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-->>Hybrid
Buyer's Club
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December 03, 2004
Today, the Accord
hybrid hits the U.S. market, yet hybrids are still
little more than buzz, accounting for a barely
discernable percent of U.S. auto sales.
Yet, just a couple of days ago, a new European
study hit the press. For the first time scientists
have tried to pinpoint man's affect on the global
warming phenomenon, particularly in Europe.
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They found it.
Already, the study has some Island peoples, GreenPeace,
and others, making parallels to smoking litigation, and
the U.S. is public enemy #1. Legal suits against the
U.S. are already being contemplated, drafted, and even
filed in some cases (click
for story)
Still, in Southern California, where I reside, the
freeways are littered with huge, gas-guzzling,
grossly-polluting four wheel drive SUVs, often with just
a single occupant.
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Toyota
Prius
Test Drive(<<)
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Ford
Escape Hybrid
Test Drive(<<)
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More
Hybrid Car Info.
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Why?
It's a waste of steel, a waste of oil, and the extra
weight cuts down on the longevity of roads. Furthermore,
you can't use all the horsepower and torque that the
vehicle provides. It barely rains, never snows, why the
hell do you need four wheel drive in SoCal?
Profit built upon a foundation of waste and inefficiency
will inevitably run dry. It's simply stupid.
If American auto execs are just doing what customers are
telling them to do, via customer survey, why are GM and
Ford cutting back on production and continually losing
marketshare?
At least if these SUV's were hybrids, like the Ford
Escape hybrid, I'd feel better. Yet Ford is only
capable of selling 20,000 hybrids for 2005. While Ford
is capable of producing more, they say, they are only
able to get enough batteries for 20,000 vehicles.
Ultimately, 20,000 Ford hybrids doesn't even represent
1% of U.S. Ford sales.
The battery problem also extends to the popular Toyota
Prius, where lists and lists of people are waiting,
as much as 8 months in some areas, to claim a Prius.
Prius demand is so far ahead of supply that Toyota has
significantly reduced all Prius advertising. This
creates an environment where customers are not only
paying an extra $3,500.00 for hybrid technology, but an
additional $3000.00 - $5000.00 to the dealer.
All these extra costs for doing the right thing?
As the Accord hybrid comes to market, will it run into
similar problems?
Even more important, are the Accord hybrid and Escape
hybrid capable of achieving the same kind of demand as
the Prius?
Is the average person, for example, going to buy a new
Escape hybrid for $36,000, when they see a traditional
Escape for $26,000?
The Prius, with a base price of $19,000.00 offers the
average consumer a legitimate, in-my-price-range option,
but it might be a year or more before Toyota can meet
demand. Already Toyota's next hybrid, the Lexus RX400h
hybrid, is behind schedule.
While the technology exists to have a positive impact on
the environment and create better automobiles, will it
ever happen? Are these setbacks temporary?
More than anything, hybrid cars are about
responsibility. Americans appear ready to take
responsibility, unfortunately, American corporations do
not. More unfortunately, it's always the people
that suffer. As the oil industry reaps record profits,
the rest of us live in great fear and uncertainty.
Join the hybrid
revolution!
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