News on hybrid vehicles, fuel cell cars, and the future of automobiles

I am looking to buy a midsize hybrid 4 door sedan. I have narrowed it down to two cars. Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima, both 2007 models. I’ve been told that both cars are very comparable since Nissan licensed some of the hybrid components from Toyota so therefore the drive train and the hybrid system are almost identical for both cars. However, Toyota dealer told me that Toyota licensed older technology hybrid components than the latest installed in the Camry. Is this true? Which would you buy?

Toyota

Gas prices is not the only reason people choose to buy an electric hybrid car. For some its the right thing to do. Working towards a greener environment. For others, its the thrill of breaking technology. What would be yours ?

First, to reduce the amount of exhaust emissions and greenhouse gasses I am putting into the atmosphere, second for the thrill of the cutting edge technology.

Gas prices are a stupid reason since the premium you pay for a hybrid vehicle negates any saving on fuel. If I wanted to save money on fuel alone I’d choose a Volkswagen TDI diesel or a Toyota Corolla (40 mpg) instead and not have to pay so much for hybrid technology and have a $5000 bill for a new hybrid battery after 4 or 5 years. You’d save more with a Corolla, Yaris, Civic HX or a TDI then you ever will with a hybrid.

The best reason to buy a hybrid is to reduce your emissions. Aside from that, buying an old Volkswagen or Mercedes diesel and running it off of 100% renewable non-toxic biodiesel is better for the planet in a lot of ways overall when you break down the effects of manufacturing that brand-new hybrid car and the effect of disposing of its batteries and so on.

Toyota has already had major recalls on their Prius models. Since 1906 (or thereabouts) we have been using 6 to 12 V DC electrical systems in automobiles. There are huge safety hazards AND regulatory requirements for mobile electrical systems with voltages above 12V DC. Battery packs in the Prius are hundreds of volts DC, and it is very challenging to make all the switching, wiring, etc. safe in accidents and during repairs. It is expensive to get the equipment to pass all the regulatory requirements. A few years ago, there was a push to go to 48 V DC systems in cars, but the arcing caused by a severed wire during a crash could explode the gas in the gas tank, etc.

I think these risks, considering the current weakness of
American manufacturers, prevents them from making the leap. Toyota is making tons of money and has the Japanese manufacturing methods at its disposal. They still lead the world in electronic qualitiy.

Just a note on hybrid vs. full electric. Full electric cars will, in my opinion, never be viable untill there is free electricity. Our power grid and fossil fuel power generation could never support the transportation industry in this country, as well as creating a huge battery reprocessing problem. Hybrid, on the other hand, is an "energy recovery" system, which reduces the net energy used of the vehicle, which is far more important than just moving the pollution to the power plant stack. hybrid cars use less fuel because they are more efficient. Full electrics have limited ranges and massive (in weight) battery packs. The power density of batteries is low, so it would never be practical for trucks and large vehicles. I think the hybrid shows real promise, but until we deal with energy production as a society, we are screwed.

As a note–hybrid cars CHARGE THEMSELVES. You never plug in a "hybrid" as produced by honda or Toyota. The only cars you plug in (like the Saturn) are FULL ELECTRIC, with no gas engine inside.

I’ve been thinking of buying a hybrid car, but now I’m hearing about E85 as a fuel source.

Which technology has more staying power, is better for the environment, etc. . .? Tell me what you know!

If you can provide me with any links to E85 info, that’d be great.

Thank you.

I had a Caravan once that was a FFV. I put in E85 for a while, my 25 MPG dropped to almost 16 MPG. Sorry but seeing I lost 1/3 of my mileage with E85 I will never go back.

Since hybrids have only been on sale in the consumer market for about five years, it’s still a bit early to assess all the real costs of owning one of these vehicles. On the surface, it appears that the added costs are recouped with benefits such as the federal tax credit and the improvement in fuel economy. Maintenance and repairs seem to be average or slightly below average so far, and issues with repairs of hybrid-specific components are nearly nonexistent. Whether the benefits outweigh the costs in the long term will really remain dependent on external factors, such as if the clean fuel federal tax deduction is phased out as planned, and personal factors, such as the owner’s typical commute and if he or she can get the optimum fuel economy benefits.

For the hybrid owners we spoke with, any additional costs, perceived or real, were outweighed by the love of their cars.

The time will come when this cars need to be serviced and/or taken out of the road and recycled

that technology changes so fast that I dont believe you could teach anything that would be up to date. the shops use computer links to help in the new data and repairs. so if the mechanic is good but never worked on a hybrid he can still recieve the information he need to do a good repair.

I would like to know who sells the most hybrid cars?
What company is the closest to really perfecting this TECHNOLOGY?
Preferably in America or a company with ties to it. Should i wait for a car that will beat all others in a year or two? thank you.

Toyota does, but their hybrids aren’t really the best. However, Chevy will be making a completely new hybrid car, called the Volt, will include large batteries that will not only have a 500 mile distance, it is rechargeable! It also has a medium but gas sipping engine to power it along at about 80 mph(top speed). Combined, the Volt has a total of 330 horse power, almost twice as much a the Toyota Prius.