WNPR Radio Show on Hybrids today 3/6@3pm EST

I'm listening to it now. Too much misinformation, like $6000, 5-year life batteries. :angry: The only 2 call-ins so far are people griping they aren't getting the EPA.

Oooh! OooH! Stop the presses! One of our Priuschat representatives just called in! WooHoo!

 

Heh ... they actually let me on! Small rant about battery life.
wohoo, thirty seconds of fame in the Connecticut boonies... but
the Vancouver taxi drivers get all the credit.
.
_H*

 

If I had to pick one PCer to call in to a radio show somewhere in the US, I would have picked you, Hobbit. I'll have to wait until the show is put online, so I can listen to what was said.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(keydiver @ Mar 6 2007, 05:42 PM) [snapback]401116[/snapback]</div>

I can't believe that the guy giving a quote for $6K battery every 100-120K miles and is supposed to be an expert? No wonder people are confused. How can this knowledgeable journalist not even know the minimum warrant is 8year/100K warranty? That is really frustrating that this is still being thrown around.

Anxiously awaiting your rant hobbit.

EDIT: I was hoping for more foaming at the mouth in your rant! The guest seem to not want to back down from his $6K and 100-120K mile statement and seemed to insinuate that a person is unlikely to get close to 200K miles. Even the Toyota's claims on their website got a "We will check into that" and the 150K warranty in CA is never mentioned. Part of me wondered too if the host was looking for bad things when she asked if the Prius was much louder than a Lexus.

 

It was fairly confusing to tell on the phone when she was addressing
me or the in-studio guest, actually. The whole thing had me nervous
as hell, making it more difficult to be lucid! And my voice is sort
of nasal and flat and soft anyways; I hate how I sound in recordings.
.
I also didn't manage to get the opportunity to mention PC or my
linkfarm that points to it and the other six months' worth of reading
one could do... ah, how presence of mind disintegrates under pressure.
.
The podcast appears to be up by now; I could only find it in the
XML index. My lame capture of the live show at 24 kbits almost
sounds better; they really screwed up the levels on the archive
and it keeps topping out...
.
_H*

 

Sounds like the average PCer is more informed than their expert.

BTW, hobbit you sounded great. Great answers and you pretty much squelched the misinformation that the misinformed announcer was unintentionally perpetuating in regards to the battery life.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ Mar 7 2007, 10:21 PM) [snapback]402112[/snapback]</div>

I agree. I believe he was the first actual owner that called in, since he mentioned the Vancouver taxis.

And to disagree with him, his voice wasn't a problem at all. I think everyone thinks their recorded voice sounds worse than they hear it themselves.

And of course, the "exert" wasn't an owner, and knew a great deal about the Prius for a non-owner (and non PCer).

I even learned a few new things on the show, and I think Hobbit set to rest a lot of fears about battery life.

Dave M.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hobbit @ Mar 8 2007, 12:03 AM) [snapback]402021[/snapback]</div>

I thought you sounded just fine and made several good points. Calling in to a radio show is much harder than a real conversation and you never know how long you are really going to have to get your points across. I was just disappointed in the way the host and the expert were taking in information, it seemed they weren't really amending their statements regarding batteries in spite of the good points people were making. Especially when it was billed as a learn about hybrid cars from the consumer segment.

I still had a hard time figuring out how the guy was only getting 40 mpg on the highway. He sounded like it was a decent distance, but maybe it was just 10-15 minutes on the highway in cold weather.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(micheal @ Mar 8 2007, 03:18 PM) [snapback]402476[/snapback]</div>

I don't remember now for sure, but I assume you mean the guy where the company owned the car.

If so he didn't have enough invested to learn about the car. Probably didn't read the owner's manual, and certainly would visit places like PC.

When I drive around Cheney, I get lousy mileage. The only way I can pull it up is to drive into Spokane and back. I soon I can get the mileage back up close to 50 mpg (It's down to 48.5 right now). I probably won't make it up to 50 the next time I go in, since it's hard to shift the average after getting more than 100 miles on the tank. On the highwy and back gets me close to 50 for that part of the trips, but driving around Spokane (at 35 mph) gives me over 50 mpg, even this time of year. And that was true in January when the weather was much colder.

Dave M.

 

Nice job 'obbit. I thought you did a nice job. I'm surprised that you didn't mention the DOE prius battery life study but you pretty much nailed it anyways.

I felt the "expert" was pretty lightweight but he's not an automotive guy I gather, "just" a journalist.

Crikey Moses! The dude just said he's 47 mi from work!?! :blink: That's insane. I thought he had some nice points to make though. I'm just glad I don't have his commute!

It was interesting to listen to. It really is amazing how much people don't know about HEVs and, for that matter, the other alternative techs out there. From that point, I think the broadcast was useful.

 

wow that guy is an "expert"??? i can t believe what he said. he talks like 600 miles on a tank is expected by anyone.

all ev until 20 miles per hour?? (he said 20 miles per gallon) said gm is into hybrids in a big way?? what way??

guy had no idea of why mileage is worse in winter... he could not make any comments on the guy with the HCH other than accept his explanation that batteries are less effective in colder weather.

with all his mis-information, he predicts plug ins with a year from someone...hope he got that one right.

and Hobbit, you did very very well.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dmckinstry @ Mar 8 2007, 10:22 PM) [snapback]402533[/snapback]</div>

Yeap, that was the guy. I would suspect that you are very correct in his lack of caring about trying to improve his economy. 40.3 in town with short trips I can easily see (especially in colder areas), but if I remember correctly he said he average 40.3 on the highway. Highway driving for the most part doesn't need any "techniques" to get really good mileage. Maybe he is driving 80+ mph everywhere on the highway (which I know some on here do) or has short trips on the highway, and I think he made a statement that the mpg is greatly overstated. If that is what he is doing, then I doubt any conventional car would get much more than 30mpg for that type of driving.

Dave, I too was disappointed in the "expert." Maybe us PCers are just too picky?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(micheal @ Mar 9 2007, 01:21 PM) [snapback]403001[/snapback]</div>

Well, he was a magazine editor (IIRC), not really an expert on hybrids or the Prius, but a lot more knowledgeable than the average person.

Dave M.

 

He had just written an article about all of the different technologies out there. He obviously didn't do in depth research and he didn't need to considering who his audience probably is. There are somethings that he should have been more informed about, but overall he had mostly positive things to say. It's that impression that most people will remember.

 

Yea, you are right, it is good to hear a journalist who doesn't try to put a negative spin on hybrids.

I still wonder if his misleading statements about the battery and the 600mile tank may have done more harm than good. It is so frustrating that we still have not gotten in through people's heads that you don't have to replace the battery every 5-6 years or ever 60-100K miles for $4K, $5K, or $6K. Maybe I was just hoping for too much since it was supposed to be show to learn about hybrids. If I was going to be asked to be on a show to educate about hybrids, I would make darn sure I was up on the basic facts (i.e. the battery life, tank size and real mpg, maintenance, and other common questions). I didn't expect an indepth discussion of the technology by any means, but at least know the battery is warrantied for 150K miles in CA (this would make the whole 100-120K replacement argument silly)! IMO, the last thing we need is shows that are "educational" that leave people with false info on some of the more common questions/concerns.

I guess just call me Negative Ned today. I think I need to go in a relaxing drive in my Prius now.