If something were to 'break down' on the hybrid part of the vehicle, will it still run on the gasoline part for a period of time? And a safety question re the hybrid batteries under the back seat... what would happen if they were to be damaged in a serious vehicle accident?

 

http://www.automotiveaddicts.com/145...iew-test-drive

Offhand, I do not think it would bode well if the hybrid portion (batteries) broke down. It seems the hybrid batteries are also tied into other components (e.g., power steering, etc.) per the above article. I would consult a Lexus engineer to get your answers.

 

I am pretty sure that if there is a problem with the hybrid power train, the whole vehicle would be inoperable. It is just like if you ran out of gas, the car would not even move in battery power.

with crash tests, I am sure they put all things considered with the design of the battery pack and hybrid components when they built the vehicle. The battery cannot be any more dangerous than the tank of gas in a vehicle

 

Probably it would be like a non-hybrid, you'd probably have to call for a pickup to the dealership. However it's very dependable and the warranty on the hybrid portion of the powertrain exceeds the normal powertrain warranty.

 

The OP's post is an interesting idea for a fail safe of the whole hybrid thing. Who knows down the road you can chose hybrid, gas only or battery only function,

 

Is this how the Volt works today? An either/or thing?

 

in the volt, you cant choose one day to be in electric and the next in gas. When you run out of electric, it will switch to gas

 

That sounds like the best way for a hybrid to work but I wonder if the electric breaks in the Volt can it run on the gas by itself?

 

I believe in the volt, the gas engine only charge the battery, have nothing to do with the powertrain.

 

One more thing...if you ever crash a vehicle, the battery being under the back seat is probably the safest place. If an impact progresses to the point that the area under the back seat is affected, you've likely got much worse problems than the battery. Just a thought.

 

An article in Car and Driver indicated the Volt will run on the gas engine once the battery is depleted. In the story, he was about to run out of gas at home but remembered he could charge the battery over night and then worry about filling it with gas later. Pretty slick to have both modes available.

 

Back to 450h questions: Are most owners getting about 27mpg with the 450h?

 

That would be a good average for me. My best tankfull in warm weather has been 32.9. It is generally around 30 +/- when I fill up in warm weather. In cold weather I average closer to 25-26. It really depends on how many short trips I make.

 

hills are also the killer of mpg. Going down the same hill does not offset the mpg loss from going up it.

 

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/hyb...g-on-450h.html

For the 1st year, I averaged a little over 27 MPG (1/2 highway and 1/2 city/suburban).