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| Messages 1 - 12 of total 12 in this topic |
Melissa
Big Wall climber
oakland, ca
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 3, 2003 - 01:17pm PT
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When I invested in my little part of the problem (my Tacoma) last year, I actually spent a lot of time checking out the hybrids first. Since I had some extended periods of residency in my rig in mind when I bought it, I just couldn't wrap my head around the idea of packing my stuff into one of the existing models let alone sleeping in one. I tried to be a good hippy though...I really did.
I checked out the one electric "SUV" on the market. The thing can only go for 200 miles and maxes out at 50 mph. Thanks, but I'll save myself $40K and get a moped... If the hybrid cars are working fine, why aren't there hybrid trucks?
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Matt M
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Ford Escape Due out by years end - something sick like 40mpg / city
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TCR
Trad climber
Wherever my VW Westy is parked.
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Rumor has it that Toyota is going to start production on a hybrid Tundra soon.
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FREEclimber
Social climber
SF
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Jul 10, 2003 - 02:36pm PT
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Hook a brother up w/ a hybrid deisel turbo cargo van...
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sharoosunidhi
Ice climber
phoniex
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Jan 26, 2009 - 12:48am PT
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Hi,
I am newly join in this site.This site is very useful to others.The New Cars are a supergroup formed in 2005 around members of the popular 1970s/1980s new wave band The Cars. The band is composed of Todd Rundgren, drummer Prairie Prince, original Cars members Greg Hawkes and Elliot Easton, as well as a rotating membership between bass players Kasim Sulton and Atom Ellis. The band performs The Cars' classic songs, Rundgren's solo work, and some new material.For more information to visit the link.
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sharoo
New Cars
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sharoosunidhi
Ice climber
phoniex
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Jan 26, 2009 - 12:49am PT
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Hi,
I am newly join in this site.This site is very useful to others.The New Cars are a supergroup formed in 2005 around members of the popular 1970s/1980s new wave band The Cars. The band is composed of Todd Rundgren, drummer Prairie Prince, original Cars members Greg Hawkes and Elliot Easton, as well as a rotating membership between bass players Kasim Sulton and Atom Ellis. The band performs The Cars' classic songs, Rundgren's solo work, and some new material.For more information to visit the link.
==
sharoo
[url=http://www.freecarforum.com]New Cars[/url]
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 26, 2009 - 12:52am PT
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This is a weird bump.
And I'm still driving my Tacoma.
And J's 300K Ranger is still alive, but not getting out much.
The one of these days the economy and gas prices will realign to help us get a more appropriate commuter car. The Fit is my favorite presently as I can sleep in the front seats w/o even moving around the stuff in the way back.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Jan 26, 2009 - 01:14am PT
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invaders
good thread tho, because I looked into hybrid SUVs and trucks and consumer reports showed a whopping 2 mpg difference in the one hybrid highlander they made. I could drive slower and make more of a difference and get all the functionality I want from it, including clearance.
Maybe some day they'll have conversion kits for older cars.
What about solar cells for truck shells? lots of roofline, let's use it, eh?
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dmalloy
Trad climber
eastside
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Jan 26, 2009 - 01:16am PT
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'tis a weird bump. And apparently another attempt at using the Taco to move something up the search-engine ladder. So everyone....
DO NOT CLICK ON THAT LINK ABOVE
as for hybrids and such, almost 6 years later and there still are not too many options. However, modern Tacomas, while larger than the last generation, get significantly better mileage, I think. Hybrid, in general, is a weird half-step in our evolution towards better transportation options. One day we will look back on hybrids with the same sort of feelings that we currently have towards 8-track tape decks.
munge edit - solar roof cells, nice idea, but the weight and expense would require a new generation of photovoltaics to make it worthwhile. If it is a cloudy day, if you are parked under a tree, if it is winter....just too many times that the cell is going to generate almost no power, and the amount you can generate from that area in 3-4 hours would be enough to get a truck or SUV less than a mile.
Now, parking garages in big cities, particularly in the Southwest, with massive solar arrays that feed directly to plug-in hybrids that are parked right underneath....that is something you will see in the next 5-7 years.
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Jim Wilcox
Boulder climber
Santa Barbara
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Jan 26, 2009 - 01:33am PT
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"why aren't there hybrid trucks?"
The torque needs of a truck covers a broader range then a car. Electric motors reach maximum torque at relatively low speeds. Trucks and SUV's, even when hybrided will get slightly better mpg-but not anything close to a sedan. They're not exactly aerodynamic and are usually are geared for power to pull/haul weight
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Robb
Social climber
It's like FoCo in NoCo Daddy-O!
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Jan 26, 2009 - 01:44am PT
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Why not drive a Dodge Cummins diesel & rule the road?
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tadhunt
Trad climber
Sunnyvale, CA
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Jan 26, 2009 - 03:30am PT
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SLAM -- on the way to the climbing gym three days before Christmas, my 2001 compact high MPG car is totaled (and I emerged relatively unscathed). So what to do with the $$ from the insurance?
Well, shop around for a hybrid SUV, of course.
Found a great deal on a 4WD 2007 Ford Escape Hybrid. Big enough to sleep in on road trips, 4WD for those off-road crag approaches and snowboarding trips.
In about 3 weeks of driving, I've put on at least 1,500 miles. Longest trips? Sunnyvale->Napa (via SF) the weekend I bought it. Grotto and back twice a week ago Sat & Sun. Commute to work (10 mins, stop and go traffic all the way, no highway). Etc.
MPG you might ask? Well: 33 MPG.
Boo-Yeah. Can't wait for my road trips this spring!
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