GreenHybrid - Hybrid Cars - View Single Post - Article - Defroster, Air-Conditioning Put Dent in Hybrids' Mileage

Hot_Georgia_2004 · #12 (**permalink**) 02-16-2005, 06:05 PM

The title of the article mentioned was "Defroster, Air-Conditioning Put Dent in Hybrids' Mileage"

Let's fast-forward into the future to the first few years when fuel cells are available. Having curious nature,You find my aritcle;

"A heavy foot puts big dent in Hydrogen range"

In just the latest example of hydrogen falling short of the hype that surrounds them, it is now found out that a heavy foot seriously decreases it's range.

The hydrogens fell as much as 40 percent below the EPA range figures during my recent test. The owners of hydrogen cars have to change their driving habits to increase fuel economy, said Ron Cogan. Most drivers aren't willing to do that.

Nobody really knows how much of the time drivers enjoy gasing it. The best guess comes from Ford, which has 90-year-old research that says it's about 99 percent of the time.
Even some very enthusiastic hydrogen owners have become frustrated by the cars' failure to delivery fuel range matching the EPA numbers.

One owner complained "All I want is a **** car that lives up to its promise and won't make me out as a big fool," hydrogen owner Pete Blackshaw told us.

On the otherhand, hydrogen cars are technological marvels, a flower in our bright future.

-END

Then you read articles from places like C&D (which only got 36MPG in an HCH) reporting hydrogen is hype, Backed up by another that says hydrogen Gov. fleet cars go half as far as MFG claims? Then another that says hydrogen cars are slow? Then another ponts out a $3,000 premium isn't worth the hype...(etc etc)

Now, since they have hidden the fact that most hydrogen owners love their cars, feel that it is a good value, many are exeeding its MFG claims and are having great fun driving them, would you buy one?

I wouldn't.