 2012 Chevrolet Volt; photo by James Bergeron. Click image to enlarge |
By Paul Williams
Recently, I was behind the wheel of that eco-transport marvel, the Chevrolet Volt. It’s a fascinating car for many reasons, not the least of which is that General Motors actually pulled it off. Here it is, ready to go, and although it differs somewhat from the initial concept presented at the 2007 Detroit auto show, the company should be congratulated on its achievement.
In the intervening years, however, some very interesting things have been happening with “eco” vehicles, which maybe the Volt’s originators anticipated.
Hybrids, especially, are hitting a wall (figuratively, that is) with their fuel consumption numbers and their price. Many now deliver fuel consumption below 5.0 L/100 km (according to the official estimates (Canada’s official fuel consumption estimates are facing criticism for being 15-25 percent too generous, according to the Automobile Protection Agency. “Real world” experience may not match the numbers given in this article), but prices are still hovering between $24,000 – $40,000 or more. Inquiring minds want to know: for mainstream consumers… just how much more fuel efficient and economical can hybrid family transportation become? Are we at its limit? And if so, given new developments with “traditional” gasoline engines, what does that mean for hybrids in general?
 2006 Honda Insight; photo by Peter Bleakney. Click image to enlarge |
After all, just over a decade ago, the official fuel consumption estimate for Honda’s Insight hybrid was 3.9L/100 km (the Insight was the world’s most fuel efficient production car for years, and Honda arguably kept building it for that reason alone). But the Insight was a little two-seat vehicle, super-lightweight, with polarizing design and possessing nowhere near the crash-resistance and convenience items that governments and consumers now require.
However, twelve years later, 3.9L/100 km is still amazing fuel economy, so it’s a huge achievement to even come close to that level in much heavier, larger vehicles that satisfy modern crash test and recycling requirements, accommodate five people and their cargo, include navigation systems, multiple airbags, premium interiors and other conveniences that we all now want in our vehicles. And, of course we want the price down, too.
As optimistically — and, it turns out, correctly — predicted a decade ago, there are several such vehicles on the market now, and hybrids have led the way. Toyota’s Camry Hybrid (5.7/4.7L/100km) and Prius (3.7/4.0), the Honda Civic Hybrid (4.7/4.2) and the Kia Optima/Hyundai Sonata hybrid sedans (5.5/4.6) are examples.
 2010 Toyota Prius; photo by Chris Chase. Click image to enlarge |
But an emerging issue for hybrids (some might say the issue) is the comparatively recent introduction by many manufacturers of new gasoline direct injected engines (GDIs), some turbocharged, that make ridiculous amounts of horsepower and torque, sip fuel like it’s the non-renewable resource that it is, and possess ultra-low emissions vehicle (ULEV) and even partial zero emissions (PZEV) credentials. The use of these engines is becoming widespread in mainstream vehicles, especially from automakers that are not wedded to hybrids, and many can be bought for less than an equivalent hybrid. What will be the impact of this technology on the proliferation of hybrids in the future?
And yes, I know there are diesels to consider. We’ll get to those.
However, to backtrack a little, it was also suggested a decade ago that hybrid vehicles were a transitional technology, maybe leading to hydrogen-powered cars that were expected around 2010. Clearly we’re not seeing hydrogen powered cars yet, and talk of hydrogen by car manufacturers has died down to a whisper these days, if it is mentioned at all. But along with the hydrogen conversation, many in the industry were also voicing the opinion that there is life yet in the internal combustion engine (ICE), and that the simplest “solution” to emissions and fuel efficiency (and dependency) issues is to further refine this tried and true technology.
Indeed, the GDI engine may be that technology. It’s popping up everywhere, with one of the first to market being Volkswagen’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder, turbocharged 2.0-litre TSI that makes 200 horsepower, 207 pound-feet of torque and returns 7.6L/100 km combined city/highway. (The “combined” number is generated by multiplying the “city” number by 0.55, and the “highway” number by 0.45. Then adding the two results. The idea is that the “average” driver spends 55-percent of the time in the city, and 45-percent on the highway.)
Ford’s “Ecoboost” engines use the same idea, and they’re available in four and six-cylinder versions, with a mighty three-cylinder on the way. So far, Ford is using them to power trucks like the F-150 and big SUVs like the Explorer, along with performance cars like the Taurus SHO and upcoming Focus ST-R. However, in 2013, you’ll find them in the popular Ford Escape.
 2011 Kia Optima turbo; photo by Chris Chase. Click image to enlarge |
Hyundai and Kia are now offering a terrific 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged GDI engine in their Sonata and Optima sedans respectively, and it makes a whopping 274 hp and 269 lb.-ft. of torque, while returning a stingy 6.0 L/100 km when highway driving (7.8 L/100 km combined). Even in town, these vehicles (and they’re large, well-equipped vehicles) are rated at only 9.3 L/100 km. The non-turbocharged, 190-hp, 2.4-litre GDI makes 198 hp and returns 8.7/5.7 L/100 km city/highway, or 7.3 L/100 km combined.
For 2012, BMW’s new 2.0-litre turbocharged GDI takes over from the six-cylinder engine of the 328i luxury compact sedan. It makes 240 hp/260 lb.-ft. of torque and returns 8.0 L/100 km city and an astonishing 5.2 L/100 km highway (6.8 L/100 km combined). BMW, by the way, is releasing an ActiveHybrid version of its 3 Series later in 2012, but given the efficiency of its GDI engine, one has to ask, “Why bother?”
Mazda’s new “Skyactiv” engines use the same type of technology, but the company has focused on increasing compression ratios and build tolerances so that their new 2.0-litre Skyactiv, 155-hp, fuel-sipping, non-turbocharged engine is available with no price penalty over last year’s equivalent Mazda3, and it returns 7.1/5.0 L/100 km (6.2 L/100 km, combined).
 2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI; photo by Jil McIntosh. Click image to enlarge |
Granted, these are not quite hybrid fuel economy numbers, but the key things to remember are that these engines give you real power — equivalent to V6 power; even V8 power — from small displacement, emissions compliant, extremely fuel efficient engines, many of which don’t even require Premium fuel.
Furthermore, yes, diesels are back. Volkswagen’s latest turbo-direct injected (there’s that technology, again) diesels as found in the 2012 Passat mid-size sedan, produce prodigious power and extraordinary fuel economy (a genuine 4.5 L/100 km on the highway, 5.6 L/100 km combined).
Mazda, too, is introducing its new Skyactiv diesels to North America. The company reports that these engines deliver 30 per cent better fuel economy than the outgoing versions of their equivalent European and Asian diesels, make more power and are cleaner.
Again, where does all this leave hybrids?
As you may know, hybrid vehicles use a combination of gasoline engine and electric motor(s) to drive the vehicle. The engine is powered with gasoline and the motor gets it power from a large battery that is recharged through regenerative braking. They supplement each other as you drive around, via a complex system of powertrain management that is largely transparent to the driver.
This technology is expensive, and even though the cost of hybrids has come down since their introduction just over a decade ago, you will still pay a considerable premium for such a vehicle. The least expensive 2012 Honda Civic, for example, can be bought for $14,990; the hybrid version starts at $27,350. Likewise, a Toyota Highlander SUV starts at $31,675 ($35,925 for the 4WD V6) and a Highlander Hybrid 4WD begins at $42,990. The Chevrolet Silverado hybrid pickup truck is nearly twice the price of the base Silverado.
Here’s another thing to note, given that we’re comparison shopping: the 2012 Honda Civic is extremely fuel efficient, even though it’s still using a non-GDI engine (7.2/5.0 L /100 km, city/hwy; 6.2 L/100 km combined), so why is it worth spending an extra $12,360 on an under-powered hybrid version of an already fuel efficient compact car with a useful 140 hp?
 2012 Honda Civic EX; photo by Greg Wilson. Click image to enlarge |
From the manufacturer’s perspective, including highly fuel efficient hybrids in their fleet contributes to overall government-mandated fuel consumption targets, but from the consumer’s perspective, maybe there are better options.
And with such impressive results generated by the new (and still improving) GDI technology, we return to the key hybrid question: Just what kind of fuel efficiency is possible for a family-type hybrid vehicle? I mean, how low can it realistically go?
I put these questions to a Toyota executive recently, who agreed that this is a conversation in which the company is engaged. He said the direction from this point forward — the next step, in other words — is plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs). Indeed, a plug-in Prius is forthcoming, as is a plug-in C-MAX from Ford (the C-MAX Energi) along with plug-ins from other manufacturers.
It makes some sense. A PHEV is a vehicle that operates similarly to what has become a “conventional” full (or two-mode) hybrid, but you can recharge the battery by plugging it in to a 110/220-volt outlet. Then you can conceivably run the car exclusively in EV mode as long as you don’t drive too far. The Volt, described by GM as an electric vehicle with extended range, is a type of PHEV, although its wheels are always powered by electricity (GM calls its system “Voltec”).
 Toyota Prius PHV; photo courtesy Toyota. Click image to enlarge |
Either way, driving in EV mode, of course, obviates the need to use gasoline, until you want to take a longer trip. In such an event, after your battery is depleted, the PHEV’s electric and gasoline systems supplement each other, providing normal ICE range. Around town you get killer fuel economy from electricity (0 L/100 km is possible); and on the highway, you get range from gasoline. This could be a winning combination: a motor for in-town; a gasoline engine for highway, and it does seem a logical evolution from earlier hybrid systems.
Granted, you’re going to have to pay for the electricity, but GM, for instance, says that overall, this will cost you about one-sixth to one-quarter of the amount required to run a similar sized vehicle on gasoline alone (depending on where you live in Canada, and when you source the electricity). And there’s an argument that an increasing amount of this electricity may be produced using renewable resources (wind, solar). The Volt’s battery, by the way, is good for about 40-80 km, depending on how it’s driven (I got 46.9 km), and when using gasoline, it returned about 5.6 L/100 km on my 400-km highway loop (comparable to many GDIs, I should point out).
This all sounds good, and these are early days for vehicles of this type. You can expect, however, that such vehicles will be even more expensive than non-plug-in hybrids (the Volt starts at $43,000), and that they’ll continue the hybrid penalties of high weight, complexity, and comparatively inferior acceleration and passing power. The new lithium batteries (replacing nickel-metal hydride) associated with PHEVs and EVs are also expensive and have a limited track record so far. (The Volt is currently being investigated for spontaneously combusting after crash-testing. It’s an unfortunate beginning for the vehicle, which is experiencing a “lukewarm” reception since its introduction in the US.)
 2012 Infiniti M35h; photo by Chris Chase. Click image to enlarge |
This is not to say that hybrids in general are disappearing overnight. Some manufacturers are introducing new hybrids and others are broadening their line-up of hybrid vehicles, perhaps deliberately compromising fuel economy in favour of more character and drivability. Recent examples of the latter are the Honda CR-Z, Infiniti M Hybrid and Lexus CT200h. And yet others, the Korean manufacturers especially, are converting GDI engines and integrating them into a hybrid system. You get more power that way, along with fuel efficiency, so this may be a trend to watch. And luxury makers like Porsche and BMW do offer some hybrid variants of their high-performance models, reducing fuel consumption somewhat.
However, while Honda, Toyota and Infiniti are introducing new, sportier, hybrids, the Ford Escape Hybrid, a vehicle that appropriately put a hybrid drive-train in Canada’s most popular compact SUV, is no more. As of the 2013 model year, Ford has walked away from the Escape Hybrid in favour of their new Ecoboost GDI engines for this model.
 2012 Nissan Leaf; photo by Paul Williams. Click image to enlarge |
The Nissan Altima Hybrid is also no longer available. Mr. Ghosn (Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan) was never really sold on hybrids, anyway, and his company is now going full bore into the dedicated EV market with the Nissan Leaf. It, of course, has its own challenges, mainly centering on the vehicle’s range. Is a pure electric vehicle feasible as mainstream transportation technology? Everyone wants to know, and many manufacturers are arguably hedging their bets with EVs of their own, just in case.
The Saturn Vue Greenline? Well, Saturn’s finished and so is the Vue Greenline. But the Chevrolet Equinox version, expected to debut in 2011, didn’t materialize. Malibu hybrid? Gone, too, at least for the time being (GM’s eAssist “mild hybrid” technology is expected in the 2013 Malibu and is already available in the Buick Regal).
And how about this? Toyota has just inked a deal with BMW to use its diesel engines in Toyota products. Not to imply that Toyota is retreating from hybrids (now that would be news!), but for years, you couldn’t get a Toyota executive to even say the “d-word,” such was their disdain for the technology. But things apparently are changing.
For the here and now, as much as I like some hybrid vehicles, and as intrigued as I am with the Chevrolet Volt (which is unique on the market thus far), and as happy as I am to test drive the available hybrids and plug-in hybrids as they enter the market, personally, I’d suggest that cost-conscious consumers look at vehicles with a turbocharged GDI engine for high performance and fuel economy, or a non-turbocharged GDI for still superior power and very low running costs, at least for the time being. Such vehicles are also more fun to drive than your average hybrid has been thus far.
I’d also recommend diesels, but it’s an uphill battle getting diesel product in Canada, as the US market has historically not been receptive to them (and here in Canada, we typically get what the US market wants). However, Volkswagen’s doing well with its TDI models; let’s see how Mazda does, if they make their Skyactiv diesels widely available.
As far as PHEVs are concerned, they will become more widely available, but their relevance for consumers is compromised by the fact that many people don’t have a place to plug them in. People who park on the street are out of luck, those without a garage will also have trouble (220V systems must be inside; likewise 110V outlets, says the Volt instruction manual). Apartment dwellers may also face resistance from tenants who don’t want to pay common electricity fees when some residents are charging their cars. Both EVs and PHEVs will need a better system of recharging to become relevant to mainstream consumers. Until then, you’ll need an outlet and discipline to continually plug in your car.
But whichever way you (and the industry) go, one thing’s for sure: when it comes to personal transportation, we’re getting to the limits of fuel efficiency no matter what the technology. After all, moving 1,500 kilograms of vehicle requires a given amount of energy, and even a little 750-kg Smart needs a stated 5.4 L/100 km combined to keep it going.
At this point, anything around a combined 6.0 L/100 km combined is excellent. Cost conscious mainstream car consumers should target that kind of fuel consumption with the most power, and the best array of features, at the lowest price.
