Electric motoring: the way of the future

By Botchi Santos November 13,2013

I’ve been a car enthusiast longer than I’ve been writing about cars. I’ve always taken the opportunity to try out different types of cars, from exotics, full-blown project builds, brand-new luxury cars, bargain-basement econo-cars to just about everything in between. Naturally, my curiosity about hybrid and electric cars means that I’ve had the opportunity to sample them.

 

To date, I’ve tried Toyota’s second- and third-generation Prius, the Yaris-based Prius-C, Mugen’s CR-Z, Mercedes-Benz’s S400 Hybrid, Porsche’s Cayenne and Panamera Hybrids (in Germany, only for short stints behind the wheel) and of course, Lexus’ CT200h and GS450h.

 

And quite frankly, I’ve never been impressed because, from a sporty-type, performance-oriented driving point of view, the hybrid technology tends to get in the way of driving.

 

Sure, the CR-Z impresses with its amazing litheness, the GS450h delivered impressive power comparable to a V8, and more and more hypercars such as Porsche’s 918 Spyder, Ferrari’s upcoming La Ferrari and McLaren’s soon to be launched P1 means that the performance side of the industry has seen the amazing benefits afforded by hybrids: ease of operation, instant torque, lower fuel consumption and more environment-friendly field operation (zero emissions at low speeds, more quiet operation, less resources consumed, etc.).

 

Very highfalutin stuff I must add, but nonetheless, after coming from my trip to the Frankfurt Motor Show a few months back where a vast majority of hybrids were on display, I started to think about whether I unfairly dismissed hybrids as a tree-hugger trend which are meant to satisfy lobbyists and legislators alike while the vast majority of manufacturers continued to go about their business.

 

With that in mind, I put in a request to borrow Lexus’ GS450h. Yes, I reviewed it before and was left impressed by its performance, refinement, comfort and techno-cool, Japanese mangga/mecha-inspired looks. But the only time I appreciated the hybrid’s benefit was when I’d boot the throttle and go flat out, tires chirping at odd times as the electric motor’s torque was barely contained by the generously sized 245/45R18 summer performance Dunlops. Surely, there’s more to motoring than going fast?

 

It was a few weeks before I could get it and somehow my mind was slowly being shaped. Adjusting my driving style, thanks to some foot-work practice gleaned from joining a Peugot Eco-Marathon/Rally, I was finally getting a solid 10 kpl on my Toyota Yaris daily driver in purely city driving. My Yaris is lightly modified with basic engine bolt-ons, an RS bodykit, coil-over suspension and, the single largest modification that adversely affected fuel consumption in the city, 17-inch RAYS Wheels which effectively altered my effective gearing far higher.

 

Previously I’d struggle to break past 8 kpl, as I’m quite impatient and aggressive in my driving. Now, though, I was doing 10 kpl in the city and a whopping 17 kpl out on the highway traveling at semilegal (the speed at which radar speed gun-toting traffic cops will let you go) speeds, between 110 and 120 kph. Not bad, as I was making good time and it was still a very fun drive.

 

When the GS450h became ready, I told myself a few things: I’d leave it in ECO mode only—not in NORMAL, let alone Sport and Sport Plus mode—and go with the flow, drive well within the speed limits (Though I always do that, promise!) and avoid aggressive acceleration and leave space ahead to maneuver away from traffic rather than slowing down. Thus my driving experience with the Lexus became a game.

 

The original plan was to go on a long drive, but work and other obligations kept me from going. But that didn’t matter much because in the end, well, wow.

 

Living in Mandaluyong/San Juan means I get to avoid a lot of the major roads and thus the traffic, traversing the small, inner roads in the grid-patterned streets near Greenhills. And it was here that the GS450h’s full electric capabilities stunned me (and almost ran over a bunch of people in the process). In full electric or EV (for electric vehicle) mode, the GS450h completely shuts off its gasoline engine at speeds below 60 kph and with throttle inputs less than 30 percent, which is all we really need to putter in and around town silently.

 

In normal driving, the battery is able to charge itself to about 80 percent in only half an hour, the brakes take less of a beating as well because the GS450h’s electric motor does the majority of the braking at lower speeds, too. Lastly, since the Lexus utilizes a full-electric aircon and not a belt-driven one from the crankshaft, the interior remains cool even when the gasoline engine goes silent, which can’t be said for other hybrids. Who says we need to suffer when we go hybrid?

 

Inside, the silence doesn’t make a huge overall difference as the GS450h is so quiet and refined, you can barely hear the engine ticking over at idle anyway. When the engine restarts, a very gentle nudge is all that it takes to alert you that the gasoline engine is back on-line. Sure, you’ll hear a sonorous wail past 3,500 rpm from the lovely and silky smooth Atkinson-Cycle 2GR-FXE V6 engine, but how often do you want to rev the nuts off when electric motoring could be so much fun? Combined with the hybrid drive system, the GS450h still delivers the highest output in the GS lineup of 338 horsepower and 345 Nm of torque.

 

Interestingly, the gasoline engine alone develops 286 HP while the electric motors deliver 200 HP, but these respectively peak at different rpm points, likewise the torque figures.

 

Outside, though, the GS450h can be quite dangerous for pedestrians. With noise pollution being a somewhat serious concern, the GS450h’s lack of noise means you need to be always ready to honk your horn and flash your high-beams as people suddenly walk out onto your path, and  cars back out of driveways and swerve onto your lane. It can be quite exciting, to say the least, but the GS, thanks to really strong brakes, always saves the day.

 

It’s also a great car for coming in late at night, in the wee hours of the morning, or leaving early for a golf game. Upon startup, the GS450h generally gets moving in full electric mode unless the nickel-metal hydride battery is down to 20-percent power, the gasoline engine starts to charge up the battery pack. Easier to sneak in/out and be discrete with the Lexus.

 

The GS450h points the way to true futuristic motoring. It’s not difficult to get used to, the hybrid technology is unobtrusive and doesn’t dominate the experience; it’s like a regular car, only much better. The hybrid system is well-integrated into current technology and acts like an unseen guiding hand, helping make motoring much more efficient and enjoyable. The best part? A solid 10.5 kpl in purely city driving.

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