This is my very first experience with a Hybrid vehicle and so far I'm please with the power and the mileage. What does kinda bug me is the slight hesitation when the gas engine fires up but I'm getting used to it. My question is what do you all think the service history will be for the gas engines starting system (starter etc.) in that the engine goes on and off all the time during city driving. Are these components different from a non-Hybrid vehicle to deal with the constant starting cycles..?
Hybrid Engine Stop/Start question
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I am sure they are completely different components. If you start a non hybrid, the start up process easily takes 2 seconds.....in the hybrid, its less than a second.
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According to Edmunds, there is no separate starter:
Stop-start: Present on all hybrids, the engine's traditional starter motor is absent because the motor-generator takes on that function, too. Hybrid-control software shuts the engine off while stopped at traffic signals and automatically restarts it again with the electric motor when the driver releases the brake pedal. Eliminating the fuel waste of an idling gas engine causes overall mpg to climb significantly and tailpipe emissions to drop, especially in town.
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The reason you are feeling a slight hesitation when the gas engine starts is due to the fact that for a moment the clutch that connects the engine and transmission is engaging. This system uses a dry clutch and computer controlled hydraulic operating system, just like a manual transmission. As you log a few more miles on the car I would think it might break in a little more. In a manual transmission you would use the clutch to do far more work than the hybrid system would and it may take a little time to smooth itself out, but you will more likely than not always notice it. Being a larger engine that lets you know it is running it will not be like driving a typical hybrid in some cases.
As far as maintenance and repair potential of the system it should be quite low. There are many new parts in this vehicle but very few moving components, and almost any repair would be component replacement. The fault detection logic built into these cars takes a good amount of guess work out of most faults.
The AC motor actually starts the engine in all cases on these cars. It also powers the wheels and generates energy when "braking" the vehicle.
As far as maintenance and repair potential of the system it should be quite low. There are many new parts in this vehicle but very few moving components, and almost any repair would be component replacement. The fault detection logic built into these cars takes a good amount of guess work out of most faults.
The AC motor actually starts the engine in all cases on these cars. It also powers the wheels and generates energy when "braking" the vehicle.
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