Really?
Why we need large hybrid SUVs?
Friday,
June 08, 2007
Because
Americans can't get over big is better?
Some of the biggest hybrid fans out there are hybrid SUV
fans. Yes, they feel guilty about the gas they are
guzzling, but they love their SUVs, and many of those fans
are extremely interested in GM's upcoming hybrid
SUVs, the Yukon
hybrid and the Tahoe
hybrid.
For SUV fans, a hybrid SUV is like having your cake and
eating it too.
Consequently, Peter
Valdes-Dapena wrote yesterday, "Drawing a big
circle around one number - say 35 miles per gallon - and
saying "a vehicle isn't fuel efficient unless it gets
35 miles per gallon" is silly, simplistic and
pointless. It's counterproductive because it keeps car
companies focused on saving fuel where the savings are
needed least. The best way to an get eye-popping
miles-per-gallon number is by piling advanced hybrid
technology into an already-efficient small car. It gets
headlines, but it limits the real impact of the
technology.
Car companies such as General Motors, which sells 70
percent of all large SUVs, and Chrysler are doing the
right thing by putting their best fuel economy technology
where it's actually going to do the most good: in vehicles
that really need the help."
What?
Actually, Peter, when it comes to a new CAFE number, it's
a matter of perspective. In order to end foreign oil
dependency the nation's fleet of automobiles would need to
achieve MORE THAN 35 miles per gallon. If we can't achieve
at least 35 mpg in the next decade, then we will be
significantly more dependent upon foreign oil.
Won't that be great!
So, why not try to put a line in the sand and challenge
American automakers and consumers? Why not try to end
foreign oil dependency? If not, why even have CAFE? Should
we just trust automakers to do the right thing?
It's not fuel economy anyway, right, Peter, it's fuel
saved?
Thus, should we all move from 45+ mpg Toyota
Prius hybrid cars into 30+ mpg large hybrid SUVs
because we're actually saving more fuel?
"Yeah," you can tell your friends, "I used
to drive a Prius that achieved 54 mpg, but I traded it in
for a 25 mpg Hummer hybrid - it saves more fuel per
year!"
Now that sounds "silly, simplistic, and
pointless".
Yes, hybrid SUVs are a good step forward for companies,
such as GM, and I applaud those SUV drivers that convert
from conventional SUVs to hybrid SUVs - even the largest
SUVs. Still, if you don't really need a large SUV, convert
to a Saturn
Vue hybrid or Ford
Escape hybrid - by 2020 these vehicles will easily
achieve more than 35 mpg.
However, to claim that a big hybrid SUV is more important
than a hybrid such as the Prius, is just plain nonsense.
In 20 years we could all drive large hybrid SUVs - even
achieving 35 mpg - and yet we'd be far more foreign oil
dependent than we are today.
On the other hand, if we all drove vehicles as efficient
as today's Prius - regardless of the size - we might end
foreign oil dependency. That's "silly, simplistic,
and pointless"?
Then call me silly.
Comments
|
Fool.
You can tout the Prius all you want.
The large vehicles are going to impact fuel economy the most. It's clear...its obvious.... Now that is not to say that the small cars arn't important but come on. A Tahoe that get 25 MPG compared to the Tahoe the gets 17 MPG is very important. Stop trying to diminish American auto maker success.
Yeah, I'm the fool. The single person driving the Tahoe certainly isn't a fool.
Obviously there is nothing wrong with supporting terrorism through our foreign oil dependency.
Maybe you should start a Let's Celebrate foreign oil dependency club for you and your brilliant gas-guzzling friends.
Is there any wonder the rest of the world hates America when people like you refuse to take any responsibility for your actions? If you don't see it, it doesn't count, right?
FACT - Every American could drive a 25 mpg Tahoe hybrid and in 20 years America would be significantly more dependent upon foreign oil.
God bless the Saudi Royal family!
Now that's smart. Hey, but we saved a bunch of fuel!
Why are you so proud of American automaker success, yet so blind to FOREIGN oil dependency. You pretend to be so American, but only at your convenience.