Petrol versus Diesel etc

I seriously doubt whether I will ever need to buy a new car, my present one should last me until I decide to stop driving. I have already cut down on very long journeys.

Malcolm

So to bring you sad tidings Malcolm - you must be devastated............

I have a KIA Niro Hybrid on order - it should arrive at the dealers first week in March. It is currently on a ship called the Glovis Solomon bound for Immingham UK - but calling at several ports on the way. The ship can carry 6,500 cars and weighs 72,000 tons cruising at 18 to 20 knots.

I have been tracking it on a Marine tracking site since it left Korea. It has stopped at Singapore, Sri Lanka and next stop is Jordan. If the car is not registered in March, I too will face the £140 road tax.

Just like you andsome - this will be my last car since I am shortly to climb into my 80's.

Just checked it out Here
Nice car, a lot of money though, can you charge it at home ?

Malcolm - it is not a plug-in hybrid, that is due this summer but rumoured to cost £3,000 to £4,000 more.

The Niro - like the Toyota Prius, recharges the battery from braking energy and when on the over-run down hills (and from the engine if the voltage gets low). Similar to F1 racing cars.

The petrol engine runs on the modified Atkinson cycle with infinitely variable length of firing stroke, valve timing and fuel injection - it is about as efficient as you can get with a petrol engine - but is not sporty. Further fuel saving measures are exhaust heat recovery (Like your condensing boiler at home). low energy tyres, a powered radiator flap and a coefficient of drag of only 0.29 which is remarkable for a car shaped like a brick. 

The Niro 1 and 2 cars are fitted with 16" wheels, the top of the range models are fitted with 18" rims and wider tyres. This effects the emissions and economy. Emissions go up from 88 to 101 and the "Official" combined economy figures are 74.3 and 62.8 mpg respectively. Hence those who buy the Niro 3 or FE will have to pay road tax in exchange for fancy wheels shod with rubber bands, a very stiff ride and higher running costs.

I am expecting to get economy of about 55 mpg -  the "official" figures are a nonsense.


Whilst the cost gets near to the Jag range - I didn't want a diesel and I need low running costs. We do 10 to 12,000 miles a year. The 7 year warranty was also a big factor in my decision.

On the subject of price when I ordered the car KIA were offering a £1000 discount for anyone who road tested it. I haggled with the dealer and got a further £800 off plus mats, mud flaps etc.

So - I went onto the internet and checked all the new car brokers sites. Via Car Wow I found a dealer offering £3,400 off list (which included the KIA discount). I printed off the quote and stuck it under my dealer's nose. He matched it and honoured the trade in for my present car which he had originally offered. I guess that the dealers were getting a financial incentive to get the new model sales up and running quickly

Alanho

"I believe that governments will have no choice but to increase costs for diesel and gas guzzling petrol cars to get people to buy petrol and hybrids on the inevitable path for us all to have electric cars."

This of course will enormously increase the demand for electricity and the Chinese will still not have commenced the building of the ten new atomic powered generators, whilst the six just finished by the French have not been paid for and the French will not release the them, or their hostages, until the 6 trillion marks have been paid.

My car will generate its own electricity - harvesting the energy from slowing the car under downhill conditions or when braking.

That battery power is then re-used to accelerate the car back to cruising speed - which is a significant amount of energy.

Didn't Newton have a law that covered that sort of thing?

If I remember correctly it was his fancy way of explaining that well known Yorkshire adage "Thou nivver gets owt fer nowt ".

Absolutely "matter can neither be created nor destroyed"

Kinetic Energy Recovery System, as employed in F1 racing cars.

AlanHo wrote:

Absolutely "matter can neither be created nor destroyed"

Nothing the matter with that.

You actually used energy to type that - was it during a break.