Ok Now Would you Buy a Prime? (POLL)

Yes, I know, however I like them.

 

Because those fog lights aren't really fog lights, and only help without fog.

 

How do you know this?

 

Cars in the US haven't had real fog lights for quite some time. Some are actually honest and call them driving lights.

Evidence for this is the fact that they can't turned on without the headlights. In real heavy fog, the headlights reflect back to the driver and obscure vision worse than the fog alone. Then US spec cars don't have rear fog lights to be better seen by approaching cars.

Further evidence for or against them being fog lights can be found in what spectrum they produce. Fog lights used to be yellow because yellow wavelengths didn't scatter, and reflect back, in fog as badly as blue ones. It is possible to make a fog light that appears white to human eyes, but still have better penetration in fog than a regular white bulb though.

 

You are probably right, but this is a new model of car and there is a chance that the fog lights might be improved. I want to keep hope alive.

 

Truth, but they don't work as driving lights either. All fog lights do these days is light up the ground right in front of the vehicle, giving a false sense that there is more usable light. The only benefit is at dawn or dusk when it's raining or just wet, the fog lights reflect back off the wet road helping you see the lane markers more than the headlights which tend to reflect up and away from you. The fog/driving lights do not shine down the road far enough for use as driving lights. Try tin foil on the headlights and see the pattern.

A true fog light is low to the ground, theoretically to get beneath the fog layer, and shine the light under the fog and down the road. Backscatter results when the fog light is within the fog layer, but having it low helps because the reflected light is also lower. It's true that yellow light is reflected less, but all colors scatter and reflect, just not as much as blue. Look at a rainbow, remember Roy G. Biv?

The fog lights in my pickup turn on separately from the headlights. They are mounted low, but it's a 4WD, so they are not low enough. But the vertical distance from my eyes to the fog lights helps, even though the lights aren't beneath the fog.

The way fog lights are implemented in the US today, they are useless.

 

I don't know about you but the LED headlights seem to be plenty bright and I've noticed that in the fog I don't get quick as much reflection with the LED, not sure if that is due to the spectrum of the LED over halogen, it being a projection lens or what but seems to work well enough without fog lights...

 

I would buy a Chevy Volt before I would buy a Prime.

 

I'd take my bicycle over any GM product.

 

Because of the line electric mileage?

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Yes, the Volt has much better range.

 

Much less total range, much poorer mileage on both gas and electricity, and much less back seat room, all for an extra $6,000 or so.

 

So far.....all, things being equal?
+1

Besides.....the Prime appears to be a compliance vehicle.
I don't think it's 50-state available (yet?)

I'm waiting for some real world data on range/MPG for both vehicles.
Hypercommutters in SoCal might be better off with the Prime if the MSRP is as advertised, and they don't "Leaf" the real electric range.

 

Zero-state available currently. Should be 50 state available by February.

 

It shows you haven't done your research.

 

Can you be more specific on the research?
Your profile shows you have already a BEV. Is the Volt intended to replace it?

 

Just started smelling like a rat in here.

 

I don't own either yet, but have researched both. There are many Volt owners that go MONTHS without using any fuel. So your mpg quote is wrong. Only when using gas will your statement hold up. Styling is much better in the Volt also. I thought the Prime was only 25 mpg. Volt more than doubles that.

 

You'd be surprised how little range matters when EV mileage is adequate for your commute. I've gone from between 8,000 to 25,000 miles between gas fillups in a Gen 1 Volt and would do much better with a Gen 2 or BMW i3. I filled my Gen 2 Prius every 5 days..

Gas mileage and EV efficiency are not as important in this circumstance either. I've averaged burning one gallon of gas per 1,000 miles or so, even at low MPG I'm okay with it. In my area, electricity is approximately 1/2 the cost of gas and I get free charging for two-thirds of my commute.

Won't argue space at all, but few GM products sell at MSRP very long. Volts are going for many thousand under MSRP with a bigger EV tax credit, so I doubt transaction prices will be $6,000 different.