Silicon Valley makes Prius No. 1

[siliconhybrid]

Linky

Silicon Valley makes Prius No. 1
GAS-SIPPER JUMPS FROM NO. 5 IN '06
By Matt Nauman
Mercury News
Article Launched: 07/20/2007 01:34:33 AM PDT

Toyota's Prius hybrid has become the bestselling car in Silicon Valley.

Through May, 1,627 Prius registrations have been recorded in Santa Clara County, according to R.L. Polk. That puts the Prius ahead of Toyota's Camry and Corolla and Honda's Accord and Civic, all cars that outsell the high-mileage, gas-electric sedan nationwide. Locally, the Prius was No. 5 behind those models last year.

"Are we ahead of the curve, or what?" asked Rod Diridon, executive director of the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University, and a Prius owner.

The Prius' newfound status reflects the continued greening of Silicon Valley. Diridon listed sustained higher gas prices, the availability of carpool-lane stickers



for solo Prius drivers - no more are being issued - and the intelligence of local residents as factors in the Prius' popularity.

"The intellectual capacity within Silicon Valley is amazing," he said. "That higher level of education reflects a higher level of understanding of the terrible consequences of global warming."

At 60 miles per gallon in city driving and 51 mpg on the highway, the 2007 Prius is the most fuel-efficient car on the road, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says. When the EPA's formula for figuring gas mileage changes for the 2008 model year, the Prius probably will retain its gas-sipping status, but the numbers will drop to 48 city and 45 highway.

Prius sales are up 45 percent in Santa Clara County and 65 percent in the 11-county Bay Area so far this year. The model has been popular in California since it went on sale in 2000, but it is catching on nationwide. U.S. Prius sales through June, according to industry publication Automotive News, are up 96 percent compared with the first six months of 2006.

Still, at 94,503 sales, the Prius represents just 1 percent of U.S. car and truck sales so far this year. In Santa Clara County, Prius registrations represent 5.3 percent of the market.

The Prius news doesn't surprise Bob Boden. He has driven more than 63,000 miles on his 2004 Prius and he gets about 50 mpg in the city and a little more on the highway.

"My 2004 Prius is easily the best car (of 29) I have ever owned," he said.

Boden has homes in Oregon and San Jose. His granddaughter, a recent graduate of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, is now driving the 2006 Prius that Boden bought for his wife. "She says she just loves the car," he said.

Besides a "convergence of awareness" about environmental issues, Prius availability is another key to its success, said Toyota spokesman John Hanson.



Until this year, Prius models were in short supply, which led to customer waiting lists and some instances of people paying more than sticker price for the car.

Now, Hanson said, customers walk in and find available Priuses on the showroom floor. "That really made a difference," he said.

Today, people are paying less than the sticker price for a new Prius. A base 2007 Prius lists for $22,795, including destination charge. People are paying $21,711 for that car, car-shopping Web site edmunds.com says.

Diridon got a Prius in 2002 when General Motors made him give back his leased EV1 electric vehicle. "I love it," he said. "It's quick, spacious. It takes four people comfortably and can carry a couple of sets of golf clubs or luggage. I get over 40 mpg, and I'm heavy-footed."

Besides the success of the Prius, the news isn't good for local car dealers.

Polk registration data shows that 30,463 new cars and trucks were registered in the Santa Clara County between January and May. That's down 5.4 percent from the 32,208 registered in the first five months of 2006.

In the Bay Area, registrations have fallen 9.3 percent so far in 2007. Nationally, through June, new-vehicle sales are down just 1.5 percent.

The state's dealer organization has predicted sales will fall about 4 percent this year in California, blaming high gas prices, consumer debt levels and uncertainty in the housing market.

[burritos]

"That higher level of education reflects a higher level of understanding of the terrible consequences of global warming."[/b]

Stupid people would disagree.

[MikeSF]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ Jul 20 2007, 10:41 AM) [snapback]482316[/snapback]</div>

Stupid people would disagree.
[/b]

Smart people as well, as I'm sure global warming isn't on everyone's mind as to why we should use less gas, kids of large population centers are seen having record high numbers of respiratory problems.

[catgic]

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[Topgas]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(catgic @ Jul 21 2007, 07:25 AM) [snapback]482721[/snapback]</div>

Matt Nauman (S.J. Mercury News) --- Hello, Matt, wake up and smell the Starbuck’s Coffee. What is it you do not understand about 60 mpg and $3.00+ per gallon for “Liquid Arabian Gold.” The “greening” that is causing people to buy Prius cars, in Silicon Valley and elsewhere across the nation, is the “reverse greening, defoliation” they are experiencing for their wallets/purses into the cashier’s hand as they pay for their gas at Seven-Eleven.

Eligibility of single-driver Prius vehicles for HOV stickers have little to do with their popularity in S.V. Everyone knew that that was a “One Time Good Deal” just like the Federal Tax rebates, which are on their way out.

The inconvenient truth is that “Global Warming” is not on most people’s car buying RADAR…only you and Al Gore.

It does not take a Space Coast rocket scientist or a Silicon Valley engineer to understand the concept of “wallet or penny-pincher purse contents depletion.” How much “intellectual capacity” does it take to know your gasoline fuel expenses are eating into your family’s grocery money and mortgage payment?

Timing is everything in life, and the Prius Hybrid is the right car at the right time. My mighty Super White Prius is delivering 57.1 mpg for my current tank of gas. At that consumption rate, this tank will transport me ~680 miles over four weeks before I will need to stop and visit my friend "Bubba" at the local Seven-Eleven.
[/b]

I think the people out in the Valley have enough coin to buy whatever they want. I've spent over $70K reducing my carbon footprint, I'm certainly not going to get my money back thru energy savings. I think alot of people will eventually buy Prius's for the sole purpose of saving fuel money but I doubt that's what's been the reason so far. Prius owners know how to think. Prius owners know how to adapt.

[catgic]

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[tripp]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(catgic @ Jul 21 2007, 04:21 PM) [snapback]482901[/snapback]</div>

“firing for effect”
[/b]

Were you in the artillery?

[CheepCheep]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ Jul 20 2007, 01:41 PM) [snapback]482316[/snapback]</div>

Stupid people would disagree.
[/b]

So would many folks with high IQ's. I think man-made CO2 is good for the planet. Plants LOVE carbon dioxide; that's why many professional gardeners pay money to pump the stuff into their greenhouses.

The globe is now going through a warm cycle, probably brought on by our favorite nuclear power, the Sun. Doubtful that mankind could materially hurt this planet even if we tried our damnedest. And even if greenhouse gases ARE to blame for the temperature increase, it's no big deal. Plants LOVE carbon dioxide.

PS: Big surprise: I bought the Prius primarily to save money on gas. I think gas prices might go way up in the next few years.

CheepCheep

[ruaqt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CheepCheep @ Jul 21 2007, 06:52 PM) [snapback]482983[/snapback]</div>

So would many folks with high IQ's. I think man-made CO2 is good for the planet. Plants LOVE carbon dioxide; that's why many professional gardeners pay money to pump the stuff into their greenhouses.
[/b]

I think adding a little CO2 is a good thing. Some CO2 is lost over time, look at all that oil, coal and gas that's been trapped for so long, that we like to use for energy. The CO2 level of our atmosphere has been dropping for a very long time, until we came along with the industrial age. Maybe putting some back in will avoid things like those times that the earth got covered with all that ice (Not Internal Combustion Engine). I don't like the cold much.

Then again all of us can get too much of a good thing. Too much CO2 could be a bad thing also. I for one like clean air and blue skies instead of haze and think we could put in too much CO2. I like my Prius and I am looking forward to a plugin car from Toyota, GM or somebody else. I might even put photovoltaics on my roof.

As to justifying my Prius because of gas mileage, we all know that if you compare Prius to a Corolla and compare the cost per mile to the difference in cost of the vehicle, it's going to take more considerations than cost to choose the Prius. I still think the Prius is the correct decision though!

By the way I LIVE IN SILICON VALLEY!

[paulccullen]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CheepCheep @ Jul 21 2007, 06:52 PM) [snapback]482983[/snapback]</div>

Plants LOVE carbon dioxide; that's why many professional gardeners pay money to pump the stuff into their greenhouses.
CheepCheep [/b]

Yeah, but there's less and less of them. (Think: disappearing rain forests)

EDIT: I mean: less and less plants. not professional gardeners...