Our first car was a Mazda GLC. We bought it new in 1981, after living without a car for four years. It was a stick shift, front wheel drive ICE [internal combustion engine] car. It got about 32 mpg in town and about 38 mpg on the highway, driving at 55 mph. Since then, we’ve owned four other cars (two that we still have); all were ICE cars and none topped that GLC for mileage. “Great Little Car” indeed.
With my wife’s 21 y.o. Pontiac Vibe ticking over 100,000 miles, we’ll probably be in the market for a new car in the near future. We’re not ready for a EV, but would consider a hybrid. The reports I’ve read on mileage for hybrids have been mixed. But then I saw this:
“BYD claims that the Qin L in particular is good for a maximum range of 2,100 kilometers from both a full battery and full gas tank. That’s a whopping 1,300 miles, or enough to drive from New York City to Miami in one shot. Impressive, but those numbers were generated using the notoriously optimistic CLTC standard, which likely means the real-world range will be shorter.
“Or does it? It looks like BYD hosted a drive event for the Qin L and Seal 06 prior to unveiling the vehicle. The embargos are up, and at least one Chinese automotive journalist has put BYD’s super high-range claims to the test. Known on Chinese social media website BilliBilli and YouTube as “阿喵汽车” which translates to A Miao Car, presenter Miao and his cohost drive the car from BYD’s factory in Xi’An to Changchun, a distance of about 1,367 miles. The goal was to do the distance in with one full charge and tank of gas. Spoiler alert: it passed, with flying colors.”
Obviously, this car won’t be showing up in the US anytime soon. But a car that can get ca. 80 mpg is a quantum leap in automotive travel. Perhaps it will kick-start some innovation in the US car market.More By This Author:Crocodile Tears US Affordable Rental Housing, Makes Sense? Or Not Working as IntendedTax the rich!
