Official Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV SUV thread

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edatoakrun said:
GRA said:
edatoakrun said:
IIRC the MY '18 already has two 120 volt outlets, which I assume will be carried over to the '19 MY.

Not even close to the same effect as having access to all the energy stored in the both the pack and the gas tank, at a high kWh rate, through a CHAdeMO port.
...while it's a nice to have option, it's not critical.
It is critical, for the millions of PG&E customers who got the same Email I did last week, and realize how dangerous, expensive, and unreliable the grid has become, and understand the asphalt grid is a superior method of connecting to supplemental electricity supplies. <snip>
Or they could just take all the emergency precautions that government agencies and utilities have been warning them to take for decades now. You know, light (candles/lanterns and/or portable generator), cooking (portable stove and fuel), shelter, emergency food/water and purification, first aid kits, battery/solar/crank-powered radio etc., and be ready to hop in their car and evacuate if necessary. Of course, setting your house up to be capable of functioning off-grid is also a good idea, but if it's destroyed or you have to vamoose you need to be prepared for that. I've been through the semi-big one (Loma Prieta) as well as the Oakland Hills firestorm, the last when I was designing and selling off-grid systems. We were fine for power when everyone else lacked it, but we were also just outside the evacuation zone which could have been expanded at any time. So again, CHAdeMo V2H is a nice to have, but not critical. In a major emergency you don't need to be able to operate business as usual, but can power down and concentrate on the essentials, and a 2kW inverter is generally more than enough to handle that, barring an invalid who is dependent on medical equipment (ventilator etc.) - often you can get by with a lot less. As I'm a backpacker, my emergency kit is also my backpacking gear, plus the water and food I have stashed here.

Now, some individuals may need more - I don't know how deep your well is or what flow rate you require (and I'm long out of that business in any case), although if you really want to be emergency prepped you should build a tank high enough above your place that it can gravity feed and you aren't dependent on having power, which may or may not be possible for you. Not that that will guarantee you will be able to save your place. In short, you've got lots of options, and having a CHAdeMO-equipped car for V2H is only one of them. If you really need it, fine, but most people don't.

As for not being able to charge your LEAF, that's just one reason why BEVs, especially short-range ones, suck in emergencies, and why emergency vehicles should all be either plug-in hybrids or conventional. Anyone who's concerned about having to evacuate should never be dependent on a BEV and should have another vehicle, at least until you can afford a much longer-ranged BEV and always maintain a sufficient emergency reserve to evacuate.
 
GRA said:
edatoakrun said:
GRA said:
...while it's a nice to have option, it's not critical.
It is critical, for the millions of PG&E customers who got the same Email I did last week, and realize how dangerous, expensive, and unreliable the grid has become, and understand the asphalt grid is a superior method of connecting to supplemental electricity supplies. <snip>
Or they could just take all the emergency precautions that government agencies and utilities have been warning them to take for decades now...
Are you really so obtuse?

I am not talking about emergency back-up power.

I am pointing out that the grid is a today, largely a relic of the obsolete technology that once required powerlines to deliver electricity economically.

Next time you drive through any forested area, take a look at all the absurdly hazardous and expensive power lines that would never be installed today, now that we have inexpensive PV and batteries, and the BEVs, PHEVs and BEVxs needed to replace the energy transport function of power lines.

Eventually, even the dunderheads at PG&E and the CPUC will realize how idiotic it is to continue to subsidize their obsolete technology, with ever-more money and lives.
 
edatoakrun said:
GRA said:
edatoakrun said:
It is critical, for the millions of PG&E customers who got the same Email I did last week, and realize how dangerous, expensive, and unreliable the grid has become, and understand the asphalt grid is a superior method of connecting to supplemental electricity supplies. <snip>
Or they could just take all the emergency precautions that government agencies and utilities have been warning them to take for decades now...
Are you really so obtuse?

I am not talking about emergency back-up power.

I am pointing out that the grid is a today, largely a relic of the obsolete technology that once required powerlines to deliver electricity economically.

Next time you drive through any forested area, take a look at all the absurdly hazardous and expensive power lines that would never be installed today, now that we have inexpensive PV and batteries, and the BEVs, PHEVs and BEVxs needed to replace the energy transport function of power lines.

Eventually, even the dunderheads at PG&E and the CPUC will realize how idiotic it is to continue to subsidize their obsolete technology, with ever-more money and lives.
Of course the aging grid is stressed and out of date; glad you noticed, but you're late to the party. I was supplying full off-grid systems a quarter century ago, to people who had experienced prolonged grid outages (a lot of them in the Santa Cruz mountains and up the north coast, after Loma Prieta) and were no longer willing to trust it. Actually, many of them experienced a couple of longish grid outages a year even without major natural disasters, and treated the grid as useful but not to be depended on. Microgrids, increased interties and hardening will all be necessary if a central grid is to survive. All of that is being undertaken, late and too slowly as is usually the case when large amounts of money are involved. The alternative is for nothing but micro-grids and individual loads with zero connections and lots of rarely used backup, which is still far more expensive.
 
Via GCC:
2019 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV with redesigned powertrain goes on sale in Japan
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2018/08/20180830-outlander.html

. . . Mitsubishi made improvements to 90% of the major components of the PHEV system. The 2019 PHEV features a newly developed drive battery and engine as well as increased rear motor and generator outputs. These improvements give further improvements in the smooth and powerful acceleration inherent to its electric motor drive, and in its quietness. In addition, the model adds new SNOW and SPORT modes to its Twin Motor 4WD powertrain.

Drive battery capacity has been increased from 12 kW/h to 13.8 kW/h. Rear motor and generator outputs have been increased by around 12% and 10 % respectively. These improvements extend Outlander PHEV’s all-electric cruising range to 65.0 km (40.4 miles), up from 60.2 to 60.8 km in the JC08 cycle.

A 2.4-liter Atkinson engine replaces the old 2.0-liter unit; changes in cam profile and valve timing control allows high-efficiency power generation in the lower rev range. Also, the reduction in engine speed when in generating mode and optimization of generation output and, improvements to the air cleaner and main muffler, reduces noise from the engine itself. The result is further enhancement in the feel-good driving experience that the electric drive delivers even when the engine starts and while running.

To cater more precisely to different road surfaces and vehicle operating status, SNOW and SPORT modes join the NORMAL and LOCK 4WD powertrain modes on the previous model.

  • SNOW mode: Gives better stability and control over snow-covered and other slippery surfaces. LOCK mode has been tailored to cater more for poor road surfaces, giving higher levels of traction and more driver reassurance.

    SPORT mode: Gives the driver more direct control with improved throttle response and turning characteristics for greater enjoyment when sport driving on dry tarmac surfaces.

Body rigidity has been increased with the use of structural adhesive and by increasing the panel joint overlap area in the front and rear doors, as well as the luggage compartment opening and the wheel house/body panel joins (areas using structural adhesive increased on S Edition).

The use of larger front and rear dampers and a new type of damper valve gives improved ride quality as well as higher levels of handling and stability matching with smooth driving feel that the electric drive delivers (S Edition excluded).

The use of a faster steering-gear ratio and optimization of the electric power steering control to match this gives better steering feel and quality and a more natural steering response.
Now we'll just have to wait for one of the automags to review it and see how much of a real-world difference (if any) all of this makes - the engine, battery, motor/generator, steering and suspension changes are all theoretically steps in the right direction.
 
Unless I missed it, I don't see anything about that 20% larger engine, getting better MPG :roll: which was my main complaint about the Outlander PHEV, not so great MPG running on gas only, as in a long road trip.
The Volt also upsized their ICE after introduction and I just don't understand it, why increase the size of the ICE on a vehicle that often times runs on battery and can use the battery motor to give more power to an undersized ICE......
I believe the Prius also did this from introduction, I believe our '07 is a 1.5L?? while later Prius's got a 1.7L(I could be wrong on this but I seem to remember it).
When our '07 Prius dies we'll be looking for a PHEV for road trips and also zero emission for my wife's 15-mile commute, we can then get rid of the Prius as well as our '12 Leaf SL. I'm intrigued by Outlander PHEV, we sat in one in our state fair just yesterday and it seemed quite nice. More room behind the rear seats than the Leaf(not sure about how it compares to the Prius but its space is higher) more headroom than the Leaf and for sure Prius, more rear seat room than the Leaf and Prius. It's one drawback is the highway MPG, where something like a PHEV Prius would shine. I also like the idea of the heat pump on the Prius, I doubt the Outlander has that.
Couple of things I didn't care about the Mitsubishi was it looked like in order to get a heated steering wheel one must get the top trim, although lower trim levels seem to have heated front seats. I also didn't care so much for the vinal seats, I much prefer cloth like say my '13S Leaf has, not fond of the light velour seats on my '12 though, just an accident waiting to happen and shows everything! Not a fan of leather either.
All in all I was pretty impressed with the Outlander PHEV, just wish instead of upsizing the ICE they'd concentrate on increasing the ICE MPG of whatever engine they put in it, that and a larger battery, which they seem to have done, albeit by a small amount, still better than nothing!
 
jjeff said:
Unless I missed it, I don't see anything about that 20% larger engine, getting better MPG :roll: which was my main complaint about the Outlander PHEV, not so great MPG running on gas only, as in a long road trip.
Yes, 25mpg was pretty lousy, but the mpg should be better with the 2019 as it uses the Atkinson cycle while cruising and has more power and torque, while the 2.0L was straight Otto cycle. The 2nd gen. Volt is also Atkinson cycle (it's also an Al instead of Fe block, saving weight).

jjeff said:
The Volt also upsized their ICE after introduction and I just don't understand it, why increase the size of the ICE on a vehicle that often times runs on battery and can use the battery motor to give more power to an undersized ICE......<snip>
Because the undersized ICE has to run more often, heavily loaded and often less efficiently (not to mention with more NVH), resulting in lower fuel economy and less desirable characteristics for the customer. In short, you often have to thrash them, which is why small turbo-charged engines often get worse gas mileage IRL than the larger engines they replaced, despite performing better in EPA tests. In the case of the Volt, the bigger engine of Gen 2 gets 2 mpg better combined EPA, although undoubtedly that isn't all due to the engine.
 
Via IEVS:
2019 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV First Drive Review
https://insideevs.com/2019-mitsubishi-outlander-phev-first-drive-review/

. . . The cabin hasn’t changed much either, with a few new buttons and a revised instrument cluster joining the party, but it’s largely a case of same old, same old. It’s well put together and everything seems to work quite well, but it’s a bit bland.

Don’t be fooled by the aesthetic consistency, though – the Outlander’s oily bits have had a near-total overhaul.

A series of changes, including updated steering and revised suspension, are designed to improve the car’s handling, but the biggest changes involve the hybrid system. . . .

.the old 2-liter engine has been replaced with a larger, more powerful 2.4-litre unit, while the electric motor on the rear axle has had a power boost, too. There’s also a slightly bigger battery, which enables the 2019 Outlander to manage 28 miles on electricity before the petrol engine kicks in.

Official fuel economy figures have fallen slightly, too, although most drivers would still be delighted to manage 139 mpg, and all will be pleased to know that 46g/km CO2 emissions mean the Outlander PHEV is still exempt from paying London’s Congestion Charge.

And for those wondering why the new car, complete with its larger battery, is less economical than its predecessor, it’s all down to the testing procedure. The new ‘real-world’ WLTP economy test, is far more stringent than its predecessor, and it’s brought the figures down noticeably.

If you get the cars on the road (and refrain from driving as though your hair’s on fire), you’ll find that both the new car and its predecessor are capable of 30 miles on a charge. If anything, in fact, the new model might have slightly more range and possibly better economy. It’s difficult to tell on a single road test across varied terrain.

What it definitely does have is more power. The engine’s only 14 bhp more powerful than before, and the rear motor has an advantage of just 13 bhp over its predecessor – it doesn’t sound like much, but it results in a half-second reduction in the 0-62 mph time.

The seemingly small changes to the car’s steering and suspension have had a sizeable effect, too. The newcomer feels tauter and more composed than its predecessor, with the steering eliciting a sharper response from the front wheels.

Sadly, the changes to the suspension have been less positive. The car’s lost some of its composure on uneven surfaces, and it feels a little wallowier than before.


It’s quiet and refined in zero-emission electric mode, and the more potent motor allows the big SUV to travel at motorway cruising speeds without employing the help of the petrol engine. At those speeds, though, you really notice the absence of internal combustion, with wind and road noise becoming more prominent.

At such speeds, though, the battery will soon run dry and the engine will kick in to provide assistance. It isn’t an especially noisy powerplant – certainly no worse than most four-cylinder diesels – but it does drone when it’s under load, particularly if you’re in ‘Sport’ mode.

The plug-in hybrid Outlander is a slightly more capable car than its predecessor, but it still has its flaws. The cabin quality is reasonable, without being brilliant, and the looks are still neither here nor there. The 2019 car isn’t a massive step up from its forebears, either, so if you’re thinking of trading in a year-old PHEV, there’s no great rush . . . .
So, useful improvements but could use more suspension work, which along with steering has always been where the Korean companies have fallen short. They seem to be learning re the steering.
 
It's a bit overdue, but herewith a 1 year anniversary hits/misses post.

TL;DR - I love the car and am very glad I sold some Bitcoin for the down payment when I did. :lol:

Most of my driving is local, within the 20-22 miles of EV range. I operate the car exactly as I ran my EV motorcycle and the smart: Unplug, drive, come home, plug-in. The longest normal drive is the roughly monthly drives to the in-law's ranch, which is about 98 miles up hill, and 98 down. Sometimes I recharge up there, but often I start with a full battery and return empty. When I recharge at the in-law's place, the total trip mileage is 42-44. When I don't, it's in the 36-38 range. For local drives that are longer than EV range, trips are usually in the 50-60 mile range, which is 2-3 times the EV range. Typical fuel economy after those drives is 55-68.

Things I like: Heated seats, the room, low center of gravity, the quiet cabin, the seamless hybrid drive system, battery box heating and cooling, and the very quiet ICE.

Things I'm not happy with: The EV and/or Eco mode selections aren't persistent - the car always boots with both of those off. When it's cold (like today's 28 degree morning) or hot, and the heat or AC was left on last mission, the ICE will often start immediately. That can be averted by turning off the climate control system as part of the shutdown process, but still annoying when the goal is to be in EV mode as much as possible.

After a year and 7000 miles the car is free of rattles or noises, the tires are wearing evenly, and it's been 100% reliable.

It's interesting to read some of the posts in this thread, as well as stories from the typical auto media, as it's painfully clear they're coming from an ICE mindset rather than from an EV and/or efficiency point of view. Complaints about steering or suspension? I've been driving German cars most of my life and in spite of preferring the stiffer Euro tuning, I have zero problem with the way the Outlander's tuned. Steering is precise and doesn't wander, the suspension is softer than Euro but not mushy. And the engine thing - I'd put money on the table that the sort of people that think the car needs a larger ICE are either the typical American driver that doesn't plug the car in or that hasn't figured out that there's more to life than a lead foot, or someone that hasn't driven one. Ditto for the highway fuel economy. The only way to get the EPA rated 25 is to drive in excess of 70 MPH with full climate control and a fully discharged battery. It's just not a real-world number, which is a pretty normal result of the new EPA test process and an electrified or moderately efficient vehicle. The EPA numbers we low for my VW diesels as well, so this isn't a hybrid or EV thing.

What the car needs is the ability to 'boot up' in EV mode, and a larger battery with a more recent chemistry. The Outlander uses the same 40 Ah cells (and battery system) that used to be bolted up to the iMiev. The car would rock with a Tesla pack. And sure - if an Atkinson cycle engine was available in about a 2 liter displacement (or even 1.8) and allowed a bit higher overall economy, then sure. But I'd much prefer going in the direction of the I3 with a larger battery and a smaller ICE.

See you next year. :cool:
 
Thanks for the report, Andy.

Found a Top gear review of the 2019. While it refers to the UK version, I expect there's little difference between that and the U.S. one other than the wheel position: https://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/mitsubishi/outlander-phev
. . . It’s brilliant. But only up to a point. Pity. It could be so much better. . . .

The newness is in fact buried deep within. A 2.4-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine replaces the old 2.0-litre, giving incremental economy and power gains, the e-motor mounted on the rear-axle is new and more powerful than the one it replaces, generator and battery capacities are up, and the steering, brakes, suspension, all-wheel drive and hybrid control systems have all been retuned/upgraded/made generally better. There is substantially more newness here than meets the eye.

But while all those upgrades are welcome, read on and you’ll learn that none are especially transformative. . . .

As for how it feels to drive - this new engine is more refined than the one it replaces. You get that rubber-bandy feel and flaring of revs, as you might in a CVT, but the 2.4’s quieter and less thrashy tone makes it marginally more bearable. Driven like a normal human you won’t hear it much anyway – there’s decent off-the-line punch in EV mode, making the Outlander easy to pilot without bringing the ICE into play too often.

Revised front- and rear-shock absorbers are supposed to make it ride more smoothly. They do – a bit – but it’s still not the smoothest-riding SUV. There’s a bit of jiggle, heave and roll, and while there’s still some kickback through the wheel, the stronger bodyshell (thanks to a new type of welding) means there’s less reverberation. The steering is marginally quicker, and Mitsubishi has worked hard to make the brakes feel natural – but the former is still slow and feel-less (good and confident on the motorway, though), and the latter spongy, with not enough bite at the very top of the pedal. Not that this is supposed to be a sports car. We’re so used to SUVs driving like cars nowadays – because everything shares a platform – that the Outlander feels, at times, like a bit of an anarchism [Sic. Anachronism]. Because it still feels like a 4x4, not a car.

It is at least quiet on the motorway – road-noise is well suppressed and there’s surprisingly little wind noise given its size and height.

Before we move on, something weird. The paddles behind the steering wheel, that control the regenerative braking – they’re the wrong way around. When this layout is used for shifting gears it’s normally the paddle on the left that changes down. In the Outlander, that paddle decreases the level of regeneration, making the car free-wheel for longer. Like you’ve changed into a higher gear. Feels odd. . . .

You probably won’t get 141.2mpg, unless your commute can be done entirely on e-power and you only use the engine at weekends (Mitsubishi says the internal-combustion engine can go 89 days without starting…), but the Outlander nonetheless promises decent fuel economy. And CO2 emissions of 46g/km (WLTP – on the old NEDC cycle it’s rated at just 40g/km) mean your tax bill will be tiny. If you get a company car, we’re talking thousands less per year than an equivalent petrol or diesel. . . .

"Mitsubishi has stolen a march on the oppo here. In practice, it's not quite so impressive"

Kudos to Mitsubishi for making a technically impressive PHEV, and for putting it on sale at what looks to have been precisely the right moment. It’s tricky not to recommend in many ways, because it’s the only car of its kind that really exists. If you’re a business user with a couple of kids, you might struggle to fit your brood in a 330e or similar. And because the tax savings are so massive you really ought to have a PHEV…so Outlander it is.

As for the rest of us – it’s the same old PHEV story. If it fits your lifestyle – the plugging-in to charge and so-on – then go ahead. If it doesn’t, and if you don’t think you’d ever offset the added cost of the Outlander PHEV, something like a petrol-engined Skoda Kodiaq would do you. . . .
So, sounds like some minor improvements. To me, its main advantage is that it's currently the only relatively affordable 4/AWD PHEV SUV available, and if I needed to replace my Forester now I'd consider it. But given my driving patterns (i.e. almost entirely used for 400+ mile roadtrips with no charging opportunities away from home), needs and desires, I'm not going to save any money compared to a smaller, more nimble HEV or even ICE CUV that gets better MPG, and I'd burn less gas and have lower emissions in the latter two, so I'll wait for a BEV/FCEV CUV that's a better fit for me.

Here's another UK review that says much the same things as Top Gear's:
The 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV isn’t the hybrid SUV you’ve been waiting for
Extra power, improved performance and more comfortable seats - but we can't help thinking impending rivals to the most popular plug-in SUV will be better
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/mitsubishi-outlander-phev-2019-review

The previous model didn't ride particularly well and often felt fat and wallowy when thrown into corners, but these mild updates have made a tangible difference to the driving experience. Potholes and bumps in the road are successfully smoothed over, and it's now possible to drive the vehicle semi-quickly without worrying about passengers throwing up all over the fancy leather interior.

Mitsubishi has also introduced a 'Sport' button to the centre console, which adds additional weight to the steering and improves throttle response, but it's a far cry from Ferrari levels of excitement. . . .

Improved insulation against noise and vibration makes new Outlander PHEV a relaxing place to sit and it remains quiet at motorway speeds, so long as the driver goes easy on the throttle inputs. It's only the engine/gearbox combo that spoils the peace and tranquillity from inside, with the “Multimode eTransmission” occasionally holding on to gears for far too long and allowing a jarring, monotonous engine note to leak into the cabin.

We only experienced this when the engine was under particularly heavy loads, such as climbing steep hills or attempting to perform a quick overtraining manoeuvre, but it was unpleasant nonetheless. . . .

With an upright seating position, steering that lacks feel and a heavy body to shift; the entertainment here comes from attaining the highest mpg figure, rather than beating any self-imposed B-road lap times. . . .

Verdict

A series of minor tweaks and updates have improved the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV in many key areas, including overall comfort, straight-line performance and its ability to perform in adverse weather conditions, but the overarching story remains largely the same.

If you have the sort of life that includes regular short journeys, the ability (and desire) to easily plug in and the occasional need for longer motorway schleps, the Outlander PHEV will likely prove a lean, green money-saving machine that offers plenty of space inside for passengers and kit.

However, if you're a company car owner that doesn't give a hoot about plugging in and knows the motorway service station network like the back of your hand, this vehicle largely represents a good excuse to save a bit of money on tax.

Mitsubishi should be applauded for putting the plug-in hybrid on the map, but an increased all-electric range would do wonders for the Outlander PHEVs green credentials. If you truly want to save the planet, it's probably worth holding out for a pure EV that fits your requirements.
 
GRA said:
Thanks for the report, Andy.
<snip>

So, sounds like some minor improvements. To me, its main advantage is that it's currently the only relatively affordable 4/AWD PHEV SUV available, and if I needed to replace my Forester now I'd consider it. But given my driving patterns (i.e. almost entirely used for 400+ mile roadtrips with no charging opportunities away from home), needs and desires, I'm not going to save any money compared to a smaller, more nimble HEV or even ICE CUV that gets better MPG, and I'd burn less gas and have lower emissions in the latter two, so I'll wait for a BEV/FCEV CUV that's a better fit for me.
Not sure I'd call them improvements as much as changes, though Top Gear's biases towards ICE and history of getting too many things wrong when talking about hybrids and EVs makes me cautious about their nits as well as their idea of an improvement. :lol:

I agree - this car's efficiency is tailored for urban driving while also including other capability. Frankly, I'm not sure there will be a perfect fit for your non-standard transportation needs.

The Forester is one of the cars I've been examining. Sadly, it's another vehicle suffering from bloat. My 'perfect' car would be something in the size of a '95-'97 (B4) VW Passat wagon, 2 or AWD, as a PHEV-40. Not seeing that happening any time soon.
 
AndyH said:
GRA said:
Thanks for the report, Andy.
<snip>

So, sounds like some minor improvements. To me, its main advantage is that it's currently the only relatively affordable 4/AWD PHEV SUV available, and if I needed to replace my Forester now I'd consider it. But given my driving patterns (i.e. almost entirely used for 400+ mile roadtrips with no charging opportunities away from home), needs and desires, I'm not going to save any money compared to a smaller, more nimble HEV or even ICE CUV that gets better MPG, and I'd burn less gas and have lower emissions in the latter two, so I'll wait for a BEV/FCEV CUV that's a better fit for me.
Not sure I'd call them improvements as much as changes, though Top Gear's biases towards ICE and history of getting too many things wrong when talking about hybrids and EVs makes me cautious about their nits as well as their idea of an improvement. :lol:

I agree - this car's efficiency is tailored for urban driving while also including other capability. Frankly, I'm not sure there will be a perfect fit for your non-standard transportation needs.

The Forester is one of the cars I've been examining. Sadly, it's another vehicle suffering from bloat. My 'perfect' car would be something in the size of a '95-'97 (B4) VW Passat wagon, 2 or AWD, as a PHEV-40. Not seeing that happening any time soon.
Yes, every generation of a vehicle gets bigger. My 2003 Forester is 175" long, while the current version, 3? generations later, is 182" long - it's also 3" (71" vs. 68") wider and taller (68" vs. 65"), while the wheelbase is up 5.7" (105.1" vs. 99.4"). My ideal would be something like a Golf GTE Alltrack Sportwagen, or better yet the same in a pure BEV, but for now no one makes it and the move away from wagons to CUVs is continuing, so I hold out little hope. The Crosstrek (P)HEV is maybe the closest available, but I'd really prefer the regular Impreza without the jacked-up body and side cladding, the cargo area height is compromised by the battery, and it's AER is under 20 miles which I consider sort of a useful minimum. Plus, I want a spare well. I had hopes for the Niro EV, but it lacks AWD and is also lacking in range and QC speed for serious road trips - not that any current BEV is a match for an ICE for those. Only an FCEV like the Nexo (also not available AWD, dammit) would be, IF the fueling infrastructure's built.
 
WetEV said:
GRA said:
Only an FCEV like the Nexo (also not available AWD, dammit) would be, IF the fueling infrastructure's built.

And if someone else is paying for the hydrogen.
Electronic tropes can be allowed to die - recycling efforts are better applied elsewhere. :lol:

In Germany, where excess renewable energy is being stored as H2, it's less expensive to drive 100 km on H2 than on diesel.
http://www.h2-suedtirol.com/en/hydrogen/faqs/

One would have to be overflowing with a failure of imagination to expect tomorrow to look like today.
 
AndyH said:
In Germany, where excess renewable energy is being stored as H2, it's less expensive to drive 100 km on H2 than on diesel.

It would be better to use the hydrogen to cut Germany's brown coal habit first.


AndyH said:
One would have to be overflowing with a failure of imagination to expect tomorrow to look like today.

The future is likely to not be as you imagine. Or as I imagine, as well.
 
WetEV said:
AndyH said:
In Germany, where excess renewable energy is being stored as H2, it's less expensive to drive 100 km on H2 than on diesel.

It would be better to use the hydrogen to cut Germany's brown coal habit first.
I'm guessing you don't understand the point of storage. That's fine. Maybe this'll help: More storage means more renewable generation can be used which means less is needed from the fossil and nuclear generation the country's replacing by design. And that means H2's less expensive than diesel and that ultimately has nothing to do with what Guy was talking about, as he was talking about a hypothetical vehicle, not how the fuel's priced. Feel free to bash H2 in the appropriate thread.
https://www.cleanenergywire.org/factsheets/germanys-energy-consumption-and-power-mix-charts

WetEV said:
AndyH said:
One would have to be overflowing with a failure of imagination to expect tomorrow to look like today.

The future is likely to not be as you imagine. Or as I imagine, as well.
Non sequitur.
 
AndyH said:
WetEV said:
AndyH said:
In Germany, where excess renewable energy is being stored as H2, it's less expensive to drive 100 km on H2 than on diesel.

It would be better to use the hydrogen to cut Germany's brown coal habit first.
I'm guessing you don't understand the point of storage. That's fine.

I do understand the point of storage. Hydrogen is one of the few possible ways that seasonal storage of energy can be handled. Seasonal storage is needed to move past 80% or so renewable energy.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=15162

Without subsidies for renewable hydrogen, it would be about four times the cost of renewable electric power. Sure, some might not mind paying a lot more more for the faster refueling. But hydrogen is basically an expensive inefficient battery, of which the main usefulness comes from the ability to scale up the storage tank size at a fairly low cost.


AndyH said:
WetEV said:
AndyH said:
One would have to be overflowing with a failure of imagination to expect tomorrow to look like today.
The future is likely to not be as you imagine. Or as I imagine, as well.
Non sequitur.
One of my favorite comics.
https://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2019/03/01
 
WetEV said:
GRA said:
Only an FCEV like the Nexo (also not available AWD, dammit) would be, IF the fueling infrastructure's built.

And if someone else is paying for the hydrogen.
Obviously, in the US for now. Given the current cost of QC'ing with demand charges, somebody else is also paying for some of the electricity for charging, or else it's more expensive than buying gas at current prices if the QCs are priced to be profitable.

Given sufficient energy replenishment infrastructure of both types, I've long said that PHFCEVs (once the prices of both batteries and FCs have come down enough) are the way to go (assuming batteries don't improve to the point where they can compete directly with liquid or gaseous fuels in the areas I mentioned), as it plays to the strengths of both batteries and FCEVs. But as we've had that argument many, many times before, no point in repeating it.
 
Back on topic...

My wife has a 2018 Outlander phev. We got a great deal on it near the end of last year. Combined with my Leaf we have been able to do about 90% of our driving with electricity.

She gets about 32mpg on road trips on the interstate going 75mph and about 17-25 miles of all electric range for the daily commute and around town depending on the season and traffic conditions. With her daily round trip of 10 miles we typically only use gas when we go out of town.

It has good storage, a comfortable interior, Bluetooth audio streaming music, all wheel drive, Android auto, heated seats and a great warranty.

We can also add about 300 miles of range in roughly 2 minutes at the numerous gas station we pass while on long trips (Take that supercharger network). Overall we've been very happy with the purchase.

It's actually made me consider replacing my Leaf with a used BMW I3 REX when my winter range finally gets too low for my commute.
 
It's actually made me consider replacing my Leaf with a used BMW i3 REX when my winter range finally gets too low for my commute.

Bad, bad idea. Cwerdna has been following those beasties on Facebook, and the reliability of the Rex version is terrible. Not only that, but most of the issues seem to brick the car on the spot - even when that spot is a highway. I'm sure he'll be here with links and Tales Of Horror later.

On the bright side, you'd likely be able to find one cheap. ;)
 
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