Would you buy an hybrid/electric car if it. a) Cost twice as much for the same features as a internal combustion engine car. b) Cost 50% more. c) Cost 20% more. d) Cost the same e) Would never buy one.
hybrid/electric car sites. Here are some current hybrid/electric cars. Hybrids Toyota Prius Honda Insight GM Press Release Ford Escape due in 2004 Electric GM EV1 Sparrow Electic Car Solectra Sparrow II in development Electic Car site.
I bought a diesel Jetta last year for the fuel economy and becuase the new TDI engine no longer has the diesel turbo lag. How do these new hybrids perform? I know some of the earliest were pretty weak. But if their is decent performance (they don't have to be a race car), and priced decently I would buy one. I believe the japanese, in their automotive marketing genious, will do both of theses things and keep american models down.
i take public transport, too. also own a car. i'd gladly buy a hybrid, but i'm told that the technology is such that a minnesota winter and a hybrid battery still don't mix well. anyone know if that's true? i'm completely ig-nunt when it comes to cars! if that's the case, i'm guessing this summer i'll be turning in the 1988 chevy nova for a used toyota echo (best MPG of any non-hybrid on the market, last i heard)!
I would buy a Hybrid car. In Populated Areas, like here in Israel, it is kinda useful and quiet!! 5pm in Central Tel Aviv is something Chaotic, but i am not sure in other places like the USA! The USA loves big cars! Like GM makes and Ford.....and i don't think a Hybrid car would match therer market! Only Urbanized people would buy it. I would wait till i am finally able to go 150 with a Hybrid, than we'll talk!! Plus im scared that i will get electricuted if i go on a puddle of water on a road!
My next car, too, will be a hybrid. Unless I get work in a restaurant somewhere - then I'll find a diesel and fuel it off used oil from the deep fat fryers, of course. That's if I have to get a car - given the chance to live and work in an area with good, dependable public transportation, I'll do that. For some people, in some regions, transit villages are the future. And it can't be soon enough.
Jeezus, the only way I'd buy one would be if it cost significantly less. My dream car is a 'Vette, not some wimpy-ass hydro-electric crap...
Sure. Cause when the drivers of our nation are getting an average 13 mpg and gas gets up around $1.80 a gallon, we can just go whup the crap out of some other nation sitting on a load of decomposing dinosaurs, right? The oil is going to run out, no matter what. We have got to change.
You've stumbled on the really weak aspect of these cars. I would definitely stay away until the maintenance cost is known and not alot higher. Pure electric cars need the whole rack of batteries replaced every few years, and it's costly. Not only that, but they all have this vague peugot-like look to them and we must boycott such things.
What Smiley said. Quite frankly, why would I pay more for something that's not as reliable as internal-combustion and that I'm not going to have as much fun driving as I will an internal-combustion?
And when they develop a hydro-electric 'Vette that has the feel and power of a real 'Vette, and it's less expensive than a real 'Vette, I'll buy it. I'm just not going to purchase an inferior product. Alex
Hybrids tend to cost less over the life of the car in maintenance in fuel costs Pure electric cars are not germane to this discussion. These cars do not have a "whole rack of batteries" to replace. It is indeed hard to get excited about hybrid cars when the PTB in Detroit refuse to make any that don't look totally dorky.
Who says they're not as reliable? His argument was based on pure electric cars. This is an entirely different technology.
Because hybrid cars have been on the market for what, a year?? There could be some long-term problem with all of them that causes thousands of dollars worth of maintenance costs. When they've been on the market for 10 or 15 years, come talk to me.
What people - well, besides the intellectually feeble, and we can't discount them, apparently - are finally beginning to understand is that 'performance' does not SIMPLY mean 'goes real fast'. 'Performance' also means - or is going to have to mean - safe, economical, energy-conserving - as well as going fast. Of course, if you're the myopic type who only looks at 0-60 and expects a car to be an extension of your member, well what can I tell you then. The adolescent dinosaur is a funny thing. The thing is, if we put even a fraction of the money we're putting into this sick adventure into fast-track development of hybrids and fuel cells, we'd probably have alternative energy cars that did 'perform', possibly in time to avoid the next petrowar. And if the oil-connected US regime made even a token effort at levelling the gap between federal highway subsidies and public transit subsidies (fat chance!!!), more people, particularly in urban areas, might find it easier and more beneficial to take transit. And then those of you who really must, must drive might just find an open road once in a while.
Well, I'm a 19 year old male so "goes real fast" is a very important part of performance for me (altho acceleration and handling are just as important). Maybe I'll feel differently when I'm 50, but right now I want speed. Sorry.
Nah, we always want speed and power, at any age. Hybrids are good for this, since they still seem to have plenty of pop from internal combustion part of the engine. Most driving doesn't really involve anything more than cruising in your lane, and stopping and starting at red lights. So the hybridization really adds to efficiency without a loss of performance. I'm going to be loathe to use a pure electric, simply because the range isn't there, yet.
a few things.. DFB.. Electric cars have a higher torque in lower gears .The pure electric test model GM had out a few years ago (GM EV1) had some of the best 0-60 times out on the market.and That is with the much heavier weight from the battery.The notion of slow and sluggish electric vehicle is outdated.We will see sporty hybrids sooner then many think.OPel is currently testing get this... a DIESEL/ELECTRIC HYBRID SPORTS CAR it supposeldy is quit fast and is very high performance.Hybrids are the furture of the auto, and that future is much closer then people think.GM is actually a leader in this front and has been doing the most research through their pure electric EV1 and their european brands. Michael- You cant just dump vegatable grease into a diesel and expect it to run.You still have to distill it into a fuel.BUT diesel is quit easy to do.I own a GMC 1974 Diesel Pick up.This is my prime transpotation since I work in the AG business.Luckily Bio_diesel is readily availible in Northern Illinois, but I still have a small fuel plant behind one of my barns.I dont produce enough to keep myself driving without buying fuel.But its a great back up system if there is ever a fuel shortage, Right now I mainly use it for John Deere Diesel Back Up generator I have. also, My pick up has about 350k Miles on it.Since I am mechaniclly inclined I keep it in tip top shape... BUT since I started using Bio Diesel it runs even better.Since Bio Diesel has an even higher Viscosity then regular diesel.My truck will likely run as long as the body stays together.