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January 04, 2005
| Detroit's
Best Bet, the Hybrid Vehicle
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A recent article
in Businessweek covering the outlook for auto manufacturing in
the United States, Borrowing from the Future, states
"After years of lavish sales incentives, demand for cars is
flat. With higher interest rates ahead, Detroit's best bet is to
offer better cars.
GM and Ford U.S. market share is at historic lows, even
following a year full of $5000.00+ rebates on many vehicles. Now
even incentives can't lure enough car buyers.
Better cars, the article reiterates again and again, is the only
thing that can save the last two American automakers.
A better car, it seems, would be derived from intelligent design
and intelligent, innovative technology. Any design that
incorporates waste or inefficiency into the design, cannot be
seen as intelligent, or innovative.
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Toyota Prius
+ Prius
hybrid home
+ Escape
hybrid home
+ Accord
hybrid home
+ Head
to head: Prius and the Escape hybrid match up
+ Prius
test drive
+ Escape
hybrid test drive
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Yet
that is what many trucks and SUVs represent, an inefficient
design built on inefficient technology.
The
Toyota
Prius, on the other hand, is probably the most innovative
designed and technologically mass-produced automobile in the
world. When compared side-by-side with the Ford
Escape hybrid, the Toyota Prius is, unquestionably, much
more efficient.
The hybrid Escape, built on leased Prius technology, is somewhat
inefficient by design, due to it's SUV platform. Nonetheless,
when all is said and done, the Escape hybrid is still the most
efficient Escape. However, if one drives a loaded V6 Escape and
a loaded hybrid Escape, the conventional vehicle will out
perform it's hybrid cousin - in speed and acceleration.
So, are hybrids better than conventional vehicles?
It took Toyota a few generations of production to create a Prius
hybrid capable of competing with non-hybrids in average consumer
interest.
And hybrids are becoming better and better.
Honda's third hybrid, the Accord
Hybrid, did something the Escape hybrid did not. It became
the best Accord ever.
Reduced pollution and reduced fuel efficiency was only the
beginning for the Honda Accord hybrid. Aside from these
environmental credentials, the Accord hybrid is also the best
performer of all Accords, picking up almost a second in
acceleration on it's conventional cousin.
Toyota's next hybrid, the Lexus
RX400h, is to offer significant more horsepower than it's
conventional Lexus counterpart. Horsepower, long considered the
main sizzle factor for American auto consumers, is now becoming
the domain of hybrids.
The potential of hybrid
vehicles is just beginning. What started as an experiment in
fuel efficiency has become a demonstration of increased
efficiency leading to increased speed and power.
More important hybrids represent an important step into the
future, laying down a foundation for easier hydrogen and fuel
cell integration.
Hybrid
cars will continue to out-perform their conventional cousins
in every measure of vehicle performance, and prices will go
down.
When that happens, conventional cars will look about as
appealing as VCRs next to a stack of DVD players.
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From the
Blog |
More Hybrid Car Stories
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Detroit's
best bet, hybrid vehicles.
Head
to Head to Head: Prius, Accord and Escape Hybrids, Part
1
Diesels
versus hybrids. Let's get it on.
Hybrid
version of the Mariner
Hybrid
vehicles less powerful?
Despite
Hybrid Escape, Ford Hammered by Environmentalists
Toyota
hybrid cars, just a niche?
"Do
gas-electric hybrids leave less green in your
wallet?"
More
hydrogen hype. Hybrid cars ARE the future
Ford's
Other Hybrid Vehicle Idea
Bob
and my Accord Hybrid Test Drive
Honda
Accord Hybrid Test Drive: Initial thoughts
Toyota
announces new hybrid car for 2006
Hybrid
car inspiration: Test driving Nirvana
The
hybrid vehicle niche?
Why
should consumers pay extra for hybrid vehicles?
Hydrogen
hype: Why hybrid vehicles are more important than ever
What's
the Point of a Hybrid SUV?
Honda
Accord hybrid an extra $3000.00 plus
Detroit's
hybrid vehicle collaboration a sign of things to come?
Could
Chevron end hybrid vehicle hold up?
Ford's
biggest gas-guzzling SUV set for extinction
Calpers,
America's largest pension fund challenges automakers on
California clean air legislation
lawsuit
GM,
DaimlerChrysler hybrid vehicle partnership creates
serious questions
Daimler
Chrysler and GM team up on hybrid vehicles
Automaker
spin on global warming responsibility
Americans
must take a stand against the American auto industry
Bill
Ford Jr. has nothing but excuses when it comes to his
green vision
The
California Clean Cars Campaign responds to automakers
lawsuit
A
challenge to residents of California, and to consumers
everywhere
Auto
lawsuit initiated against California global warming
legislation
Hybrid
car rip off? $60 billion in rebates for non-hybrids.
Zap
ForTwo Smart Car Available on eBay
Automakers
set to challenge landmark California emission's law
Hybrid
cars are for do-gooders? |
Hybrid
version of Mercury Mariner, wow.
> C'mon
Ford. Can't you do better than another Escape Hybrid?
Hybrid
vehicles less powerful?
> The newest hybrid cars are more
faster and more powerful than conventional autos.
What's
up with the hybrid haters?
> How can you dislike hybrid cars,
or call people who like them shallow?
Accord
Hybrid one of LA's Ten Great Cars of Year
> In the land of glamour and
bling, bling, even common sense can rule. Hybrids are cool, and they
represent the future.
Despite
Escape Hybrid, Environmentalists Continue to Hammer Ford
> The Ford Escape hybrid is a nice
gesture by Ford, but only a gesture.
Toyota
hybrid cars, just a niche?
> After
Prius success, why isn't Toyota more optimistic about hybrid
vehicle sales?
More
hydrogen hype: The case for hybrid cars
> If
the hydrogen economy is at least two decades away, interim
technologies, such as hybrids, are the key
Bob
and My Hybrid Accord Test Drive
> Bob
loved the Accord hybrid, but said he wouldn't pay the extra cash
Honda
Accord Hybrid Test Drive: Initial Thoughts
> The
new Honda Accord hybrid has added a significant twist to the
hybrid class
Hydrogen
hype: Why hybrid vehicles are more important than ever
>Detroit's answer to pollution is
at least decades away, and we can't wait that long. Hybrids are
an essential interim technology
Do
Hybrid SUVs make sense?
>
Isn't
the reason for hybrid vehicles efficiency? Plus, Accord hybrid
tidbits.
Detroit's
hybrid vehicle collaboration: They had no choice.
> Not
long ago Detroit laughed at Japanese hybrid cars, not anymore.
Could Chevron
end hybrid vehicle hold up?
> Current
hybrid battery partnership and record profits could lead the way
GM,
Daimler Chrysler team up on hybrid vehicles.
Toyota
Prius success forces automakers to complete with Japanese
hybrids
Car
makers just can't do the right thing.
Automakers
set to challenge landmark California emission's law
Disrespecting
the hybrid car movement:
Faster
and speedier than standards, hybrid cars are not just for
do-gooders
Americans
must take a stand against American auto corporations
Bill Ford Jr. Ready to Restart his Clean Revolution
Accord hybrid only available in select markets
The sad truth about the current state of hybrid vehicles
Honda
Accord hybrid officially in showrooms today!
IMA
versus HSD: The Honda Accord hybrid versus the Toyota
Prius
Toyota
Prius on NBC's West Wing
Hybrids,
Fuel Cells and the Future
Porsche
seeks Toyota hybrid technology
Hybrid
Vehicles: Full or Mild?
A
little Hybrid Rant: Cool v. Intelligence
Future
hybrids "Mean & Green" according to
Newsweek
Test
driving the Ford Escape Hybrid SUV
Lexus
RX 400h hybrid SUV release delayed
My
Toyota Prius test drive
Prius
Availability is increasing in many areas
For
Even More Hybrid Vehicle Stories >> Click here.
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