Gas Mileage for Future Hybrids

The goal of automakers from Ford© to Toyota© in the near future will be to achieve the highest hybrid vehicle mileage possible.  In order to see where hybrid vehicle mileage will go in the next decade, we can look at planned hybrids from the world’s major automakers.  

The Hybrid Vehicle Mileage for the Toyota FT-HS®

The Toyota FT-HS® (Future Toyota-Hybrid Sports) is a powerful two-door coupe that blends sportiness with hybrid energy.  The Toyota FT-HS® was introduced at the North American International Auto Show in 2007 as the automaker’s next step in hybrid drive technology.  While this sporty coupe features Toyota’s© Hybrid Synergy Drive system®, the FT-HS® looks like a harbinger of a sportier future for the automaker.  

The Toyota FT-HS® (http://www.toyota.com/concept-vehicles/fths.html) features a 3.5 liter, V6 engine that can accelerate from zero to 60 in just over four seconds.  The sleek interior includes four seats, a well-appointed dashboard, and trim and good sight lines for safe driving.  Toyota© has been accused of sacrificing hybrid vehicle mileage for style in the FT-HS®, which is projected to get a mere 25 miles per gallon.  The Toyota FT-HS® is still in the prototype phase with some industry experts claiming that Toyota is holding off on production until the design is further refined.  

The Hybrid Vehicle Mileage for the Chevy Volt®

General Motors© has hammered the public with advertisements, presentations and even songs about its upcoming release of the Chevy Volt®.  The automaker is proud of the Volt® because it represents a bridge between traditional and alternative-fuel vehicles still lacking in the global auto industry.  The Chevy Volt® is a sizable four-door sedan that can achieve up to 150 miles per gallon due to an innovative hybrid drive system.  

The Chevy Volt® (http://www.chevrolet.com/pages/open/default/fuel/electric.do) is powered by a 53 kW generator, a 1.0-liter engine, and a 136 kW lithium ion battery.  The battery can be charged to full capacity by a 110-volt electrical outlet within six hours.  The main selling point of the Chevy Volt® is its ability to drive up to 40 miles without using a single drop of gasoline.  Once the battery has been exhausted, the Chevy Volt® uses a 12-gallon gas tank that can last up to 640 miles as the battery kicks in and out.  The lithium-ion battery is recharged by energy built from frequent stops and brakes through the regenerative braking system.  The Volt’s® future is up in the air with the automaker in financial limbo but many feel that this car can keep the American auto industry afloat in the near future.  

The Hybrid Vehicle Mileage for the Ford Airstream®

Ford Motor Company© has not been content to let General Motors© and other automakers improve hybrid vehicle mileage.  In addition to “mild” hybrids like the Ford Escape Hybrid®, the automaker has built prototypes for hybrid vehicles like the Ford Airstream®.  The Ford Airstream® is a concept wagon that premiered next to the Toyota FT-HS® at the 2007 North American International Auto Show.  This two-door wagon features Ford’s© HySeries fuel cell engine which uses a combination of battery and hydrogen power to reach 174 horsepower.  

The Ford Airstream® can travel up to 25 miles on the all-electric power of a 16kW lithium-ion battery.  Once the battery has been depleted, the HySeries engine draws on hydrogen fuel cells to power the vehicle until the battery is recharged.  The HySeries engine allows the recharging battery to operate at diminished capacity until a proper charging session, saving the battery from wear and tear.  Ford© has indicated that the Airstream© reaches an equivalent fuel mileage of 41 miles per gallon, a considerable improvement on hybrid vehicle mileage in similarly sized prototypes.

The Hybrid Vehicle Mileage for the 2010 Toyota Prius®

The Toyota Prius® has been the gold standard for hybrid vehicle mileage in the United States since debuting in 2001.  The Prius® has allowed the Japanese automaker to test out its Hybrid Synergy Drive system in a mid-sized sedan that is easy to market to families, commuters, and frequent travelers.  Toyota© is building off the popularity of the Prius® in the 2010 model year by improving hybrid vehicle mileage while keeping the car’s popular features.  

The 2010 Toyota Prius® (http://www.toyota.com/prius-hybrid/) features a 1.8-liter, 98 horsepower engine that works in unison with the Hybrid Synergy System to achieve high fuel mileage.  The 2010 model will be capable of reaching 50 miles per gallon combined, which is a four-mile improvement on previous generations.  Toyota© swapped out the clunky batteries used in past Prius® models for a lighter battery pack that cuts down on vehicle weight.  The 2010 Toyota Prius® will also be available with features like LED lights that can reduce energy usage significantly.  The future is bright for the Toyota Prius® with the potential for solar paneling, plug-in capability, and other features to improve hybrid vehicle mileage.  

The Hybrid Vehicle Mileage for the Hyundai Nuvis®

The Hyundai Nuvis® (http://www.hyundainuvis.com/) is a crossover vehicle from an automaker that is gradually catching up to Toyota©, Honda© and others for market share.  The Nuvis® features flip-up doors, stylish interior features and an aerodynamic profile to mix form and function.  Hyundai© also updated its engine management software to reduce engine use when possible to achieve hybrid vehicle mileage.  

Hyundai© researchers have indicated that the Nuvis® can reach 34 miles per gallon in the city and 35 MPG highway.  These numbers are possible due to an innovative lithium-polymer battery that has more capacity and less weight than competing packs.  Hyundai© coupled this battery pack with a 30kW electric motor and a 228-horsepower engine to make sure hybrid vehicle mileage was not achieved at the expense of power.  While the Hyundai Nuvis® is just a prototype at this point, the production version of the automaker’s hybrid drive train should make its next generation of vehicles competitive.  

Hybrid Offerings from Smaller Automakers

The big automakers are not exclusive in their search for hybrid vehicle fuel mileage.  Lighting Hybrids© in Colorado has developed the FH4, a prototype with a hybrid drive train that may be able to reach 100 miles per gallon.  The Progressive Automotive X Prize© (http://www.progressiveautoxprize.org/) is an event held each year that offers a $10 million prize to any automaker who can create a vehicle that reaches 100 miles per gallon over an arduous test course.  While the Toyota Prius® and the Chevy Volt® may be the present in hybrid vehicles, the future of hybrid vehicle mileage may rest with smaller automakers.