While touring a bunch of hilly neighbourhoods, driving up and down tiny, steep hills with sharp corners, this question popped into my mind. Which is better for this kind of driving, a hybrid or a smallish (e.g. 1.5L) turbo 4 cylinder?
They both have low end torque, though the hybrid’s torque may come on sooner. The hybrid also has regen braking that can reduce heat buildup in the brakes. The hybrid may be a bit heavier due to the battery and additional hardware.
Would steep inclines put a strain on the turbo and reduce its life span? I know nothing about car mechanicals, so I really don’t know if that’s possible or not.
The hybrid seems to make more sense. 🤷
Any thoughts?
Forget the brakes, the regenerative braking will give a dramatic increase in efficiency going up and down hills, and decreased wear on the engine.
Are these actually hills or mountains?
They’re hills, but steep.
Yeah in theory a good hybrid system will capture the downhill energy and use it to help you get up the next hill with less fuel.