Here we go again. They just don't get it.

I think the big-SUV as a hybrid thing will not go over very well. It's not MUCH of an improvement and it generally costs $4000-$6000 more. I personally feel the more we can save fuel, the better ... but I think most people will get an SUV if they need it and realize it's not cost-worthy to buy a hybrid in the larger SUVs.

One of Toyota's best moves was making the Prius a "hybrid only" car b/c people cannot compare it to a similar car so easily. It makes for not so many factors AGAINST getting the car, even though it is more costly than most cars similar to it.

 

I said it before and will say it again, getting 20 MPG in an SUV that you spent $50K+ for because it is a "hybrid" is foolish. I know many people who own Powerstroke Excursions who get that or better, and none of them are hybrids. My 8000 pound F350 dually gets 22 MPG on the highway, and 16 in the city. It isnt a hybrid either. For the premium one pays for the hybrid system, if it were closer to 30 MPG then it would make sense, but the hype over a few MPG, is foolish. You can take a diesel engine, marry it to a hybrid system, and have a higher MPG cleaner burning vehicle. You can get far more HP and torque out of a smaller diesel, with better efficiency.

17:1

Remember that number. To meet all the environmental standards in the US today, that is the ratio of fuel to air that a gasoline engine MUST use. No matter how you build an engine, the end result is 17:1. You can only squeeze out so much power from 17:1, that is why gas engines are bigger and more fuel hungry, people want power, you cant get power out of a small engine, the prius is a good example. Back in the 80's, cars were getting 30-40 MPG easily, but were underpowered, and dirty. They had carbs on them, and no matter how well you try to computer control a carb, you cant get the emissions clean enough. If you look at the lineup of cars being sold today, you will be hard pressed to find one that gets 30+ MPG in ordinary traffic, unless it is small with a small engine. You will not see a car the size of a Camry getting better than 30 MPG city unless it has some form of hybrid engine in it, or a diesel.

I used to have a Prius, it was too small for my daily use, that and I was tired of, oh you are one of those Prius people. It is true, prius owners are grouped together because of the elite image some owners have put out there, and I dont wish to be seen as one. I do have a Camry Hybrid and it is a perfect daily driver for me, and I have the Veracruz for family outings, and it gets 25 MPG on the highway, better than EPA, and 21 in mixed driving. It aint a hybrid. I also have my F350 which I will never part with unless the frame rots out. I seldom drive the truck, too expensive, and dont need a big vehicle to go to work in, I only use it if I have to go to get something for the house or the horses that wont fit in the other two cars.

 

This nothing more than a stop gap strategy that the US Auto makers come up with to temp the public into buying these cars that are not cost affective cost vs fuel savings.

Its like the top execs that determine the future of the company just woke up from a 3 year sleep while the American Public pays the price and US autoworkers.

 

Hi acdii,

NO, people do not want power, they have been sold that they must have power to get what they really want. And that is acceleration.

Until the king of negaseconds (The Prius) happened, power was the only game in town. Now there are DSG transmissions with 7 gears, and the HSD transmission. Those GS-450h's are amazingly quick cars. And they only have a V6.

 

You are correct that they are not selling well, and I agree that large SUVs for ordinary family driving is often overkill. However they do save a surprising amount of gas.

The 2008 Chevy Tahoe 4WD regular gasoline is rated 14/19 combined 16MPG and the 2008 4WD Hybrid is 20/20 (obviously 20 MPG combined).

If one drives 12,000 miles a year the gasoline Tahoe will use 750 gallons of gas while the Hybrid version will burn 600 gallons saving 150 gallons a year.

If one switches from a gasoline powered Toyota Camry at 25MPG combined to a Toyota Corolla rated at 31MPG combined, one will "only" save 93 Gallons a year, significantly less saved gas than the Tahoe switch above.

I would rather see all the new Tahoe's sold being Hybrids than all the Camry drivers switch to Corolla's. However, it would be even better if very few Tahoe's of any kind were sold, and that is what appears to be happening.

Rumple

 

I certainly agree with you numbers but my thoughts are that if we don't get off of foreign oil, they will own this country. Think what would happen if they just cut off our oil. We need to drill for us oil and buy autos and trucks that get at lease 25mpg, if you need a truck for your business thats fine, but if you are driving it to the store thats a waste. If everyone in the US would do this, together we can get off foreign. Its like an economic war without bullets.