Karl
on Cars dumfounded by Toyota Prius hybrid success
Wednesday,
June 06, 2007
That
little car that could
When Toyota started mass-producing the Prius, U.S.
automakers just didn't get it, nor did hybrid critics such
as Karl
on Cars.
Now that the Toyota
Prius became one of the top 10 best selling vehicles
in the month of May, Karl still doesn't get the Prius.
Yet, he now believes in the 3rd
Generation Prius, kind of.
"Exactly one month ago I made an argument that Toyota
should immediately put a plan in place to up its capacity
for Prius production, especially if the new one really
does get 60-plus real-world mpg. Tomorrow I'll be
suggesting lottery numbers."
Let's say Karl is again surprised, and Toyota gives all of
us a winning lottery ticket - a 60 mpg Prius for the same
price as today's Prius. Will Karl be surprised if the new
Prius becomes the top selling car in America?
Make fun of the environmentalists if you are so certain
global warming doesn't exist, but are you so certain the
dangers of foreign oil dependency are also unfounded? And
what if there is just a little truth to man-influenced
global warming?
Still, is it really so hard to believe that someone
worried about foreign oil dependency, not even global
warming, might buy a Prius, or one of many other hybrid
vehicles, in an attempt to take a stand - not just by
reducing fuel consumption, but by sending a message to
automakers that it matters?
Oh yeah, and it invests in the 60 mpg+ hybrid that will
now be affordable for everyone because early adopters had
vision, because they took action against foreign oil
dependency, because they cared about the future, because
they were tired of hearing decades of fuel cell excuses.
Is that really so surprising, Karl?
And if a 60+ mpg Prius doesn't become the best selling
vehicle in America, maybe a 50+ mpg Camry
hybrid just might.
posted
by Dahcredyns at
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