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I think that with Honda's seemingly "revolutionary" idea to make a Hybrid car not look like a hideous chud that you feel embarrassed to be seen in, with the new hybrid civic, you'll start to see them become more mainstream. Honestly, I believe more people would drive them if they weren't so damned ugly.
 
MOre likely due to the fact that most hybrid/ electric cars have a payback greater than 20 years. Not all.
Think there was only 3 cars that had a payback under 6 years. And those cost included the government subsidy.
I think the Chevy Volt was 26 years.

So does that tell us something about the cost of owning a new car today
 
I agree. Some are too ugly to leave the garage. I've considered a hybrid, or maybe an electric, as our next vehicle. To me the most compelling reason to own one is not the years/payback issue, but the availability of fuel going forward. Should we end up in a situation where gasoline prices skyrocket, or has limited availability, having a hybrid or electric would make life much nicer.
 
Prius owner here (get off foreign corrupt Saudi oil!) and if my next vehicle isn't a hybrid, it will be because it's an electric.

Okay, the only possible deterrent to that is if our SUV needs replacement first (the Prius is a 2004 with 120,000 miles and going strong, the SUV is a 1998 with 40,000 miles,) and there isn't a decent hybrid SUV available at replacement time. But the Ford Escape looks passable, so barring Ford screwing that up, that at least would be an option.
 
Not trying to poo,poo anyone here, but i am waiting (and hoping) that america will produce either a rock solid hybrid, or a rock solid all electric.. I know we have the ability and technology to do this,, just have to try a sway one of the large 3 ( g.m., ford, dodge.) to make it happen. as soon as my wife wears out her current car ,we are planning on going electric for her, as she only drives around eugene.
 
My wife drives an older non-hybrid Ford Escape, we like it very much but it's starting to show it's age. What it gets replaced with is up to her, but I would not doubt it could be the hybrid Escape.
 
I dislike hybrids. They cost too much more than a comparable gasoline car, and don't get good enough fuel economy to offset that cost. it's good that they exist- if not for hybrids, battery technology wouldn't be progressing like it is to give us the possibility of a full-electric. To me, hybrids are a stepping stone to fuel cell cars once people figure out an energy efficient way to produce hydrogen. My position is based on 10 years as a technician at a Honda dealer- I've driven a ton of hybrids and I'd take an EX Civic over a Civic Hybrid any day of the week and twice on Sundays- the last time I did the math a person would have to drive a Civic Hybrid 7 years with gas at $4/gal to break even with a gas Civic on fuel savings due to its additional cost
 
all my cars are paid for run well and get around 20mpg, for the cost of the payment on a hybrid I can buy a lot of gasoline. If some one just sits down and does the math owning a hybrid is a loss.

The only reason I can see for owning one is to feel all warm and fuzzy about saving the planet.
 
A friend had a Prius that averaged 39 mpg.

A few years ago, Consumer Reports did a mpg test using "real-word" situations. These included more stop-and-go, use of air conditioning, cd player and other options. CR's conclusions were, in general, hybrid cars' mpg was below the USEPA figures, gasoline cars were on par with the USEPA, and diesel cars did a little better than the USEPA figures. The USEPA admitted that its measuring methods were dated and that the figures are for comparative uses only...but has not changed their testing methods. I warned a close friend about it; he bought a new Prius anyway, averaged about 39 mpg, and was disappointed (YMMV).

I tell people to look at diesels. When people tell me "but diesel costs more", I tell them to do the math. I sold a gas VW Golf and got a diesel Golf. My recorded mpgs were 27 for the gasser and 45 for the diesel. That's over a 60% mpg increase. If gas is $3.90, I would have to pay over $6.50 per gallon before I see no savings. (diesel rant)
 
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A friend had a Prius that averaged 39 mph.

A few years ago, Consumer Reports did a mpg test using "real-word" situations. These included more stop-and-go, use of air conditioning, cd player and other options. CR's conclusions were, in general, hybrid cars' mpg was below the USEPA figures, gasoline cars were on par with the USEPA, and diesel cars did a little better than the USEPA figures. The USEPA admitted that its measuring methods were dated and that the figures are for comparative uses only...but has not changed their testing methods. I warned a close friend about it; he bought a new Prius anyway, averaged about 41 mpg, and was disappointed (YMMV).

I tell people to look at diesels. When people tell me "but diesel costs more", I tell them to do the math. I sold a gas VW Golf and got a diesel Golf. My recorded mpgs were 27 for the gasser and 45 for the diesel. That's over a 60% mpg increase. If gas is $3.90, I would have to pay over $6.50 per gallon before I see no savings. (diesel rant)

Diesel

Now we're talking. I would be driving a diesel right now if we had the same options they have in Europe. The EPA has killed that idea, makes too much sense for them to handle (read not PC enough). Believe me, if the VW Golf suited my needs, I'd be in one now.
 
Most hybrids will never return even close to their estimates or ratings. Prius C "rated @ 52mpg".

Getting close to my average 55mpg in my TDI. (Yes, thats real world driving). It would be neat to see a Polo TDI like they have in Europe. Gets near 70mpg.
 
Not trying to poo,poo anyone here, but i am waiting (and hoping) that america will produce either a rock solid hybrid, or a rock solid all electric.. I know we have the ability and technology to do this,, just have to try a sway one of the large 3 ( g.m., ford, dodge.) to make it happen. as soon as my wife wears out her current car ,we are planning on going electric for her, as she only drives around eugene.
No actually we don't
And I doubt we EVER will. If you doubt my claim, look up how many amps it takes to make just 50 horse power at say, 24 or 48 volts.
Then try to put that in a battery with any reserve capacity at that level of output.
Sorry, but that ain't gonna happen.

There are too many wishful thinking eco-peeps that don't understand what kind of energy density a gallon of our favorite refined petroleum fuel contains. Be it gasoline or diesel.
We can make IC engines cleaner with CNG, and for now, I believe that should be our goal. We only have a few centuries worth of the stuff, :rolleyes:
So there's no reason NOT to do it.
Unless you believe in the vilification of the people that drill holes in the ground to recover natural resources.
Converting commercial trucking alone would drop our dependence on oil a HUGE amount.
 
I wish I had bought a diesel in my truck instead of the hemi, but at the time I neither towed anything nor had intentions on towing anything. Guess I'll just keep getting 14mpg
 
No actually we don't
And I doubt we EVER will. If you doubt my claim, look up how many amps it takes to make just 50 horse power at say, 24 or 48 volts.
Then try to put that in a battery with any reserve capacity at that level of output.
Sorry, but that ain't gonna happen.

There are too many wishful thinking eco-peeps that don't understand what kind of energy density a gallon of our favorite refined petroleum fuel contains. Be it gasoline or diesel.
We can make IC engines cleaner with CNG, and for now, I believe that should be our goal. We only have a few centuries worth of the stuff, :rolleyes:
So there's no reason NOT to do it.
Unless you believe in the vilification of the people that drill holes in the ground to recover natural resources.
Converting commercial trucking alone would drop our dependence on oil a HUGE amount.

I guess you've never heard of the Chevy Volt or the Nissan Leaf? These are first generation all electric mass production cars- they'll only get better and cheaper from here...

http://www.chevrolet.com/volt-electric-car/

http://www.niss****a.com/leaf-electric-car/index#/leaf-electric-car/index

http://www.toyota.com/prius-plug-in/
 

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