Top Gear Fuel Economy Comparison Test-toyota Prius vs BMW M3

[Darius11 12]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZx3zYEhHzQ&NR=1


You have to watch from 3:50 on.

Is this true?

Quick description.

In the test they have a Prius and an M3 race around the Top Gear Track. The Prius is driven as fast as possible around the Track and the M3 is set to follow closely. At the end the M3 has a a better MPG then the Prius.

Also Jeramy talks about how much environmental damage is done while making a Prius batteries that it has a worst foot print then a land rover discovery.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[billvon 3,120]

>The Prius is driven as fast as possible around the Track and the M3 is
>set to follow closely. At the end the M3 has a a better MPG then the Prius.

I do believe the good people at Top Gear have discovered the phenomenon called "drafting!"

Next week they will do a test where a Prius climbs the Rocky Mountains on I-80, and a Ford Expedition descends the same road, then analyze the results to see which vehicle is more efficient.

[idrankwhat 0]

Quote

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZx3zYEhHzQ&NR=1


You have to watch from 3:50 on.

Is this true?

Quick description.

In the test they have a Prius and an M3 race around the Top Gear Track. The Prius is driven as fast as possible around the Track and the M3 is set to follow closely. At the end the M3 has a a better MPG then the Prius.

Also Jeramy talks about how much environmental damage is done while making a Prius batteries that it has a worst foot print then a land rover discovery.

Do a similar comparison of everyday driving around town and check the results. You don't get much use out of the regenerative braking when you're flooring it round a race track. Not a very good test IMO. Why not compare the M3 and an F250 diesel with each towing an 8000 lb trailer? I'll bet the truck gets better mileage

[downwardspiral 0]

"the sound coming from behind my left ear...that is the sound of money EXPLODING."

www.FourWheelerHB.com

[Darius11 12]

LOL. Wow man i am embarrassed that I didn’t even think of that. Drafting is a huge fuel saver not to mention illegal and can kill you. I do have to say I was still surprised that the Prius did only 17MPG when driven fast or what is considered fast for a Prius. I can do 85 Mph all day in my GTO and get better then a 17Mpg on highway.


Is what he says about the batteries true?



I also think how you drive does have a lot with how much fuel you spend but still did not think constant accelerating and decelerating would make the prius burn that much fuel. I was under the impression that the faster you accelerate with a Prius the more fuel economy you get. The opposite of every other car I know of.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[Darius11 12]

Quote

"the sound coming from behind my left ear...that is the sound of money EXPLODING."

I love that show the 3 lads hosting it are brilliant

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[Unstable 9]

Yeah, I agree with the posters here that that 'test' was pretty bogus when you think about it.

So, what makes them think that a Prius is going to perform optimally at redline, or as they say, "as fast as it will go." And the other M3 is such that it is able to carry it's weight at that speed without maxing out it's performance envelope. Stoopid. That's like saying my Nissan gets worse gas milage at 100mph than a Formula 1 racer.

=========Shaun ==========

[billvon 3,120]

>I do have to say I was still surprised that the Prius did only 17MPG when
>driven fast or what is considered fast for a Prius.

Most cars have a mode called WOT (wide open throttle) where everything is shifted from economy to power. Flooring it on any car will result in the worst possible gas mileage from that vehicle. A far better test would have been to have them both do 85mph. At 85mph my Prius gets around 34mpg.

>I was under the impression that the faster you accelerate with a Prius
>the more fuel economy you get.

In general, the more accelerating and decelerating you do the better gas mileage you get, due to the lower average speed and the benefit of regen braking.

>Is what he says about the batteries true?

That came from an article written a few years back about how a Hummer had less of an ecological impact than a Prius. One example they gave was how the nickel for the battery comes from a mine that's a horrible environmental disaster.

Three problems with that. One, it was a disaster in the mid-80's - since then it has become one of the cleanest mines in Canada. Two, it's only one of many sources for the nickel in those batteries. Three, nickel is a component of some types of steel and all varieties of chrome and chrome plating - and as a result the Hummer has more nickel, by weight, than the Prius.

[Darius11 12]

Thank you as always for the information.

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A far better test would have been to have them both do 85mph. At 85mph my Prius gets around 34mpg.

I can get 34mpg out of the GTO if I throw my car out of a skyvan….does that count?

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[jakee 1,596]

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I do have to say I was still surprised that the Prius did only 17MPG when driven fast or what is considered fast for a Prius. I can do 85 Mph all day in my GTO and get better then a 17Mpg on highway.

So? Highway driving is still way more efficient than flooring it round a track.

Quote

I was under the impression that the faster you accelerate with a Prius the more fuel economy you get.

That's your problem then...

Do you want to have an ideagasm?