The Lexus CT 200h thankfully skips the ugly wedge shape design that is common with the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight hybrid cars. Instead the Lexus CT 200h is a hatchback and still musters an ultra low drag coefficient of 0.29 which is necessary to get good gas mileage numbers. For comparison the current Toyota Prius has a drag coefficient rating of 0.25. Pretty similar and definitely not enough of a difference to explain the gap in MPG numbers.

Both the Lexus CT 200h and the 2011 Toyota Prius are powered by the same 1.8 Liter 4-cylinder Atkinson Cycle Engine. This engine is ultra efficient and makes 98 horsepower and 105 lb-ft. of torque. What makes the Lexus CT 200h a hybrid is the electric motor and battery assist. This electric motor adds more horsepower and torque bringing the total up to 134 HP. The Lexus CT 200h also has the same CVT transmission as the Prius which allows for optimum gear selection. And being a parallel hybrid, the Lexus CT 200h can drive on gas, electric, or a combination of both.

Another great feature about the Lexus CT 200h is the fact that the battery pack is placed with cargo space in mind. The battery pack is a 38-module Nickel Metal Hydride unit weighing only 118 lbs. And do not worry about the longjevity of the battery pack as all new Lexus CT 200h hybrid cars come with a 8-year 100k mile warranty on the batteries.

Regenerative Braking is pretty common and the Lexus CT 200h uses this method to recharge the batteries. When you stop, the braking energy is converted into electricity. This efficient system also powers the electric water pump and the electric power steering components. Since these units are not driven by belts on the engine, the Lexus CT 200h sees gas mileage improvements.

The Hybrid Synergy Drive on the Lexus CT 200h allows the driver to choose between 4 modes: EV, ECO, Normal, and Sport.

• EV Mode – EV stands for electric vehicle and the Lexus CT 200h is equipped to run up to 25 MPH on pure electricity alone. This is great for stop and go traffic and really helps with the gas mileage. Also while in EV mode the car produces Zero emissions
• ECO Mode – With the Lexus CT 200h in ECO mode you can expect the best gas mileage but you also get the worst performance in terms of acceleration.
• Normal Mode – This mode increases throttle response and is good for normal driving situations.
• Sport Mode – Sport offers the best acceleration and adjust the steering, traction, and stability control settings. You also get the worst gas mileage while in Sport mode.

So in conclusion the Lexus CT 200h has all the same operating systems as the Toyota Prius yet net a far lower fuel economy rating. The Lexus CT 200h Gas Mileage is 43 MPG city, 40 MPG highway, and 42 MPG combined. While the Prius enjoys 51 MPG city, 48 MPG highway, and 50 MPG combined. Drag coefficient cannot be the cause of the variation in gas mileage and the Lexus CT 200h only weighs 100 more lbs. than the Prius. And both cars sport low rolling resistance tires. What Gives?

Photo Credits : http://www.lexus.com/models/CTh/

The Focus EV is still in the development stage although they have launched a prototype “mule”. The prototype version is a product of Ford supplier Magna. Magna will also be responsible for the production version that will be in dealerships. Development vehicles are known to have certain faults, but the EV has no thuds or bumps and is solidly constructed.  Refinement and noise-vibration-harshness (NVH) have been particularly focused in the Focus EV to ensure no ambient sounds. The braking system switches between regenerative (for battery) and regular braking.

The EV Focus will have an auxiliary engine. The battery system will charge completely in 6 hours with a 220Volt setup or 12 hours with a 110Volt supply. A fully charged battery allows a driving range of about 100 miles.  The gauge system in the EV exchanges the battery meter in place of a tachometer and a small charge meter, although changes in the gauge system might change as production goes through. Although the Ford Focus EV is still a few years away, the prototype version looks pretty developed and almost as if it could hit the streets today.

Adding an electric version of the Focus to the New Ford Vehicle line-up will only add to Ford’s sales and give Ford their first compact electric vehicle in the states.

Despite the Fiesta ECOnetic’s definite potential to compete with the other US manufactures, Ford has only sold the recent generations of the Fiesta in Europe. The America Ford President reportedly stated that there were business reasons as to why they can’t sell it to the US and left it at that.

The main reason for the selective selling is that the Fiesta runs on diesel fuel and the US remains to detest the fuel. America’s opposition to diesel fuel is because it still often reminds us of a loud and stinky truck or trailer pouring out black junk, smog, and smoke into our environment.

Diesel fueled cars are now introduced in the market with pollution fighting technology that is as clean as or even cleaner than gasoline with 30% more fuel efficiency. So why can’t the US have this 65mpg car on our market? Ford doesn’t think that North and South America would buy any diesel cars. The Fiesta ECOnetic is comparable to European diesels but Ford can’t make a business case for bringing the car to the US.

In addition, the Fiesta is made in Britain and importing the car to the US would cost too much money without a profit and Ford doesn’t believe they can charge enough to make any money.  With that said, the main question is: will the US ever embrace diesel fuel to allow automakers and manufactures to achieve sufficient scale to make money on those vehicles? All Ford needs to do it look towards Volkswagen and their TDi Jetta.  The Jetta costs about what the Fiesta would cost, gets only 41 MPG on the highway as compared to the Fiesta’s 65 MPG, and finally the Jetta has received numerous accolades for being an ultra green car.  Ford is missing out on all this publicity the Jetta is enjoying.

But wait!  It seems that ford will bring the Fiesta over tho the US sor the model year 2011.  Wonder what this car will consist of.  Stay tuned for more information.

What make the Chevrolet Volt a cool car is that it can run totally on battery power for up to 40 miles.  This satisfies the normal daily commute of most of us.  After 40 miles a gas engine kicks in to get you to your destination.  So really even though this is a hybrid car; the Volt can be considered an electric car for short daily trips.  Bummer is you would have to plug in this car in order to recharge it…which is actually true to form of an electric car.  The Volt will have regenerative breaking, and once the batteries are recharged to a preset level; the gas engine will shut off and the electric engine will again resume.  There are still many factors yet to be set in stone regarding emission of fuel consumption.  But odds are these numbers will be low for emissions and high at least above 50 Miles per gallon when the gas engine is running.   The Volt platform will be the basis

1.    Toyota Prius Hybrid (51/48 MPG) – The Toyota Prius has topped the list of most fuel efficient cars ever since it was introduced a few years ago!  Many of the cars that follow on down the list are comprised of Toyota hybrid parts taken from the Prius hybrid system.  The Prius continues to be the innovator in the hybrid car realm.

2.    Ford Fusion Hybrid (41/36 MPG) – It is about time Ford decided to make a good hybrid Car.  The Escape has been the talk of the SUV hybrid community, and now Ford has a midsized entry into the car segment.  And the Ford Fusion Hybrid has been generating rave reviews!
3.    Honda Civic Hybrid (40/45 MPG) – The Civic Hybrid has quietly been saving millions of gallons of gas for awhile now.  This car combine Honda’s start-stop technology and a small electric motor assist to get up to 45 MPG on the highway which is only eclipsed by the Ultra Aerodynamic Prius.
4.    Honda Insight Hybrid (40/43 MPG) – Making big news in 2009 was the Honda Insight Hybrid.  Marked as the everyday hybrid for the middle class of America, the low starting price of the Insight has helped Honda sell a ton of these cars.  Taking a page out of the Toyota handbook, Honda went with the wedge shape that is synonymous with hybrid automobiles.
5.    Lexus HS250h Hybrid (35/34 MPG) – All new for 2010 the Lexus HS250h is only entry level luxury hybrid car.  To me these cars look like a cross between the Corolla and the Civic, but the HS250h does have some great luxury amenities.  The $30k + price may be a bit steep for true hybrid enthusiasts.  It is a good bet that in the coming years Toyota will be able to stretch the fuel economy of this car.
6.    Nissan Altima Hybrid (35/33 MPG) – Nissan’s only hybrid offering, the Altima, is really powered by Toyota technology.  All of the hybrid powertrain is straight from Toyota.  But hey this allows Nissan to have a hybrid vehicle in the midsized car segment.  And there is a huge following of Altima lovers that are more than willing to snap up the Altima hybrid.
7.    Ford Escape Hybrid (34/31 MPG) – The Ford Escape Hybrid SUV is a freak of nature.  No other SUV even comes close to matching the fuel economy of the Escape hybrid.  The Escape uses Toyota technology and a 2-mode hybrid system which allows the Escape to run on battery power alone.  This is the main reason the Escape hybrid gets such great gas mileage.  The Mazda Tribute and Mercury Mariner are the same vehicles as the Escape with a different manufacturer badge.

8.    Smart fortwo car (33/41 MPG) – You have definitely seen these little cars running around town.  They are impossible to miss.  This go-cart looking car may stick out like a sore thumb, but the great gas mileage numbers speak for themselves.  The Smart Car combines a small engine with a very lightweight design to maximize fuel economy and minimize all the extras.
9.    Toyota Camry Hybrid (33/34 MPG) – The reigning champ in the midsized category is relegated to the bottom of this list.  The Camry is in need of a serious redesign.  You can bet your top dollar that the next generation of Toyota Camry Hybrid will once again overtake the Fusion and the Altima on this list.  The Camry still remains one of the best selling hybrids.
10.    Lexus RX450h Hybrid (32/28MPG) – The ultimate luxury SUV, the Lexus RX450h is not only a technological wonder; it is a showcase of luxury amenities from Lexus.  This SUV rides great, has all the creature comforts you would expect from Lexus, and it has excellent gas mileage to boot.  A combined fuel economy of 30 miles per gallon is something special from a luxury SUV.  In comparison the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid only gets 19 MPG!

Ford officially released the Fusion Hybrid recently at the Los Angeles Auto Show late in 2008.  The new Ford Fusion receives some of the best in-town gas mileage, that only a hybrid can get.  Beating out the Toyota Camry by a large margin, and the economical Civic Hybrid by a hair; the Fusion Hybrid is ranked at 41 MPG in town driving.  Thanks to an electric motor, the Ford can go up to 47 miles per hour.  A bunch of Car Publications have used this method to get greater fuel economy than the EPA estimates.

The Fusion can help teach the driver which style of driving gets the best fuel economy.  They have created an ingenious system which is built into the instrument cluster called the SmartGauge.  A couple of different info categories are displayed on two screens next to the gauge cluster.  The first monitor will indicate just how much gas is left and also how much energy is left in the battery pack.  The second gauge tells which mode the car is in; electric or hybrid, and it also shows the RPM’s.  This third gauge displays the output energy of the batteries and the engine.  Additional power consumption and power to the wheels are shown in the last data screen.   All data screens show fuel economy, fuel consumption history, an odometer, trip data, and coolant temperatures.  Best fuel economy can be gauged through real time MPG information showing the driver which driving style is most efficient.

The nav screen shows the Hybrid Energy Flow data.  This display will track the 5 modes of the Fusion’s Hybrid Powertrain which are the; electric drive, hybrid drive, electric boost, idle charging, and regenerative breaking.

Ford not only equipped the Fusion with an environmentally friendly drivetrain; they also used post-industrial yarns which are recycled into the seats of the Fusion Hybrid.  The Prius and the Civic Hybrid are two of the most popular cars out today, its about time Ford designed a hybrid car.