[Greysard]

There are many, many Toyota Prius hybrids with more than 100,000 miles on them. Getting 200,000 miles on them seems rare though.

There aren't too many cars with 200,000 miles on the odometer. They are mechanical things; as they wear down their value drops but the cost of repair goes up. At some point it is just not worth it.

Modern hybrids are capable of extreme longevity. Also Google gives me this link:

Vancouver canada has replaced 80% of their taxis with hybrids. There are still 2007 Prius still running which have over 200,000 miles logged in. One Prius has 600,000 miles logged in and one hybrid battery replacement

Hybrids have the following advantages over traditional cars:

• They are capable of running the engine at the optimal speed; if too much energy is produced it goes into the battery; if not enough then the battery supplies the rest.
• They don't need the engine for slower driving; Prius, for example, can run on electric alone up to 42 mph (and then the ICE starts just for safety reasons, to make sure that the driver has power if he needs it.)
• They don't idle the engine - this reduces its wear, as well as waste of fuel.
• They start the engine at very high RPM, which guarantees an easy start. The battery that starts the engine is much larger than your common 12V car battery, and instead of the little starter they use one of main motor-generators that is 10x more powerful. Starting at high RPM is good for the engine.
• Electric assist means that the engine - which is traditionally designed with power to spare - can be smaller.
• There is no switchable gearbox (at least in Prius.) All the gears of the power split device are constantly meshed. Anyone who ever had to rebuild a clutch or to replace an automatic transmission can appreciate that. This "gearbox" requires no service whatsoever.
• The continuously variable transmission (CVT) is 100% electric. This means that the losses are minimal, and at the same time you can dial any power on the wheels, from zero to maximum, with the gas pedal. There are no gears in Prius, outside of the usual Park, Neutral, Reverse and Braking. The ride is exceptionally smooth because there is nothing to switch.
• Brakes are wearing down very slowly because most of the braking is not frictional but regenerative. This reduces your expenses at the brake shop. You are likely to need new tires more than once before you need a brake job.

For that you pay with money. Hybrids cost a bit more than standard cars. It's your call what to buy. A hybrid, especially one made in Japan, can last a very long time. You can treat it as an improved, high-tech version of a traditional gas car - simply because hybrids run on gas. All the energy comes from gasoline, which means that you have plenty of that energy in the tank, and it only takes a few minutes at any corner to replenish it.

Pure EVs share some of these advantages. However the additional cost of a gas-electric hybrid is lower than the cost of a pure EV. Those numbers that are floating around, from $40K to $100K, are insane. I don't know too many people who would be eager to mortgage their home and buy such a car. Hybrids like Prius are within the typical price range, both new and used. You can buy a used Gen. II Prius today for maybe $12K - $14K. This is within reach of many car buyers. (Of course there is no help for those who only look for $500 jalopies.)

One day, when we have much more capable batteries, a pure EV will be just as practical as a gas car (or a gas-electric hybrid) of today. That day is in the future. We can't even figure out how to charge that EV with a huge power (8 MW) that we casually achieve at a gas station. Today if you buy a pure EV (or an EV-like hybrid, like Volt) you get an overpriced golf cart - and you can't even drive it at the golf course.

[tcrlaf]

“Hybrids have the following advantages over traditional cars:”

The REAL problem...

Once out of warranty, the ONLY place they can still be serviced is the dealer. There is a real reason 75% of Hybrid buyers will not buy another one. The cost of ownership doesn’t justify the added costs at anything less than $6-7 gas.

Battery replacement is the real issue, and costs around $2,200. Without it, all you are buying is a 1.5L-1.8L under-powered compact car.

Braking issues related to the computer control for battery recharging have become a HUGE issue, as well. Other Computer Control problems seem to become huge issues on the Prius after they go out of warranty as well.

[Vinnie]

I can see most of your points, but please explain this on

Starting at high RPM is good for the engine

High RPM, cold unlubricated start sounds like trouble to me.

I have no problem driving an electric car.
But range, re-energize times, price are deal killers.

[alstewartfan]

I have zero problem with people buying any vehicle they desire; I just don’t think that anyone is making a smidgeon of difference in the health of the earth by buying a hybrid. Bob