[Mr. Bigglesworth]

As more manufacturers are producing EV's and hybrids in their larger offerings, fuel economy is going up quite a bit in the sector.

You now have full size trucks like the F-150 getting a solid 20MPG+ in hybrid form, or going full electric as an EV.

However, you don't see many in commercial use, and overall they make up a very small portion of the sales, as they are quite expensive.

With that being said, do people actually care what kind of fuel economy their Escalade ESV gets? Or their RAM 1500? It's a giant brick with a V8 (usually), often four wheel drive, is poor fuel mileage expected and just passed off as part of the experience?

 

[masa8888]

If it's a daily, then yes I actually care about fuel economy. Going from 12mpg to 20mpg makes a pretty big difference. If it's not a daily, then fuel economy falls far down the list of priorities. My Bronco gets 12mpg on a good day, but it also only gets driven once or twice a week, so it's inconsequential.

 

[2 doors]

My biggest car is now a hybrid. Fullsize, V8 powered trucks and SUVs have been 2nd or 3rd vehicles for me since 1997, so fuel ecomomy is far down the list. Besides, my bar was set at 10-11mpg, so anything above that is gravy in my books.

 

[Maximum_Download]

It depends. If the vehicle fits a certain need and the fuel economy is as good as can be expected (let's say a Suburban 2500), then no, it's all relative. (Meaning 15 is better than 13 but otherwise it's a non-issue.)

Since I have gone PHEV and some of those vehicles are capable of high MPG depending on how you use them, I am becoming acutely aware of how wasteful large vehicles are with ICE engines. THings like sitting at a traffic light while the engine hums away is really chapping my *** now where it wasn't before. Buying a vehicle with 15 mpg isn't a big deal at a certain gas price, but when that price doubles or more during my ownership, even though I can technically afford it, it causes me to rethink my approach.

And since I don't have a need for a gigantic pickup truck, I also don't see the appeal. The closest truck to me needs would be the F-150 Powerboost hybrid.

 

[ghost03]

Yes, I care a lot, for a few reasons:

1. I'm a nerd and efficiency is fascinating.
2. I like polar bears a lot.
3. Because I move heavy stuff long distances, I'm what California would call a 'superuser'. If I can cut 10%, that's probably more fuel/carbon than an average driver saving 50%.

That said, as with the Powerstroke vs. 7.3 discussion (that maybe inspired this?), there's boundaries on the practicality of all of that and current fuel prices make it nearly impossible to justify diesel 3/4 tons. I would definitely be willing to pay extra for some batteries to absorb some downhill energy and feed it back uphill though.

 

[adam1991]

absolutely yes.

After 20 years of Honda Odysseys getting 13mpg around town and maybe breaking 20 on the highway (sticker numbers are for suckers), I was happy to get a PHEV van to solve that problem. Also, it looks and drives better than the Honda.

Otherwise, we wouldn't have gotten a van.

 

[Maximum_Download]

Yes, I care a lot, for a few reasons:

1. I'm a nerd and efficiency is fascinating.
2. I like polar bears a lot.
3. Because I move heavy stuff long distances, I'm what California would call a 'superuser'. If I can cut 10%, that's probably more fuel/carbon than an average driver saving 50%.

That said, as with the Powerstroke vs. 7.3 discussion (that maybe inspired this?), there's boundaries on the practicality of all of that and current fuel prices make it nearly impossible to justify diesel 3/4 tons. I would definitely be willing to pay extra for some batteries to absorb some downhill energy and feed it back uphill though.

Diesel bros drive me up the blanking wall. I am so done with diesel even at the full size truck level.

I want to see hybridized options at the full size truck level. I feel Toyota has been pulling punches with their hybrid systems.

 

[ghost03]

I feel Toyota has been pulling punches with their hybrid systems.

Whoa hold up. I said I want batteries in my 3/4 ton not a Toyota badge.

 

[vwishndaetr]

Short answer: Yes.

But my current situation also includes just under 80mi of commuting per day.

 

[Senior Member]

Everyone should care. The days of 6 liter, 190 hp and 8mpg are over.

 

[MandatoryOutsidePossum]

No, and my new hybrid maybe kind of sucks so if I did things again I'd just get ye olde V8.

 

[Maximum_Download]

Whoa hold up. I said I want batteries in my 3/4 ton not a Toyota badge.

Let me clarify:

I think Toyota's hybrid solutions should be scaled up. Ford licensed it...imagine how good a 5.0L F-150 could be with a standard Toyota hybrid system on it.

 

[ghost03]

Let me clarify:

I think Toyota's hybrid solutions should be scaled up. Ford licensed it...imagine how good a 5.0L F-150 could be with a standard Toyota hybrid system on it.

I really don't know that it would be though. Big problem with heavy stuff is that you need a really solid robust transmission.

Toyotas hybrids are basically untouchable in passenger cars, but I have doubts about how the whole Hybrid Synergy Drive business will scale up. Since they're really dependent on the traction motor, I suspect a 3/4 ton application would just burn them up. I don't doubt Toyota has prototypes, but I'm not sure they're holding back a Hybrid Tacoma. More like, a conventional hybrid drivetrain would ruin their hybrid reputation but a HSD would ruin their reliability reputation. Rock and a hard place.

 

[MylesPH1]

I definitely have a personal limit, even for the entry level light duty class of bigger vehicles - which I prefer for the longer trips.

20 mpg on a steady highway trip is easily achieved by an unladen SUV or light-duty truck with plenty of power.

I love my cousin's Ram TRX, and wouldn't mind a Grand Cherokee Trackhawk myself - but at this point I would get annoyed by stopping so frequently for gas.

 

[dunhamjr]

I probably care about it more than I need to considering how little I drive, plus my wife drives an EV.

Not the most important feature, but yes I care. I went from a Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid (PHEV) to a Hyundai Palisade, and the mpg difference kills me inside because I know I was using so much less fuel in 2021 vs 2022.

The financial reality is it isnt life changing money, so it doesnt matter too much.
However, fuel costs are 4x for the past year with the Palisade vs the prior year with the PHEV.

 

[adam1991]

I think Toyota's hybrid solutions should be scaled up.

I don't know that they can be.

I know that the Prius V, with its heavier wagon style body, didn't scale well to the hybrid system itself compared to the plain Prius. That told me the regular Prius was engineered to within an inch of its life.

 

[Maximum_Download]

I went from an easy $500 a month in fuel in our Audi SQ7 to barely $100 a month now in the PHEV Cayenne.

And yeah, the purchase price was huge, but then again, we're gonna buy a car anyway, may as well be a PHEV.

 

[adam1991]

Toyotas hybrids are basically untouchable in passenger cars, but I have doubts about how the whole Hybrid Synergy Drive business will scale up.

exactly.

Not that they couldn't make a hybrid system for a heavier application. But I think it's more than just slapping the existing bits into a heavy truck.

 

[adam1991]

Not the most important feature, but yes I care. I went from a Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid (PHEV) to a Hyundai Palisade, and the mpg difference kills me inside because I know I was using so much less fuel in 2021 vs 2022.

Can I ask why the move (he says, looking at his 2021 Pacifica Hybrid in the garage)?

 

[adrew]

It's the total package/cost for me. I kind of compromised and met in the middle. I would like more MPG than what I get in my truck, but anything noticeably more efficient is twice the price.

My truck gets decent (for what it is) mileage, is simple/reliable, has enough capability/ground clearance stock, low-range 4x4, a lot of room and juuuuuust enough power. It's an uncommon/hard-to-find version (2.7/4x4/access cab/"long bed") that is a couple inches longer than a Tahoe. It's rated 19/22 but gets low 20s around town with a light food and 25 MPG on the highway at 65-70 MPH. At 80 it gets 21-22. If you punch it all the time it gets the rated figures. I think I had a psychological limit of 20 MPG on the low end with no tolerance for teens.

I've been very careful with mods to avoid adversely affecting the MPG. Instead of a hi-top camper shell, I got a cab-height one (more aerodynamic) and when I got off-road tires, I got E-loads in the stock 245/75-16 size that only weigh 39 lbs (vs almost 50 for KO2s). I'm not going to do the Typical Tacoma™ mods like huge wheels and tires, a heavy front bumper, huge lift and tons of skid plates that drop the MPG to the low teens and have the owner wanting a re-gear.

To get a SUV with similar room (enough for two people to sleep in) and low-range 4WD, I would've had to spend at least twice as much on an Expedition or Tahoe. I have less power than those or an F-150, but about the same amount of room and save about $500/year on gas. Combined with the much lower purchase price it was worth it for us.