Can Hybrids Be More Reliable than ICE cars?

[desura]

Basically, hybrid cars on the surface seem more complex than ICE cars because you have two drivetrain systems going on. However, ICE is actually extremely complicated and is a whir of moving parts in comparison to an electric propulsion system which is actually extremely simple.

So ideally a hybrid system can spare the ICE engine part of it the strain of city-driving, and that probably goes a long way to more reliability. Otherwise, like the coupling of the electric and gas engines is no more complicated than like a 4wd/AWD system.

Could this be true? I've been looking at like Prius reliability reports. It seems pretty reliable, though I"m not sure how it really compares to like a Toyota Corolla.

 

[Thegonagle]

The Prius is reliable because there's not much to go wrong inside the transmission (AKA, the "Hybrid Synergy Drive" system), the engine is as good as any other, and Toyota managed to make the high-voltage electrical system robust as well.

The electrical system is the most important, because if the two motor-generators or the computer that controls them aren't working properly, the car literally won't move at all, even if the engine and transmission are mechanically perfect. I'm glad Toyota's (and others') electrical systems have proven pretty reliable from the get-go.

I think the electrical components had to be over-engineered in the name of safety (you don't want components overheating and possibly catching fire), which also resulted in them being very reliable.

 

[slugg]

Remember, folks....

 

[desy]

Didn't we just do this one?
As in you just asked the same question before?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Basically, hybrid cars on the surface seem more complex than ICE cars because you have two drivetrain systems going on. However, ICE is actually extremely complicated and is a whir of moving parts in comparison to an electric propulsion system which is actually extremely simple.

So ideally a hybrid system can spare the ICE engine part of it the strain of city-driving, and that probably goes a long way to more reliability. Otherwise, like the coupling of the electric and gas engines is no more complicated than like a 4wd/AWD system.

Could this be true? I've been looking at like Prius reliability reports. It seems pretty reliable, though I"m not sure how it really compares to like a Toyota Corolla.

Considering a Corolla is rated at 27 mpg city/34 mpg highway and the Prius is rated at 51 city/48 highway there is a substantial fuel savings difference between the two vehicles. I'd say as far as reliability the Prius is probably at least as reliable as a Corolla... maybe even moreso. I've heard reports of hybrid owners going 150,000 miles on the original brakes because of the low usage due to the regenerative braking system.

 

[mmntech]

Remember, folks....

Lol. Jeremy Clarkson is my new idol.
Wish I had Clarkson's attitude, May's voice, and Hammond's enthusiasm. :thumbsup:

The Priuses (Prii?) do seem to be fairly reliable. Electric power trains don't have a lot of moving parts to fail. Though my general attitude is the more stuff you add to a vehicle, the more there is to go wrong.

 

[desura]

Lol. Jeremy Clarkson is my new idol.
Wish I had Clarkson's attitude, May's voice, and Hammond's enthusiasm. :thumbsup:

The Priuses (Prii?) do seem to be fairly reliable. Electric power trains don't have a lot of moving parts to fail. Though my general attitude is the more stuff you add to a vehicle, the more there is to go wrong.

Eh, but on analysis, the prius's additional systems are of the *very* reliable electric motor, and it offloads strain from the very complicated ICE engine. That's what I'm trying to get at. the Prius should actually be more reliable than a Corolla.

 

[HarryLui]

Considering a Corolla is rated at 27 mpg city/34 mpg highway and the Prius is rated at 51 city/48 highway there is a substantial fuel savings difference between the two vehicles.

Rough calculation, Corolla price is $16230 and Prius price is $24200.

$7970 buys a lot of gas. If gas is fixed at $4 a gal, and you drive 15,000 miles a year. It'll take over 10 years to get that $8000 back in your pocket.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/savemoney.shtml

 

[jagec]

The Prius is actually closer to the Camry as far as interior space is concerned.

 

[desura]

Rough calculation, Corolla price is $16230 and Prius price is $24200.

$7970 buys a lot of gas. If gas is fixed at $4 a gal, and you drive 15,000 miles a year. It'll take over 10 years to get that $8000 back in your pocket.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/savemoney.shtml

I'm intrigued by the possibility of a hybrid requiring less maintenance than an ICE car like the Corolla, due to decreased wear and tear on the very complicated gas engine.

also, the hybrid seems to offer more cargo space than a corolla...

 

[ElFenix]

Considering a Corolla is rated at 27 mpg city/34 mpg highway and the Prius is rated at 51 city/48 highway there is a substantial fuel savings difference between the two vehicles. I'd say as far as reliability the Prius is probably at least as reliable as a Corolla... maybe even moreso. I've heard reports of hybrid owners going 150,000 miles on the original brakes because of the low usage due to the regenerative braking system.

meh, mom's nearing 120,000 on the original brakes on a 6000 lb SUV. only 25% more ain't nothin' special.

 

[JulesMaximus]

meh, mom's nearing 120,000 on the original brakes on a 6000 lb SUV. only 25% more ain't nothin' special.

She must live in one of them flat flyover states. My wife has just over 100k on her Lexus and she's had a couple complete brake jobs already. I had a Toyota Tundra and had new front brakes put on it at 35k miles.

Rough calculation, Corolla price is $16230 and Prius price is $24200.

$7970 buys a lot of gas. If gas is fixed at $4 a gal, and you drive 15,000 miles a year. It'll take over 10 years to get that $8000 back in your pocket.

My Camry Hybrid is roomy, comfortable, efficient, it has a large trunk and it is faster than the 4 cylinder Camry. Sure it cost a couple Gs more but when factoring in the fuel savings it was a wash over the term I financed the car. Would I rather pay a higher car payment or pay the gas companies? If I keep it past when I pay it off the fuel efficiency is just added money in my pocket.

Midsize sedans were always what I was in the market for. The Prius wasn't really a contender nor was the Corolla.

 

[schneiderguy]

Considering a Corolla is rated at 27 mpg city/34 mpg highway and the Prius is rated at 51 city/48 highway there is a substantial fuel savings difference between the two vehicles. I'd say as far as reliability the Prius is probably at least as reliable as a Corolla... maybe even moreso. I've heard reports of hybrid owners going 150,000 miles on the original brakes because of the low usage due to the regenerative braking system.

My Dad is at 205k on the original brakes with his Prius.

 

[JeepinEd]

Considering a Corolla is rated at 27 mpg city/34 mpg highway and the Prius is rated at 51 city/48 highway there is a substantial fuel savings difference between the two vehicles. I'd say as far as reliability the Prius is probably at least as reliable as a Corolla... maybe even moreso. I've heard reports of hybrid owners going 150,000 miles on the original brakes because of the low usage due to the regenerative braking system.

My '08 Prius has around 200K miles and I just changed the front brakes. The rear brakes are still in good shape. I do all my own work on it, but aside from oil an oil change/tire rotation every 7K miles (Mobil 1 Synthetic), the only other work I've done on it is:

Front brake replacement
Transaxle fluid change
coolant flush
brake fluid flush (had to have the dealer do this)
replaced spark plugs
replaced pcv valve (just figured it was time)
cleaned the throttle body

That's it. - oh, a few burnt out light bulbs and new tires.

Not too bad. This is my 2nd Prius. I had a Gen 1 that I traded in at 230K miles with even less service done to it.

 

[JTsyo]

My '08 Prius has around 200K miles and I just changed the front brakes. The rear brakes are still in good shape. I do all my own work on it, but aside from oil an oil change/tire rotation every 7K miles (Mobil 1 Synthetic), the only other work I've done on it is:

Front brake replacement
Transaxle fluid change
coolant flush
brake fluid flush (had to have the dealer do this)
replaced spark plugs
replaced pcv valve (just figured it was time)
cleaned the throttle body

That's it. - oh, a few burnt out light bulbs and new tires.

Not too bad. This is my 2nd Prius. I had a Gen 1 that I traded in at 230K miles with even less service done to it.

:thumbsup: awesome! Hope my Fusion hybrid does as well.

 

[Doppel]

Transmission reliable as hell in Prius, brakes last forever, and I have to assume that the substantial reduction in fuel correlates with a lot less wear on the engine over the years.

The Prius has proven itself among those who pay any attention at all (and are not butthurt anti-hybrid fools) to be extremely reliable of its now decade+ lifespan.

I'm interested in seeing how electric cars turn out. Numbers already generated by researches indicate what one would expect: Great reliability. Battery longevity aside, you look at a car such as the Nissan Leaf and there is just a hell of a lot less to go wrong. Look at JeepinEd's Prius for example in comparison. The Leaf has brakes, and various other fluids, but no spark plugs, no pcv valve, no throttle body. You'll never replace a catalytic converter. Like the third gen Prius, no drive belts, either. And with regen of braking more aggressive in electric cars, the brakes should last even longer. I imagine you'll find them good for life of the car in a lot of cases.