The first display is the graphical display of the power mode. In this clip, it is showing the drivetrain powered completely by battery power (blue). When the engine starts up, its power will show in orange, with the battery power rolling over to green for Hybrid power mode. When the Hybrid mode kicks off, such as increased acceleration, low battery juice, or the transmission or engine temperature is too low, the display shows complete orange for engine power only.

Moving to the drivers dashboard console, on the left is the RPM gauge sitting at the Auto Start position. In this mode, the engine is off, but sits at Auto Start to indicate to you it will start on demand.

I ran on battery power in the subdivision, but when I pulled out onto the main road, the engine kicked on and I ran in Hybrid power to Eagle road. Once on Eagle, I accelerated more quickly and ran on Engine power to about 50mph. Once there, it slid into Hybrid mode as I held the pedal just barely on to keep the speed constant. When I let off the pedal to turn into Madison Park, the engine shut down and I was back on battery power, pulling into the driveway and spending five minutes exploring more buttons and menus.

Here come the numbers…thanks to Tate for the original spreadsheet he created back in Laramie for his 96 (or was it 98 ?) Dodge…its been hacked a bit, but still rocking-n-rolling for my car lot.

2004 Chevrolet Tahoe, 5.3L Flexfuel, 4WD Soccermomwagon:

Purchased – 11/30/2004
Total Mileage – 67,184
Overall MPG – 16.030
Average Miles Per Day – 33.35
Average Miles Per Month – 1,000
Average Miles Per Year – 12,164
Fillups – 240

2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid (aka, DB’s Pimptastic Ride, thanks MP):

Purchased – 07/08/2010
Total Mileage – 1,818 (5229 total, purchased with 3411 on the odometer)
Overall MPG – 18.377
Average Miles Per Day – 606
Average Miles Per Month – 18180
Average Miles Per Year – 221,190
Fillups – 7

Yeah, ok, the averages per year are a bit skewed due to the small sample size. For measures, the pickup:

2001 Chevrolet Pickup, 2500, 6.6L Duramax Diesel:

Purchased – 07/15/2001
Total Mileage – 85,175
Overall MPG – 19.448 (never going to get it over 20MPG I fear)
Average Miles Per Day – 26.592
Average Miles Per Month – 798
Average Miles Per Year – 9,706
Fillups – 189

The pickup, BEFORE the kids and Tahoe arrived…

Purchased – 07/15/2001, data through 10/30/2004
Total Mileage – 58,848
Overall MPG – 19.749
Average Miles Per Day – 47.933
Average Miles Per Month – 1,438
Average Miles Per Year – 17,495

Time will tell on the Escalade versus the Tahoe. I do not have the ability to breakdown the stats for city versus highway driving, wish I had some ability to track that within a tank of fuel, but generall the Tahoe averaged about 13.5 to 14.5 around the city, then pulling 17.5 to 19 on the interstate, depending on the prevailing breeze. I was a bit surprised the overall MPG sat in at 16, I figured it would be a tad lower, but we have also put it on the road a fair amount the past few months after more city driving over the winter. Have yet to burn through a tank in the Escalade yet putzing around town, so curious to see how things pan out there.

We took it for a few quick spins last night, and we will be writing more about the adventures in Hybrid land. There is a bit of difference…it will usually run on battery power as you sit at stop lights, and start moving. Around the 20-25MPH range in switches into Hybrid mode, quietly and seamlessly (there is a slightly noticeable action) starting the engine and switching into partial engine, partial electric power. Depending on the charge of the batteries, we noticed it running in Hybird mode in the 40-45MPH range. From the mileage John logged, it ran about the 19.5 to 20 MPG range on its journey to Idaho. Quick glances at the current MPG while toting around town looks to be quite a boost over the ole Tahoe.

The most unusual feel is the brake pedal, and the actions when you are slowing down. With the regenerative braking, the brake pedal does not need much action, but when you near a stop, the pedal becomes more active as regeneration eases off. Things are pretty quiet, although there is a cooling system with a fan that is noticeable when the engine is off.

The kids enjoyed it, they sat in the third row of seats (which we had on the Tahoe, but never had them installed) and thought it was the coolest thing ever, wanting to always sit there. Then they began spitting at each other and fighting like good little kids spoiled by weeks of the grand parents.

Snapped a few pictures last night of the departing Tahoe and the new ride. Also, congratulations to the Hemstreet’s of Redmond for their new vehicle purchase, as unplanned as it was.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/livefromboise/sets/72157624326385963

Stupid electronics.  The Pioneer took a nosedive a few days after Thanksgiving.  Google points the problem at a bad video board (apparently there are two of them, one for the top half, and one for the bottom half of the screen) which is causing the top half of the screen to go black with a few green bars.  Going to have to take it in and get an estimate, or hoping for another lightning strike.  For now, we have transplanted the Panasonic from the bedroom into the living room…but…it looks a tad odd…

Without the TV in the living room last Sunday morning, Nora and I did daddy/daughter things like getting bad guys in Warcraft and playing with Nora’s babies.  At one point, Nora climbed on the couch and wanted me to take her picture because she is gorgeous.

The pets are getting by, but they are getting up in their years.  Eros is much more stubborn and settled in her ways with her advancing years, becoming more nosey around the dinner table as well as comfortable asserting her desire for the prime comfort zones of the house.  Ralph is doing OK.  He just came off a prescription to fight off an infection, and it has made his breath much better.  We will have to see how it plays out, he may still need some dental work to make those pearly whites shine.  He has slowed considerably this year, and we have been trying some Rimmadyl to see how things work out.  We’ve been on a few walks of late, and while he can make it, a turtle may pass us on our next stroll.  Nicademous has his snotty nose back, so frequent sneezing is the norm, especially around four or five in the morning.

We seem ok, other than a dead circuit (bonus room). Idaho Power is on their way.

FD tore out a hot wall, and is now tearing open the roof.

Since Nora has arrived, the TA is even more of a neglected ride, and the thoughts of parting ways often cross our minds.  However, since we are married, over 30, have kids, and its paid off, it really does not cost us much to keep it around.  Anyway, this year, I apparently neglected her more than in the past.  I usually try to fire it up every so often, make sure it starts, and perhaps take it for a little spin.  I thought I had been doing this, but, the Ada County emissions card was due in February, and oopsie, I still had not taken it in.  Sounds like an easy project.

Tyler and I took the air compressor out around noon, as a few tires on the TA needed refueled, and I figured I would top off the Grand Prix tires as well as the pickup while I was out there.  Tyler was interested in the air compressor for about two minutes, and then he was off, playing in the garage, finding sticks and limbs in the backyard, and doing a pretty good job of staying out of my way and entertaining himself.  He was in one of his ignore everything anyone says type moods, but he stayed out of the street and I did not see any stand-offs with any squirrels or other pets, so no harm, no foul.

After a bit, I finally had the TA tires up to 32psi, as well as the pickup at 60psi, and maneuvered the pickup around so I could back the TA out.  I threw off the car cover in a dash, and plopped in the key.  Nothing.  No dings, no lights, no movement on the instrument cluster.  Ut oh, I know this gig…

Simple enough, the TA needs a little jump.  I kicked it out of gear, dropped the emergency break, and rolled her out into the driveway.  Then, slung the pickup back around and nearly touched noses with the two, and dug out the jumper cables.  Most of you are probably aware of my immense fear of anything electrical, which includes car batteries, so what usually takes a few seconds takes me a bit to handle.  Nonetheless, about ten minutes in, I *thought* I had the two hooked together and ready to crank on the TA.  I hop in, I get some lights, I get some action, I crank it over, and…nothing.

Ok, not the first time this has happened.  I let the TA charge a bit, and tried again.  When I cranked, nothing, again.  Ok, maybe it has been a little longer than I thought.  Well, for the next 90 minutes or so, I fought the stupid thing.  I finally gave up, parked the pickup, and waited for Flossie and the Tahoe to come home.  After she arrived, brining a freezer, fridge, and pantry full of goodies, and letting the Tahoe charge up the TA for about 10 minutes, I tried again.  Nothing.  At this point, the engineer mindset kicks in.  Something isn’t right.  After poking around, I am pretty sure my ground on the TA side was intermittent.  I found another spot which to attach the jumper cable negative cable, and gave the TA another few minutes charge.  This time, golden.  Well, it started, but the TA moaned at me like I was trying to get Eros out of bed before noon on a cold winter day.

After a few minutes, the TA was up and idling on its own — probably stale gas contributing to the roughness as well as a lack of juice at idle to keep the ignition system happy with the other demands of an electronic automobile.  Either way, I put the Tahoe away, and off I went to put some miles on the TA and get the battery back into somewhat normal condition.  Hitting stop lights and stop signs was a little bit of an issue as kicking out of gear and slowing down nearly killed it a few times, and I am pretty sure it would not have come back.  However, I swung back into town after a 25 minute jaunt, and swept into the emissions test place and she started up like a charm after that.  Whew.

Arriving home, I fetched Nora, and let her partake in one of her favorite activities these days — driving the car(s) into the garage (to park them, of course).  This was her first time in the TA at all, and she was quite excited.

[flickrset id="72157616365241366" thumbnail="square"]

’70 Pontiac Grand Prix, brochure description on Flickr – Photo Sharing!

The Erben Grand Prix still sits quietly in the garage here in Boise, but as spring nears, we’ll be firing the old girl up again.  After the trip from Omaha to Boise in 2003, the jostling on the trailer for 1400 miles broke several of the wheel studs on the front end (and to think, it is only a small block in there and not the 455, although it is a full six feet of hood).  Poking around, and on this photostream, the black and the green look pretty good, and I got a kick out of popping the hood to cool it off.  Still probably a year or two out from full restoration (the yard is this years project), but time to get it going again.

I dug back through the various records I have kept, and seems like 1999 was the cheapest year on record, although I always put premium in my ’87 Firebird, so it is about 20-30 cents higher than regular:

In support of the Phillies World Series win, we feast on an original.