Modded Hybrid Cars Get Up to 250 MPG

artemis67 writes "Politicians and automakers say a car that can both reduce greenhouse gases and free America from its reliance on foreign oil is years or even decades away. Ron Gremban says such a car is parked in his garage. It looks like a typical Toyota Prius hybrid, but in the trunk sits an 80-miles-per-gallon secret -- a stack of 18 brick-sized batteries that boosts the car's high mileage with an extra electrical charge so it can burn even less fuel. Gremban, an electrical engineer and committed environmentalist, spent several months and $3,000 tinkering with his car."

So like...

[Nuclear Elephant]

TFA talks about cars getting up to 250MPG, this dude has a car that gets around 80. Am I missing something, or do you have to overclock it to 7Ghz to get that kind of mileage?

Adios, dude!

[macdaddy357]

Build a better car that doesn't guzzle gas, and the oil industry will beat a path to your door, destroy the car, and kill you. Adios, Dude!

250 MPG?

[MutantHamster]

I prefer the Quicktime format, myself.

I actually got 312 MpG back in the 1970's

[Anonymous Coward]

But I made the mistake of trying to patent my special water conversion carburator so a mole in the patent office turned me in.
I'm now in the Ford "dungeon" right now...I just got this 300 baud modem hacked up from paper clips and mouse droppings and the first site I got to was this "Slashdot"
Hey how are you all doing.... Frist Post?

Nonsense...neighbors hummer gets more than 80mpg..

[MickLinux]

You can make a hummer get better than 80 mpg. Not too far from my house is a hummer that gets better than 80 mpg, but it's also a hybrid.

It's a combination diesel-continental drift vehicle, and they fire it up maybe once in 10000 years.

Of course, if they power it up and use the vehicle to drive down the street, it's back down to 6 mpg.

easy!

[moosesocks]

I can get 250MPG.

Shift into neutral, and find a 250 mile stretch of downhill....

Re:In case you aren't aware

[Nasarius]

I like the environment and do my best to contribute to it's preservation, but please don't ask me to drive an 18 sec pussymobile.

Translation: I am insecure and need to compensate with my penis car.

Re:I like these folks' idea:

[Bobzibub]

Even in a, say, a Chrysler Lebaron?
(Would a boat help?)

Cheers,
-b

Re:In case you aren't aware

[NanoGator]

"Translation: I am insecure and need to compensate with my penis car."

Translation: I'm envious of your ownership of the penis car.

Re:So like...

[Txiasaeia]

Compare your Geo's zero-to-60mph time with a hybrid. You'll find your answer there.

Not to nitpick, but the only way that a Geo's going to get up to 60 mph is if it's going downhill and you've got a sail the size of a Winnebago attached to the roof. And that's on a good day.

Re:And to think a Motorcycle will do even better.

[grozzie2]

Motorcycles are a brilliant concept. When you have an accident in a car, there's a couple thousand pounds of metal making all sorts of creaking a grinding noises, acting as an energy absorbing wear plate, before the impact energy starts to dissipate on the occupants. This is not very efficient at all.

A motorcycle on the other hand is quite different. When you lay a motorcycle on it's side, there's a hundred pounds of human flesh and blood acting as a wear plate, before you scratch the paint on the motorcycle. The human rider is directly exposed to the energy of the impact, a very efficient transfer of energy.

As an extra side bonus, when humans act as wear plates to protect the motorcycle, they are also helping with the culling process, improving the gene pool. I always get a big grin on my face when I see a big dumb biker riding down the road, jeans and a t-shirt, no helmet. Nature will always prevail, the culling process is natural in that scenario. The only real problem these days is the sneaking up of license ages. If they keep letting it sneak up higher, pretty soon, the culling process wont be able to take effect until AFTER those folks have propogated the genes that contain utter stupidity. But I have faith in nature, it'll find another vector around this problem....

Re:So like...

[empvirus]

The reason why the smartcar isn't allowed in the U.S. is because it is utterly and entirely unsafe. The thing crashes at like 15mph and you're lucky to live. I dunno if it's true, but I've heard the engine ejects on certain models, sounds more dangerous to me. DISCLAIMER: I haven't really seen a smartcar up close, being a U.S citizen.

Re:The "only advantage" argument:

[PlacidPundit]

All power, whether fossil fuels, solar, wind, nuclear, geothermal, or some as-of-yet-undiscovered resource, is really just transferring energy from one place in the universe to another. As long as we use energy, we continue to observe entropy. And as long as that happens, there will be whiners complaining about it.

Re:In case you aren't aware

[Jeremi]

Translation: I am insecure and need to compensate with my penis car

As a straight male, I find the idea of climbing into an '18-second pussy-mobile' rather more enticing than any kind of 'penis car'....

Re:In case you aren't aware

[RyoShin]

"Translation: I'm envious of your ownership of the penis car."

Translation: I own one of those penis cars.

Re:So like...

[falzer]

The Geo's 0-60mph acceleration time is measured with a desk calendar.

Re:That's all good, but..

[nathanh]

As to the guy who got his flame on about the energy content analysis.

Flame? That wasn't a flame.

Did you fail to read the very next paragraph before replying?

Afraid so. Compilation aborts at the first error.

I'm still waiting..

[red990033]

for my wind powered car pantent to go through.

Basically the idea is you strap on a big windmill to the roof of the car, and as the car moves, electricity is produced, thus moving the car.

The added bonus is that you get free meals from all the birds that get caught up.

Care to sample some Pigeon Pie anyone?

Re:Even compared to other new non hybrids.....

[lgw]

Since you're sure the entire economy will collapse, you won't mind sending me all of your money, right? I suspect instead of money you have only debt, however, and your hope for a collapsing economy are easily understood.

Don't worry, Peak Oil production comes after Sasquatch goes on tour with Elvis and the Aliens, so you'll have plenty of warning.

Re:Even compared to other new non hybrids.....

[Anonymous Coward]

You're in luck buddy, solar panels produce toxic chemical waste in the production process. Just poor that shit into a stream and you're in business.

You do realize...

[Mr. Underbridge]

...that before the advent of the Suburban, American families were forced to kill any children past the 5th? Part of the little known "5-child policy" adopted by Nixon, who got the idea from Mao.

As far as the over-active sense of entitlement, I think that's the parents who can't stomach the idea of driving a station wagon. Hate to tell ya, folks, but most SUVs these days have 8" ground clearance and soft-ass suspensions and probably can't deal well with potholes. You're not fooling anyone, it's as pathetic as a combover. Embrace the inner soccer mom - after you spit out the 7th puppy, that's what you are.

Re:So like...

[Grab]

Man, do they not have gears in cars where you come from?

Grab.