Unless very carefully designed, convertibles do have large aerodynamic losses. If you have a Scangauge or other method to watch fuel burn rate/instantaneous mileage, set your cruise on the highway with the windows closed, then open them all. Ditto for a sunroof (slide it open, not just prop up the back). You will see 10-20% loss.
It can be designed around, and new open two seaters these days show you what has to be done (trunk comes right up to occupants or there is a section added to smooth the flow from the occupants back).
Pearl is a
2007 Driftwood Pearl Prius
Package "B" (everything but leather, nav, and rear camera)
We would probably get a solara if it was a hybrid.
The structure is not an issue, there are too many high HP cars that are drop top to use that excuse.
As was stated earlier, the issue is trunk space. When the top is down, it is folded into a well that is carved out of the trunk space, and a battery could fit in there, but it would only leave enough room for a hand bag.
As for a hard top, there are many hard top convertables on the market currently. mercedes has a few, the caddy is a hard top, Lexus has a hard top, and there are many more. Most of the hard top convertables tip the rear trunk lid from the rear (front goes up) and the top folds in two or three pieces and stacks in the trunk. very swift setups.
I assumed the main thing they'd be worried about is weight... are there really big aerodynamic losses with convertibles?
Well, driving at highway speed with window(s) open certainly increases drag. Now increase it by an order of magnitude (or more) for a topless car. You're looking at a severe MPG penalty. Since hybrids are designed from the ground up with maximum FE in mind, it's easy to see why no convertibles exist.
Well, driving at highway speed with window(s) open certainly increases drag. Now increase it by an order of magnitude (or more) for a topless car. You're looking at a severe MPG penalty. Since hybrids are designed from the ground up with maximum FE in mind, it's easy to see why no convertibles exist.
I've been told that the reason you see a lot of people in modern convertibles with their hair blowing forward (towards the windshield) is because they fixed all the old aerodynamic penalties you used to get from convertibles.
The reason no one makes a hybrid convertible is because there is no demand. It doesn't make financial sense to make a vehicle with an extremely limited production number. With Toyota only selling, what 100,000 hybrids total, and Ford less than 30,000 (per year), there is no way these companies are going to offer a convertible. As it is, the current crop of hybrids come with limited option packages and color choices because of production costs, to think they'd create a convertible is a pipe dream. I think if you compared the number of Solara's sold to the number of Camry's sold....and then applied that ratio to Hybrid Camrys you would see a very very small number.
-Tim
2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid AWD
Black with Pebble interior
Premium Package with Nav & Moonroof
Current ODO: 26,152 Typical Drive: 20 min crosstown in heavy traffic (3.5mi there and back twice a day)
532 Gallons of gas saved
That's 10,642 lbs less CO2 emitted
The reason no one makes a hybrid convertible is because there is no demand. It doesn't make financial sense to make a vehicle with an extremely limited production number. With Toyota only selling, what 100,000 hybrids total, and Ford less than 30,000 (per year), there is no way these companies are going to offer a convertible. As it is, the current crop of hybrids come with limited option packages and color choices because of production costs, to think they'd create a convertible is a pipe dream. I think if you compared the number of Solara's sold to the number of Camry's sold....and then applied that ratio to Hybrid Camrys you would see a very very small number.
Well, except that Toyota has sold 1,000,000,000 hybrids world wide (counting Lexus & Toytoa together). So rather than one hundred thousand, we're talking about a million, and the issue isn't to make a brand new hybrid, but doing something as easy as droping the hybrid system from the camry into the solara, which is basically a camry coupe.
I firmly believe Lexus could sell as many hybrid SC430s (They'd probably call it an SC450h) proprotional to the amount of GS450h's to GS 400's they sell. Actually, maybe more hybrid convertibles than GS450hs since a lot of people who drive convertibles tend to appreciate clean air. And I assume they could do that dropping in the hybrid platform from the GS450h or even from the Camry.
One final word on hybrid convertible demand: look at the sales of the Tesla Roadster as a proxy for what the demand is.
Convertibles tend not to be high-volume cars, but that doesn't stop BMW from coming out with its new hardtop series, or the Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice from being manufactured.
Well, except that Toyota has sold 1,000,000,000 hybrids world wide (counting Lexus & Toytoa together). So rather than one hundred thousand, we're talking about a million, and the issue isn't to make a brand new hybrid, but doing something as easy as droping the hybrid system from the camry into the solara, which is basically a camry coupe.
I firmly believe Lexus could sell as many hybrid SC430s (They'd probably call it an SC450h) proprotional to the amount of GS450h's to GS 400's they sell. Actually, maybe more hybrid convertibles than GS450hs since a lot of people who drive convertibles tend to appreciate clean air. And I assume they could do that dropping in the hybrid platform from the GS450h or even from the Camry.
One final word on hybrid convertible demand: look at the sales of the Tesla Roadster as a proxy for what the demand is.
Convertibles tend not to be high-volume cars, but that doesn't stop BMW from coming out with its new hardtop series, or the Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice from being manufactured.
You are assuming that it is a simple task to plug in the Hybrid system to a Solara. I seriously doubt it no matter how similar it may be to the Camry.
Also, Camry Hybrids only account for about 12% (most recent month) of Camry sales which are over 440,000 units per year (best I can tell). Toyota only sells about 50,000 Solara's per year. Based on the ratios, I think it is probably fair to assume that Toyota would only sell.....6,000 Solara Hybrids. I'm quite sure that would be a losing proposition for them.
Also, the idea that Tesla sales indicate the demand for a hybrid convertible is ridiculous. If the Tesla was sold as a traditional hardtop sportscar it would have sold just the same. The demand is due to it being the first and only production electric vehicle for sale and because of its performance specs....not because the top comes down. Let's be realistic at least.
-Tim
2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid AWD
Black with Pebble interior
Premium Package with Nav & Moonroof
Current ODO: 26,152 Typical Drive: 20 min crosstown in heavy traffic (3.5mi there and back twice a day)
532 Gallons of gas saved
That's 10,642 lbs less CO2 emitted
Re: Hybrid Convertible
