thanx mmarshall for bring the hybrid topic. now i'm extending it a bit further. (please chime in)

hybrids have thinner tires ; but how fast can they endure high travelling speed?

 

if it can go around 100 mph that will be great.

 

top speed of honda civic hybrid and toyota prius should be around 105 mph
the new accord hybrid is coming out soon. it should do great and suppose to be the fastest production hybrid.

 

The new RX400H hybrid should do even better.

 

oh my bad, i was thinking only about the sedans.

 

Well the Priapus to be released later this year does have an electronically limited top speed of 155mph (not to mention the 0-60 times of 4.03 seconds).
It's all about whether the hybrid is tuned for speed or for economy.

 

How can I get the Priapus ?

 

For some strange reason this question sounds familiar to me...

 

Honestly, the skys the limit as our technology improves. Simply put, the instant torque of an electric engine at low speeds and a matched with a high-output engine should yield tremendous results.

 

thanx for the participation guys. my concern was about the low resistent tires and the fact if they are capable of high speed traveling. i drive pretty fast with my gs, so i get the higher performance tires just for a peace of mind. and isn't that the reason why we buy lexus ? with many other reasons like luxury and so on.....


so it'd suck if i drove the prius close to 90 mph to work and the tires blew, and then toyota just tells me, well, the legal speed is 65 :P


so..., should i go ahead trade in the gs for prius ?

 

Driving a Prius at 90 MPH, while illegal in most places, should not put undue stress on the standard tires that the Prius comes with or cause them to fail as long as the tire pressures are correct ( they should be checked cold...driven less than 1 mile ) and the car is not loaded beyond its rated capacity......you'll find these figures listed either on the driver's door jamb, in the glove compartment on a sticker, or in the Owners' Manual. Now.......what is of more concern here when driving at these speeds with a Prius or other small Hybrid is how the tires will react if you have to make a sharp swerve or have to stop suddenly.
The tires used on small Hybrids are generally narrow and high-profile with a hard, low-rolling resistance tread compounds that are great for gas mileage but LOUSY for traction because they don't put much of a footprint on the road. So that small footprint and high-profile generally means a sluggish response to steering and brake input. That means the car is going to take its sweet time cornering and stopping...even with ABS and stability systems. Obviously, that means you can't drive it like a sports car at high speeds...you have to take it easy. You are used to driving a classic luxury / sport sedan with big tires........a Lexus GS, so just know that with a Prius you are not going to get that kind of ride, handling, and braking response. The trade-off, of course, is being able to sail right past most gas stations and laugh at high prices.

 

Also, Talgrl, keep in mind that gas-electric hybrids, unlike most vehicles, get better gas mileage in the city in stop-and-go traffic than on the highway at steady speeds because in the city the electric booster motor cuts in more and the gas engine often shuts completely off at stoplights. In rural areas and at steady speeds the gas engine runs much more, partly to help keep the batteries charged. When you take your foot off the gas and coast or hit the brake, the coasting energy and inertia from slowing down is recycled into the batteries through a generator and is known as "regenerative charging" or "regenerative braking".
This charging level is indicated on the dash by a meter.

 

Larry David did on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'

 

You could get into a whole lot more trouble going 90MPH in a GS than in a Prius. Loss of control at that speed in either vehicle would result in significant injury or, more likely, death.

In fact, I would take my chances in the Prius. A big, heavy RWD like would be hard to recover once control is lost. The FWD Prius would be more forgiving. Not to mention that the Prius has more airbags than the GS, a safety cell that is probably more resistant to intrusion, and the airbags it has are far more advanced than those in the GS.

The Prius is very, very safe. It received top score in the most demanding test in the world, EURONCAP:

http://www.euroncap.com/content/safe...?id1=6&id2=193

 

Acutally, skinner tires reduce drag. The Prius has a very low Cd. And honestly wil tires so BIG, skinny tires give feedback like no other. Less unspung weight. You will notice some of the top aftermarket cars have a big wheel/tire option but the same size diameter is usally offered.

Well I guess this applies to exotics. Not sure about a Prius.