight and burning thru brake pads every 10,000 miles, the hybrid will see a better $ return than someone who drives like my grandpa)
finally - as I understand it the hybrid honda accord gets only 2 mpg better than the NA gas version...... it does offer better acceleration, but again the long term maintenance and repair costs are still unknown and quite honestly, (excluding the value of the federal tax break) you would have to drive the thing a long time before that 2mpg savings covered the $3,000 extra up front cost
apart from all that I think the electrocharger is a great idea and I am really interested in how much it cost you to install and what your mileage is afterwards and how long before you recoup your investment.
I got my 93 FZJ80 and my 96 Civic DX. Guess which one is my DD?
I cant really figure out what all the hype is of these hybrids, i paid $3500 for my Civic DX and average about 33-37mpgs (all around). A friend of my girlfriends spent $24k on a Prius and gets about 44-50mpg. Do the math, it will take decades to recoup that $. I guess if you are buying it to clean the environment that makes sense, but her plan was strictly for MPG and too save $ Just proof, hype can sell MANY things to many unknowning consumers that dont do thourough researce!
The NEW civic gas model is around $12k and the civic hybrid model is $19-21k.
Call me nuts, but 9k extra for technology that maybe saves you $1000 a year if your lucky and is still unproven seems to be kinda whacked!
The honda accord hybrid on the other hand has more HP then the gas one and is only 3-4k more. Go figure
Dollar for dollar, mile for mile, winter or summer, road or offroad, etc -- there are no new hybrids or SUVs in the 25K range that I would prefer to my LX
