Yes, sometimes it appears we just can't have enough of this topic:
Hybrids Can Still Give Good Mileage In the Heat
Quote:
Hybrids Can Still Give Good Mileage In the Heat
I don't know about your part of the country, but here in the Midwest it is HOT! It's so hot that even those of us who like to drive with the windows open start to think about closing up the windows and cranking the air conditioning instead. In the old days this would automatically mean an immediate drop in mileage because of the additional load the air conditioning compressor puts on the car's engine.
But some hybrid owners don't see this immediate drop in gas mileage. Why? Because many of the hybrid cars are using air conditioning units that can run off of small electric motors instead. Clever! The Toyota Prius has this capability as does the Honda Civic Hybrid. In fact the Civic Hybrid actually has a hybrid air conditioning system that can run off the gas engine, the electric motor, or a combination of both. A hybrid system on board a hybrid!
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As many of us have found out (especially on HCH-II's & Priuses): Manage thy State of Charge wisely.
Cheers;