By Tessa R. Salazar
Inquirer
WAS it just coincidence that as the Inquirer flashed the news about climate change on its banner page, its Motoring section had in its possession (for a couple of days, at least) two hybrid cars from two of the world’s trailblazers in hybrid power technology?
Maybe there has been, indeed, an ultimate purpose for endeavors that would, at first, seem meaningless and a waste of time. Take, for example, our effort to drive these two hybrid cars (a Toyota Prius and a Honda Civic with Integrated Motor Assist) through some of the most congested locations in Metro Manila at the worst possible driving times (payday Friday night and Saturday afternoon).
Thus, the 1.5-liter Prius (a second-generation test unit) and the 2006 Civic 1.3 i-DSi with IMA were virtually inseparable for two days, driven in identical routes and lanes, loaded up at the same fuel stations and subjected to the same traffic situations.
Two for the road
The Prius had already been test driven earlier this year by Inquirer Motoring. This would be the first time, though, that it would have a fellow hybrid for a companion.
At the onset, the Prius evidently has a more space-age “look” than the Civic, owing to a prominent energy screen monitor at the center of the dashboard, a unique, tiny gearshift lever just below that monitor, and an EV mode on the left side of the dashboard. Pushing the EV button would give the driver full-time electric power for speed up to 42 kph for as far as 3 km, or depending on the battery charge levels.
The Prius demolished all our misconceptions of hybrids as being slowpokes. This Prius, with a body as big as a 1.8-liter Altis, pulled like it was a 2-liter sedan, even during uphill runs. As we noted previously, the gasoline engine may produce a measly 76 hp at 5,000 rpm, but when combined with the 67 hp at 1,200 to 1,540 rpm of the electric engine, you effectively harness over 478 Nm (net of torque) and 110 horsepower at its peak. We have also observed that the electric motor’s characteristic high torque was also an immense help on the uphill (both engines worked during steep climbs).
The Civic Hybrid, on the other hand, looks every bit a regular Civic sedan except for the large side markings spelling out “Integrated Motor Assist” and the decal “hybrid” at the rear. The digital monitors at the dash betray its hidden nature, of course, with noticeable gauges for battery charge and the IMA system.
The Civic driver control package looks more user friendly for its needle-type gauges, conventional ignition switch, and regular A/T gearshift lever.
Photos courtesy of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
September 5th, 2008 at 11:56 am
I was at Virra Mall several months back and Toyota had a car show on the ground floor. Curious about hybrids, I asked the salesman if the Prius will be available to the consumer market here soon. He jokingly quipped that “Only a few folks can afford to be environmentally friendly” and that our current system is not ready for these kind of cars anytime in the future. Needless to say, I was disappointed at his response and candor.
September 3rd, 2008 at 2:54 am
Philippine Congress has to lift the taxes/tariffs for hybrids to make it affordable. Then Toyota Prius will cost about P1.3M. As for the [traction] battery, when the 2004 Prius came out in U.S.A., there were many articles stating that buyers would be facing $10,000 costs to replace it. Now, four years later with a .003 percent failure rate and the ability to buy used batteries on eBay starting at $500. However, the new advanced nickel packs aren’t cheap. Swapping out your Prius battery with a fresh one from the factory of Honda and Toyota will cost around $4,000. The new Nickel-metal hydride batteries, such as those in Toyota’s Camry Hybrid, are built to last for “the life of the car,” which Toyota defines as 180,000 miles - but some have gone over 250,000 miles without issue.
August 10th, 2008 at 4:38 am
electric car…
Be afraid. Be very afraid. It takes very little for me to drift back a few years to my Army days and mistake the sound of your car in the driveway for a hostile vehicle. Whenever I hear engines at night, the voices in my head frequently tell me to clea…
July 12th, 2008 at 10:45 am
There’s a lot more competitors coming in the hybrid car industry.
However these giants should reduce their price for the hybrids to make it affordable for more people.
I mean, hybrid cars promotes greener planet. So, by making them more affordable, more people will use hybrids.
June 21st, 2008 at 12:31 am
Read somewhere that Toyota Prius if sold here would have the price of the top of the line Camry about P2.0M. Payback period would be too long. The only consolation is that it is environment friendly.