26 Jun
2007
26 Jun
'07
2:29 a.m.
On Tuesday 26 June 2007 02:29:36 John Foust wrote:
At 12:14 PM 6/25/2007, Liam Proven wrote:
Can't help but wonder how more efficient a Prius would be if it didn't have
all this un-necessary heavy crap and batteries and screens, and just had a
nice little 1.4 diesel engine.
The average fuel consumption for them seems to be about 45mpg. If my
girlfriend's VW Polo (about the same size) got through fuel that fast, I'd be
looking for little petrolly puddles underneath it.
Gordon
The real point is that the Windows "start
button" is not analagous or
homologous to a mechanical start button on an engine. You may as well
compare a button on Windows to a button on your cardigan. They're both
"buttons" but they have nothing in common.
Just to confuse matters, today's hybrid Toyota Prius does not
require the "key" in the "ignition" - it will start if it
detects the key in your pocket - and the "start" button
is up on the dash, a round button perhaps 1 1/2" in size,
with the circle-with-a-vertical-line icon on it. But it
won't start unless your foot is on the brake. Then you can
move the (clearly electronic) gear shift into forward or reverse.
There's a separate rectangular "Park" button. And when you pull
up to a stop light, you can feel the entire car shut down
except for the accessory power.
There's a central 4x6" video display, too. Shows a rear-view video
when you're in reverse, while you're driving it has all sorts of
MPG monitoring graphs and animated graphics.