70 miles per gallon

A pointless little addition to the endless Prius argument. It's short

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Robert
• Llewellyn
• Red
• Dwarf
• scrapheap
• prius
• jeremy
• clarkson
• top
• gear

[hippyraverocker]

Considering you used to do the whole 'scrapheap challenge' thing I would have thought you had a basic understanding of mechanical technologies available.

You do realise that a small, modern Diesel car will kick out that kind of MPG on normal daily drives, and get to 100MPG+ on a run.

Do yourself a favour and have a look at the Smart Car Diesel edition. If you genuinely want economy and not just a fashion statement diesels are currently the better option until hydrogen gets off the ground.

[bobbyllew]

Excellent, I haven't had one of these comments for a long time. I totally and utterly refute every point you make. You are totally wrong, diesel is a filthy dirty uneconomic fossil fuel, the toxic particulates which are released by the 1000's of tons do untold damage, it is old fashioned, dated technology which is headed for the scrapheap. I have driven every so called 'smart car' and apart from the fact that they are noisy and smelly, there is no way they achive 100MPG.

[b9yabberman]

@bobbyllew Hmmmmm... no, a modern diesel does not put out much in the way of particulate matter. Real world Prius mileage is very similar to a similar size diesel and not much better than something like a Honda Jazz. It is just dumb tech, take a look at the Mini QED if you want a smart hybrid idea. The Pirus is just an idiotic mangling of technologies with no distinct advantages. BTW have you seen the factory that makes the batteries... man that is a toxic wasteland!

[bobbyllew]

@b9yabberman Well, I guess we will have to agree to utterly and profoundly disagree. Have you seen the vast wastelands of oil extraction facilities, the thousands of children with asthma because of particulates pumped out by filthy, badly maintained diesel engines. How you can say a modern diesel doesn't put out much in the way of particulates, when everyone on earth knows it does. It's 19th century technology with a bit of polish. Diesel is dead tech.

[SandraFowler]

Top Gear is a great show if what you're looking for is a really cool, pretty, fast car and if you can find Jeremy's surly jerk-ness endearing like I sometimes can. But I certainly wouldn't ask Jeremy what kind of environmentally friendly car I should buy for fear of being called a liberal hippie wanker.

Thank you for this video and for being a voice of reason in a world of Jeremies.

[bobbyllew]

Sandra, thanks for your support and comments. In fact I now drive the new 3rd generation Prius and regularly get 80mpg from it, so it's even better. I was also in a very serious accident in my last Prius (not my fault I hasten to point out) and I was, according to the ambulance crew, saved from certain death by the cars safety features. The car was literally torn in two by the impact, I was unconscious after the crash and don't remember much, but when I saw the car. Phew, I was lucky.

[asmiddleditch]

@AnthonyCordova3 . Almost? Have you driven one? Extended test drive for me, resulted in 85 miles range in low temps.

Typical trip for me would be a 34 mile drive to work and back (90% open road). Easily within its capabilities.

What car ever has a ROI?

[AnthonyCordova3]

@asmiddleditch Almost impossible to drive a LEAF more than 60 miles a day - TRUE. do you really drive 60 miles everyday? and remind you this is just to recover the additional purchase cost of the Leaf which is almost a third of the price

[asmiddleditch]

@AnthonyCordova3 - How polite. Yes, gas only cars can be recycled. But does the manufacturer offer to take the components directly off you and recycle them like Toyota does with the Prius? Louis Woodhill. Not someone normally associated engineering. Political commentator. Article littered with inaccuracies.

LEAF accelerates more slowly than the Versa -FALSE

Almost impossible to drive a LEAF more than 60 miles a day -FALSE

It accelerates more slowly than a Versa. FALSE again. He's driven one...

[AnthonyCordova3]

@asmiddleditch actully yes, gas consuming vehicles can be scrapped for parts. You might want to read and do research before arguing about something you have no idea about. You people piss me off talking about whats good for the economy and the environment when in reality you dont know shit

forbes.com/sites/louiswoodhill­/2011/09/14/electric-cars-are-­an-extraordinarily-bad-idea/

[asmiddleditch]

@AnthonyCordova3 - The point is that the metals aren't going to waste, they are getting reused in another battery. That is a positive thing. Can the same be said for 95% of your car when it gets scrapped?

More energy per barrel compared to what battery (or how many)? Once the oil that has been output as petrol/gas is burned by the car, its gone. In the Prius, energy in battery is constantly being topped up by energy scavenged from regen braking. This is an added efficiency, not a negative one.

[AnthonyCordova3]

@asmiddleditch Just because its recyclable doesnt mean its environemnt friendly. Did you know it cost more to create energy than oil, and a lot of the energy is not even used tht is put into the battery? thought so

[asmiddleditch]

Top Gear. Great entertainment. Facts, not so great.

[asmiddleditch]

@AnthonyCordova3 - It's 95% recyclable. You know most of metals in the battery also appear in other cars as well? Thought so.

[AnthonyCordova3]

I hope you understand how bad the Prius is for the environment. If you break it down think of what goes into making the battery and disposing of it!

[dahorn100011]

except they raced an m3 against a pruis, a 4 litre v8