Solar4SF.org

I read an interesting posting at AutoblogGreen on the costs of traffic. It got me thinking about how misleading the posted fuel economy ratings for vehicles can be and how efficiency in traffic conditions is yet another advantage hybrids have. Maybe we should introduce a third mileage rating. We already have City and Highway mpg. How about “Traffic MPG”. I.e., how many miles per gallon does a vehicle get at 5mph, or a stop and start pattern of 30 seconds at 0mph, 30 seconds at 15mph. Hybrids would see very little decrease from their City ratings thanks to their ability to shutdown completely when stopped and take advantage of battery power at low speeds, whereas traditional gas cars/SUVs would truly reveal their inefficiency.