NRMA Motoring Blog

After months of watching it go up, the price of petrol has finally fallen.

But how long will it last? By all accounts the price of petrol will go back up and keep rising, as demand outweighs supply and oil reserves grow smaller.

Months of very high prices have given motorists more than a taste of what’s to come and a lot of people are acting, some by choice and some by necessity. We want to know what you’re doing.

The number of commuters using public transport has reportedly risen to its highest level since 1999. Have you found public transport to be a cheaper option?

Are you trying to be more frugal with your petrol or have you altered your driving technique so you use less?

Have you been getting your car serviced regularly, checking your tyre pressure weekly, going easy on the air-conditioner and carrying as little weight as possible?

Maybe you’ve signed up for a new credit card that offers discounts at certain petrol stations.

Perhaps the cost of petrol has prompted you to sell the V8 for a more economical four cylinder car.

Have you decided a vehicle that runs on alternative fuel is the answer and bought a hybrid, converted to LPG or bought a new turbo diesel?

Or are you going about your business as normal and waiting to see what happens?

What are you doing to cope with high petrol prices?

In mid-2006 we looked at hybrid technology, its place in the market and where it was headed. Two years on, the theory behind hybrid vehicles hasn’t changed, but has the technology? We decided it was time for an update.

The escalating price of oil has meant car manufacturers have been forced to try and make cars more fuel efficient. Of course, while this doesn’t mean their entire focus has been on fuel efficiency and its alternatives – evidenced by the launch of the Hummer H3 in Australia, and new, thirsty Commodore and Falcon ranges - the world has adopted a ‘green’ attitude to almost everything, motor vehicles included, and hybrids, most notably Toyota’s Prius, have been widely promoted as the way of the future. With the price of petrol only going up, they may well be!

Hybrid technology

Hybrid technology has improved in recent years - not greatly, but new ideas on refinement are in development.

The third generation Toyota Prius is on the way. It will debut at the Detroit Motor Show in 2009 and has a 1.8 litre engine (larger than the current model) delivering 100bhp but with 12 per cent improved fuel consumption.

Battery technology is on the improve with researchers in Australia having created what could be called a lead-acid battery on steroids, capable of performing as well as the nickel/metal hydride systems, found in most hybrid cars, at a much lower cost. This battery combines the traditional 150 year old lead acid battery with super capacitors - electronic devices that can quickly absorb and release large bursts of energy over millions of cycles without significant degradation. As a result the battery may last up to 4 times longer than conventional lead/acid batteries and cost 25 per cent less to produce than existing hybrid battery packs. These batteries were tested in the United Kingdom earlier this year and found to be in perfect condition after 100,000 miles on a test track.

At the moment consumers can expect to pay up to $5000 for a replacement battery pack. However with this new technology a hybrid owner will pay around $1000, depending on demand volume. This in itself makes owning a hybrid vehicle a much more appealing and long-term option.

There are also great advances being made with the lithium ion battery which is lighter, stronger and more compact than the nickel metal hydride batteries currently used.

Hybrids in Australia

The number of hybrids available locally is increasing.

• Currently available are –
   o Honda Civic
   o Toyota Prius
   o Lexus RX400H
   o Lexus GS450H
   o Lexus LS600H
• Hyundai are looking at bringing a hybrid vehicle to Australia that runs partly on battery and partly on LPG. This system is up and running in Korea, with great cost savings for the consumer. (Bear in mind that excise will be placed on LPG in 2011, rising to 12.5 cents per litre by 2015.)
• Toyota recently announced it will be manufacturing a hybrid version of the Camry in Australia with support from the Federal Government.

However, even though Toyota recently reached a million Prius sales worldwide (the first and most successful mass-produced petrol/electric hybrid), only 9,300 of those were in Australia. Relatively poor sales may be because the technology is seen as eccentric, they’re not viewed as cost-effective or long waiting lists have put off potential buyers.

Do you drive a hybrid? What do you like and/or dislike about it? Do you intend to buy one in the near future and if so what and why?