Who's choking the hybrid car?

Question

Some of us have seen the electric car documentary, and I'm sure there are things(problems) it did mention about the electric car.

But the hybrids offer the best of both worlds, so why aren't we switching most vehicles? The automotive industries only have one or two hybrids in their line up. Sure they're not the answer, but they're a step up. So what gives?

Answer 1

They cost $2-5k more than the non hybrid version of the same vehicle.  That buys a lot of gas.

Its not uncommon to see a Pruis, diesel VW, and something like a Honda Fit all get similar mileage (low 40's).  Yet the Fit is cheapest by a lot, then the VW, and finally the hybrids are most expensive.

Answer 2

Let the free markets do their job.  It wasn't until recently that the market was extremely favorable to Hybrids...for the first time, Fullsize Trucks and SUV sales have fallen 20%.  Remember that when Toyota and Honda first came out with production hybrids, Gas was still decent.  It has been some time since their introduction...just look at the prius, what you see on the roads is actually the SECOND generation, no one cared about the first generation (was a small sedan like a corolla, not the dust-buster looking hatchback now)

Just give it time...everyone who bought big trucks/SUVs as "status" and "Style" symbols will switch to hybrids as "Status" and "Style" symbols.

Answer 3

Right now, the auto industry is in a painful transition. They already have the equipment necessary to build non-hybrids. It just takes time to get the equipment to build hybrids. Another problem is R&D - it takes time to work out the bugs in a completely new technology.

Answer 4

if hybrids are such great cars, then why are they not flying off the dealer lots in huge numbers? cant be size since GM has the tahoe hybrid. cant be lack of fuel economy because they are all rated higher than their gasoline only counterparts. cant be performance because they have similar performance to their gasoline only counterparts. so what could the problem be? hmmm, how about PRICE. hybrids generally run about $6000 MORE than their gasoline only counterparts, and when you add in the extra interest you will pay on the loan, you end up paying at least $12000 more over the life of the loan. then you have the cost of battery replacement should you keep the vehicle long enough. one more thing, in the real world hybrids while hybrids do get better mileage than their gasoline only counterparts, the difference isnt really enough to make the hybrid purchase worthwhile from an economic standpoint. even if the hybrid got 10mpg more than the gaoline counterpart in the real world, you still have the issue of the higher buy in price, and the extra interest you pay, and you have a hefty depreciation factor for the first few years.

hybrids just dont make economic sense at this time. if the automakers would drop the price on hybrid vehicles to something more in line with their gasoline counterparts, then you would see hybrid car sales take off.

Answer 5

Hybrids are flying off the lots in huge numbers, they are the highest selling type of vehicle these days, while the trade in value of huge trucks and Suva has plummeted. The only thing choking the hybrid is supply. It takes specialized parts to make them as opposed to a typical car and the auto makers at this point can't keep up with the demand. They also already have the facilities to make standard cars, so they will continue to make standard cars as long as people will still buy them.

Regardless, I'm still more excited for the wide range of REEVs and full electric vehicles that will be put on the market by various small producers and some of the big auto producers as well, and we should be seeing those within the next couple of years.

Answer 6

Like what Richard A said, they are too expensive. The battery making process (especially the nickle batteries) is also damaging to the enironment. The cost of ownership per mile is also higher. I heard that the cost to own a Prius is over $3 a mile, compare that to the ownership of a subcompact like the Aveo or Yaris that both have a cost of ownership below $1 a mile. Besides, have you noticed how many hybrids are being inroduced and planned? For example, there are 17 new hyrbid models for 2008 alone (7 from GM, 2 from Ford and 2 from Toyota). Threre are many more planned for the near future. You can even buy aftermarket converion kits for almost any vehicle. So many hybrids are going unnoticed because the vast majority (except maybe the Prius) are based on an existing car. The only outward appearance is a small badge.

Answer 7

Ya it is time for it.