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December 16, 2005
| What's
the Point of a Hybrid SUV?
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Isn't the
reason for hybrid vehicles efficiency? Plus Accord hybrid
tidbits
A couple of weeks ago, LA Times
writer Dan Neil wrote an article about the Honda
Accord hybrid. In that article, one of the points Neil
covered was the extra cost of hybrid technology in the Accord
hybrid versus a standard Accord, roughly around $3400.
"Assuming $2.25 per gallon and 100 miles of daily
commuting, it would take," Neil wrote, "about 6 1/2
years to recoup the difference."
This, according to Neil, resulted in many e-mailed questions
regarding whether he considered having to replace the hybrid
battery, or whether he considered the Working Families Tax
Relief Act of 2004.
He had not. Nonetheless, there is no doubt that the Accord
hybrid is significantly more efficient than a standard Accord.
Additionally, the Accord hybrid is actually a second faster than
the standard V6 Accord to 60 mph.
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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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The point is, the Accord hybrid is a better product than the
standard Accord, and the environmental improvements are an
important breakthrough.
However, some questioned why more power was needed. Why not
increase fuel efficiency a bit more, some asked. Even worse, why
use such technology on terribly inefficient SUVs, such as was
done with the Ford
Escape hybrid?
With its heavy weight, un-aerodynamic shape, isn't the
technology wasted?
While there is no doubt that the Toyota
Prius is terribly more efficient than SUVs, many Americans
still demand SUVs; therefore, increasing their efficiency is
also very important.
In fact, some would argue, hybrid SUVs are even more important
than hybrid
cars, because standard SUVs cause so much more pollution,
and are so much more fuel-inefficient than cars.
On one hand I agree with this rationale, focus on making the
most inefficient vehicles more efficient. On the other hand,
these vehicles are inefficient by design, which begs the
question, should an inefficient design be continually tolerated?
In many parts of America, SUVs can serve a purpose, but in many
parts of America, it's hard to rationalize SUV functionality,
particularly in urban areas.
Los Angeles, for example, is one of the smoggiest cities in the
world. This smog was mostly created in just several decades, and
a very significant percentage of that smog was created by
automobile emissions. Therefore, in areas with such dangerous
levels of smog and bad air quality, efficiency should be
mandated.
The welfare of the people should trump a consumer choice that
ultimately is not really about freedom of choice. The right to
make a bad decision should never be more important than the
welfare of the greater good.
To
read Mr. Neil's article, click here
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