Is a hybrid suitable for my commute?

[Duke Caboom]

I've been seconded to another location, increasing my commute significantly. I'm therefore looking at buying a car for the commute which is reasonably economic and reasonably interesting.

The new commute is 62 miles round trip. 10 miles is at about 70, this is the only time I exceed 2000rpm, the rest is on flowing country roads at between 40 and 55. On the whole 31 mile journey there are 3 T junctions, but often I don't have to stop at them.

The trip is so benign that my E46 330i (petrol, NA, lardy convertible) averages 37mpg and, if I don't get over excited for the twisty bit near the dinosaur park, occasionally exceeds 40. I just bowl along in 6th, clicking the cruise on and off. There isn't much braking, but lots of coasting into tight corners, down gentle hills and into speed limit changes for villages.

Obviously a medium-sized diesel would lap this up, but I wondered if hybrid might be interesting.

How much regenerative braking would they get on fairly gentle overrun?

Would the small battery ones - Honda CR-Z, BMW 330e etc - actually behave like hybrids, or would they very quickly use up the battery and just become overweight petrol cars?

How would the lack of braking opportunities effect range on a more substantial battery? The car is garaged each night so I could go for a plug in.

Thanks

[Whataguy]

From 20k miles of driving a Mk4 Jazz hybrid, I found that motorway was only 50mpg but country roads were 70mpg.

Hybrids work very well on country roads, but get poor mpg at long motorway stretches.

[smn159]

Full electric would work for that commute

[CheesecakeRunner]

As you can garage and charge have you considered an actual EV? That sort of commute is easily doable by even the smallest battery cars.

[dvs_dave]

Agreed, ideal usage profile for an EV. Can you charge at home and/or work?

[Duke Caboom]

Thanks for all the replies. I have considered a full EV. There is an issue around man maths as this will be a fourth car. I'm not sure there is an EV that I'd find sufficiently interesting that makes the sums work. Maybe an i3 but it's a stretch.

Exciting to hear hybrids suit country roads.

Edited by Duke Caboom on Sunday 29th January 12:47

[covmutley]

I had an i3, and its a very good car. But it's a city car I think. It wasn't the most stable on the motorway (I think due to being high sided) but fine.

Not sure if part of your country roads is lanes, but it really didn't like the rural lanes around me. Very skittish.

I had the rex version and bought it to do a 90 mile commute, which was costing me about £3. I'm back in a diesel now and thought I would go ev again soon, but looking at the prices and electricity cost, I think I will be diesel for a while yet.

Edited by covmutley on Sunday 29th January 08:41

[Minsky]

Depends on your budget but a EV sounds the better option. Almost anything would achieve it from a mk2 leaf upwards.
A little Zoe for a couple of hundred would be great or you could think about combining 2 of your existing fleet into something - the Kia e Niro is a lovely family car as a daily and has a useful 250 real world range

[DMZ]

Duke Caboom said:

Thanks for all the replies. I have considered a full EV. There is an issue around man maths as this will be a fourth car. I'm not sure there is an EV that I'd find sufficiently interesting that makes the sums work. Maybe an i3 but its a stretch.

Exciting to here hybrids suit country roads.

The i3 would at least add something different to the fleet and it’s a nice car to drive. It’s the only EV that feels properly agile on a road due to its low weight. I would take one for a spin at least.

[Duke Caboom]

Thanks for ideas. Have started i3 thread here https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

But it looks very tempting.