Hybrid Durango- WHY?

[rohan]

I gotta ask this question- WTF is so great about hybrids?  What's so wrong with diesels?  they do the same thing the hybrid does- and they're also cheeper to build so why not just build more clean burning McDonalds grease diesels?  A Durango hybrid?  Who the hell is going to buy that?

[TheIntrepid]

The same people will buy it who are going to buy the Yukon, Tahoe, and Escalade hybrids.

[3.0L V6]

Hybrids are the current fad?

Dodge lacks a suitable diesel engine to fit in the Durango right now? I'm pretty sure the 6.7 Cummins in the Ram is far too large.

[SVT666]

Hybrids are the current fad?

Dodge lacks a suitable diesel engine to fit in the Durango right now? I'm pretty sure the 6.7 Cummins in the Ram is far too large.

The Cummins will fit just fine, but it's overkill.  The reason people won't buy it is because diesels don't appear to be "green" even though they are.

[cawimmer430]

I think hybrids are marketed wrongly and people fall for that BS. Here in Europe Lexus for example markets their hybrids as "fuel efficient car" - without telling the consumer that once you leave the city, you loose all efficiency benefits since the gasoline engine will take over for most of the driving. Moving an overweight car around won't give you good fuel economy...

If you actually want the best of both worlds, a diesel-hybrid makes more sense. Let the electric engine do the work in the city and the the efficient diesel engine outside of the urban environment.

[3.0L V6]

I think hybrids are marketed wrongly and people fall for that BS. Here in Europe Lexus for example markets their hybrids as "fuel efficient car" - without telling the consumer that once you leave the city, you loose all efficiency benefits since the gasoline engine will take over for most of the driving. Moving an overweight car around won't give you good fuel economy...

If you actually want the best of both worlds, a diesel-hybrid makes more sense. Let the electric engine do the work in the city and the the efficient diesel engine outside of the urban environment.

That's a good idea, but it's combining two expensive technologies (diesel + electric assist). Cheaper to pick one or the other

[cawimmer430]

That's a good idea, but it's combining two expensive technologies (diesel + electric assist). Cheaper to pick one or the other

It's expensive, but it will ultimately be greener than a similar with a thirsty (and overpowered) gasoline engine. But yeah, give me a diesel anyday because you get the best of both worlds. 

This isn't a bash against a Lexus, but what do they market their hybrids as in the US? I hear two sides: 'green cars' and 'performance cars'. I mean WTF!? Green? 

[GoCougs]

Who will buy it? Virtually no one. People in the market for $40,000+ vehicles really don't care about fuel mileage. The scant few that are will gravitate toward inherently more fuel efficient vehicles that offer 90+% of the utility of a full-size SUV; such as mini-vans and large(r) cross-overs (Highlander, Acadia, CX-9, etc.).

Diesels are simply too expensive - the current crop of light truck diesel command about a $7,000 premimum. Unless you're doing heavy towing for 20, 30, or 40,000+ miles a year, you'll never recover this initial investment. And by the time Detroit develops a diesel a lot cheaper than the current $7,000 premium, it'll be gutless.

[Onslaught]

Because many Americans just don't like Diesel.
And Diesel cost more than regular gas.

[MX793]

Also note that getting a diesel to meet emissions in the US is much harder and costlier than getting a gas/electric hybrid to meet emissions.

[TheIntrepid]

One way they're selling Hybrids now is to offer them as the "top of the range" on the line. For example, one reason my parents got me the Camry Hybrid is because it comes with all of the options of the XLE model (Smart Key, Auto Climate Control, Premium Stereo, etc) at a price difference of about $5,000.

[rohan]

Because many Americans just don't like Diesel.
And Diesel cost more than regular gas.

Sometimes it does sometimes it don't-
According to detroitgasprices.com today at
11:45 Speedway in Woodhaven - diesel - $2.49
07:38 Meijer in Madison Heights - reg unleaded- $2.95

[Raghavan]

The only thing I don't like about diesels is that most gas stations don't sell it. That would be the only reason I wouldn't get a diesel.

[rohan]

Also note that getting a diesel to meet emissions in the US is much harder and costlier than getting a gas/electric hybrid to meet emissions.

I'm wondering what about the fast food grease diesel?  Don't we make enough of that shit everyday to more than make enough diesel for SUV's?  ;How hard is it to make it usable in cars?

[TheIntrepid]

The only thing I don't like about diesels is that most gas stations don't sell it. That would be the only reason I wouldn't get a diesel.

Where the hell do you live? All gas stations around here sell diesel.

[Raghavan]

I'm wondering what about the fast food grease diesel?  Don't we make enough of that shit everyday to more than make enough diesel for SUV's?  ;How hard is it to make it usable in cars?

I don't think that's diesel. There are kits that you can get to make your gasoline engine turn into a vegetable oil engine but i didn't know they made those for diesel engines.

[rohan]

I don't think that's diesel. There are kits that you can get to make your gasoline engine turn into a vegetable oil engine but i didn't know they made those for diesel engines.

I didn't know that.  I thought there were some guys out there running it in diesels but I guess it hasd to have been gas ones.  Thanks.

[TheIntrepid]

I don't think that's diesel. There are kits that you can get to make your gasoline engine turn into a vegetable oil engine but i didn't know they made those for diesel engines.

I think that's only been done with VW diesels, but I may be wrong.

[rohan]

But you know- my wifes 07 Durango with thte multi displacement hting gets about 16-17 in town and about 22 on the highway at about 72.  That hybrid Tahoe hardly does much better than that in town and no better on the highway- wheres the savings?

[Raghavan]

I didn't know that.  I thought there were some guys out there running it in diesels but I guess it hasd to have been gas ones.  Thanks.

Oops, I just looked it up. You were right:
"The Greasecar Vegetable Oil Conversion System is an auxiliary fuel modification system that allows all diesel vehicles to run on straight vegetable oil in any climate. Your Greasecar kit comes with everything you need to convert your diesel vehicle to run on vegetable oil."

greasecar.com

[Raghavan]

But you know- my wifes 07 Durango with thte multi displacement hting gets about 16-17 in town and about 22 on the highway at about 72.  That hybrid Tahoe hardly does much better than that in town and no better on the highway- wheres the savings?

I think that's a very mild hybrid, not like the Prius.
The only advantage is that you can run appliances off the electric motor.

[rohan]

Oops, I just looked it up. You were right:
"The Greasecar Vegetable Oil Conversion System is an auxiliary fuel modification system that allows all diesel vehicles to run on straight vegetable oil in any climate. Your Greasecar kit comes with everything you need to convert your diesel vehicle to run on vegetable oil."

greasecar.com

Holy crap- I was right!  Mark that down!  I'm usually wrong about this stuff! 

That's right- don't fuckin mess with me~!  

[Raghavan]

Holy crap- I was right!  Mark that down!  I'm usually wrong about this stuff! 

That's right- don't fuckin mess with me~!  

[MX793]

I don't think that's diesel. There are kits that you can get to make your gasoline engine turn into a vegetable oil engine but i didn't know they made those for diesel engines.

Other way around.  The vegetable oil kits are for diesel cars (old diesel Mercedes are very popular choices for this conversion), not gasoline.  In fact, there was a story on CNN or one of the other major news networks about a company in California that offers these conversion kits.

[ifcar]

But you know- my wifes 07 Durango with thte multi displacement hting gets about 16-17 in town and about 22 on the highway at about 72.  That hybrid Tahoe hardly does much better than that in town and no better on the highway- wheres the savings?

Apples to oranges. EPA test results of one vehicle versus however you drive another doesn't make a valid comparison. There is a clear savings, comparing the same model of vehicle tested the same way, in gas versus hybrid Tahoe.

[rohan]

I think that's a very mild hybrid, not like the Prius.
The only advantage is that you can run appliances off the electric motor.

Mild? 
What's the difference between them?

[Raghavan]

Mild? 
What's the difference between them?

I'm not sure but the gasoline engine is always running in the Tahoe i think. The electric motor just helps it save a bit of gas and helps with acceleration.
The Prius turns off the engine during braking and acceleration up to a point.

[rohan]

I'm not sure but the gasoline engine is always running in the Tahoe i think. The electric motor just helps it save a bit of gas and helps with acceleration.
The Prius turns off the engine during braking and acceleration up to a point.

Got it.  Every little bit helps- that tahoe probably weighs too much to just run it off batteries.   

[ifcar]

Mild? 
What's the difference between them?

A mild hybrid, like the Honda Civic Hybrid or the "performance" hybrids, uses an electric motor to supplement the gas motor in acceleration. In the Civic, this lets it get away with having a smaller gas engine than the conventional version (1.3-liter vs 1.8 liter) without losing much power, and in the performance hybrids that use the same size engine as a mainstream version, this lets acceleration increase without hurting gas mileage.

A full hybrid, like the Prius or Ford Escape, can run electric-only at low speeds, rather than just using the electric motor to provide a bit of an extra boost sometimes.

[rohan]

Other way around.  The vegetable oil kits are for diesel cars (old diesel Mercedes are very popular choices for this conversion), not gasoline.  In fact, there was a story on CNN or one of the other major news networks about a company in California that offers these conversion kits.

Ok- so I know enough about this to know that the gasoline gives more blah blah blah to make more of it's energy- but wouldn't using vegetable oil be better than using gas all the way aroud-and wouldn't it be alot cheaper too?  I mean it shoul dnever run out right?