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

Comment on What are 3 good reasons why I should buy a Hybrid car?? by ZAZ

ZAZ — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:47:59 +0000

I guess you should also check the insurance quotes for hybrid cars before buying one, for example here: http://autoinsurance.bebto.com
As I know hybrids are more expensive to insure.
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Comment on Is a hybrid SUV even serious? by dana19812

dana19812 — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:40:59 +0000

You make a valid point that hybrid SUVs still aren’t very environmentally friendly (they get about the same mileage as a normal sedan). However, for people who need an SUV (like if they need to tow stuff), a hybrid SUV can be a decent option.

Compare the Ford Escape to its hybrid version (comparison linked below). The hybrid version gets about 30 mpg while the regular version only gets 22 mpg. That’s about a 36% improvement, which isn’t too shabby. The additional cost is about $6000.

The Civic hybrid only improves mileage to 50 mpg (EPA estimated) from 35 mpg of the normal version, which is a 43% improvement, so that’s not too much more than the Escape.
References :
http://autos.yahoo.com/newcars/comparison/results.html;_ylt=AjcpF9l2QOmpiVTZKnJKZlEJc78F;_ylv=3?pagetitle=overview&carid0=19019&carid1=19064&compare=Compare+cars

Comment on What are 3 good reasons why I should buy a Hybrid car?? by Luna Emperatrice

Luna Emperatrice — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:09:59 +0000

Apart from getting a new tax incentive in the US I find no good reason to buy a hybrid.
The belief that ifs more "greener" is over hyped.
Batteries and parts also put a dent in your wallet.

Do the research and read more about it.
Its better for you to buy a single-motor, smaller car that is fuel-efficient.

Experts believe that hybrids are just transition technology.
I’ll just wait for a Hydrogen or methane fuel cell powered car.
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Comment on Is a hybrid SUV even serious? by JeffyB

JeffyB — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:55:59 +0000

All you have to do is choose a Honda Pilot (about 21 mpg highway) or a Honda CRV (mine averages about 26mpg).
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Comment on What are 3 good reasons why I should buy a Hybrid car?? by Sabastien G

Sabastien G — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:42:59 +0000

There are no reason why you should get one.

People who say this is enviromentally friendly are not educated about the real deal of hybrid cars. They are the most polluted cars on the planet.

Just assembling a hybrid car creates more emissions than assembling a Hummer and driving one for 100,000 miles. Why? Because making the many batteries and the process. Just one battery has to make 4 trips to different countries.

Plus, you have to drive 20 years just to actually save money on fuel. 10 for a diesel.
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Comment on Is a hybrid SUV even serious? by I-Love-GM

I-Love-GM — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:06:59 +0000

Larger vehicles are harder to make efficient. Could you imagine a jumbo jet improving efficiency by 25%? Boeing has poured their heart and soul into the redesigned 747, and it’s only about 13% more efficient than the models designed 20 years ago.

Also a 25% gain in fuel economy is far more significant in an SUV than a car. Say one car uses 10 gallons a month, and another uses 100. If you improved the fuel economy by 50% on both, you would only save 5 gallons in car one, while in car 2 you would save 50 gallons.

By the way the GM full size hybrids get better than 17 MPG. The Tahoe / Yukon get about 17 with the stand alone gas engine (which is best in class). So these Hybrids should get around 22 MPG. And I believe edmunds had a chance to test one, and that’s about what they got. That’s significant. The much smaller Toyota Camry only does about 2 MPG better.
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Comment on Is a hybrid SUV even serious? by Suspendor of Disbelief

Suspendor of Disbelief — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:56:59 +0000

Of course it’s serious.

It’s a serious advertising ploy.

But let’s be honest about battery recycling. ALL batteries SHOULD be recycled. And as the technology improves, the cost WILL go down. So let’s stop pretending that they are a bad idea. We’ve been recycling batteries for over 5 decades. These WILL get handled.
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Comment on Which car should I buy? by glen

glen — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:56:59 +0000

Honda Accord Hybrid Sedan. It is very efficient on fuel. One of the best family sedans in its category. It has a fuel efficiency of a Honda Civic 4-cylinder gasoline. It has VSA (vehicle stability assist w/ traction control), also know as electronic stability control (ESC), that can be found in luxury cars only. It has side air bags and side curtain airbags. I like this car and it is under $40,000.

Toyota Camry Hybrid Sedan has the same fuel efficiency as the Toyota Corolla Sedan 4-cylinder gasoline. They have all the same safety features as the Honda Accord Hybrid Sedan.
References :
I am a car enthusiast
http://www.toyota.com/camry/index.html?s_van=GM_TN_CAMRY_INDEX — USA
http://automobiles.honda.com/models/model_overview.asp?ModelName=Accord+Hybrid — USA

Comment on What are 3 good reasons why I should buy a Hybrid car?? by Jon B

Jon B — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:52:59 +0000

1. Saves the environment: Hybrids like Toyota have MPG ratings of 35 MPG or more, which is important if you want you or your kids to….live?
2. Saves you cash: A Toyota Prius starts at $21,000, while an Acura TL starts at approximately $30,000.
3. Ends the foreign oil dependency: Want the war in Iraq to end? Buy a hybrid, because the war there is all about oil, and nothing else.
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Comment on Is a hybrid SUV even serious? by steve

steve — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:44:59 +0000

every mpg saved is every mpg counted.
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