Bob - just made up the 17-18mpg... may have been lower. Point was that the Jeep was "unefficient at any speed" (Nader 2007) and wind drag was the least of its problems as there were plenty of losses everywhere else. It did consistantly "suck more" than my HCH2 - yes it had a gas drinking problem.

 

"Hi, my name is Jeep Cherokee and I have a gas drinking problem."

"Hi, Jeep Cherokee"
(The first step is admitting there is a problem )

 

In reading some of the almost-troll posts on these forums and many media stories, I'm flummoxed at how quickly *actual experience* gets ignored:

"You know, according to the physics and the math and the kilojoules and mass newtons and inch-pounds torque and KmWa-hours, the mileage on these hybrids just isn't ever going to be higher than a Hummer." "The Prius is only as efficient as a normal car on the highway." "These things are worse for the environment 'cause you have to build the batteries."

Yeah. 'Cause, as we all know, *every* small car gets 50 mpg highway. I mean, it's just no big deal. And when you work the physics, the HCH shouldn't get more than 35 mpg, so of course that's all it gets.

I don't think hybrids are gonna save the world, but how tough is it to step back and say, 45+ mpg, which most small-hybrid drivers have a reasonable chance of averaging, is, y'know, 50% higher than the actual typical average for cars and 150% higher than the actual typical average for trucks. People who are so quick to not notice this, you got to figure their mind was made up before they started their research.

--doug

 

Doug, you are SO right on this. I've been harping this exact thing to others. So many people want to believe that hybrids are more hype than substance. I think it helps them justify "doing nothing" about their own MPG situation. "Well, if hybrids only get 40-45 MPG, then what's the point? I'll just continue driving my Cherokee (at 15 MPG)."
I think I'm going bald scratching my head over the logic.

 

Thats why I sold mt Jeep - to help fund the new HCH2 and to get 3x mpg..

 

"Yeah, my vehicle X only consumes as much gas as two to three (or more than 6 for a H2) of your cars, hybrids get horrible gas mileage!"