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The Toyota
Prius has changed the way Americans think about
automobiles. Today, according to the latest surveys,
most Americans are now interested in hybrid
cars and the Prius is the standard. Certainly, the
Prius isn't for everyone, but the Prius is the litmus
test by which even automakers must judge their
hybrids. It's not just about hybrid technology, but
hybrid sales, which makes the Prius so important.
GM was the first to name its Prius-killer, the Chevy
Volt, offering a totally different kind of hybrid
powertrain and one that can plug-in. Unfortunately, it
is now obvious that the Volt, at least in terms of
sales, will come nowhere close to challenging the
Prius until long after 2015. By then the Prius will be
on its fourth generation of Hybrid Synergy Drive
technology and who knows if the Volt's revolutionary
technology will still be a killer by then.
Other than GM, only Honda has reasonable plans for a
Prius-killer in the near term, and they have a pretty
good plan, in terms of technology and production
numbers. A hybrid as accommodating as the Prius, as
efficient as the Prius, and cheaper than the Prius. Of
course, that's before Toyota launches the third
generation Prius. And, it still seems the Prius
will easily dominate city fuel economy against this
killer.
Sadly, outside of Honda and GM, no other major
automaker is anywhere near a Prius-killer, as gas
surges towards $5.00 per gallon. Thus, if the Prius is
a fair litmus test for the auto industry, the industry
is failing, pathetically.
Labels: Chevy Volt electric vehicle concept, Hybrid Vehicles, toyota prius
