Prius evangelism

I have been emailing various authors of newspaper articles about my Prius. In fact, The Detroit Free Press, or FREEP as its referred to, is going to run my letter in their response column. I just hope I get a copy.

Have had a number of neighbors look at my car, pop the hood to look at the engine configuration, they sit inside, etc. Usually when other drivers slow down to look at my car I just wave and smile.

 

I think all of us who drive this car are doing some kind of evangelism. Problem is evangelising a specific product when there is no product for people to buy once they've "been saved". With the demand so far outpacing supply, and the wait going up to almost a year (to quote some dealers), it seems more like rubbing people's noses in our self righteousness rather than offering them a viable present alternative. Of course, they can go buy a Honda Civic, but I understand there's a growing supply problem there too.
I think the proper kind of evangelism here is not necessarily "isn't my car neat and wouldn't you want to drive one", but a broader message of conservation of resources all across the consumer spectrum, and protection of the environment. Saying that to people might inspire them to get a TDI and run it on bio-diesel, or get a Focus with the ultra low emission engine, or a host of other, more possible automobile purchases that do help cut fuel consumption and reduce emissions.
Bob

 

My problem is probably "over-evangalizing".

The people I know are very careful not to:

• Talk about new cars.
• Talk about car engines.
• Talk about SUVs and gas mileage.
• Ask me when my Prius arrives.

 

no evangilism

Personally I have issues with evangelism of most any stripe...
Yeah it's a personal problem :roll:

However I'm happy to give people rides in my driftwood #7 and answer questions if they're asked.... BTW I really like my car :mrgreen:
Had a blast showing off stealth mode to the guy at the drive thru window who said... "that's one of them new hybrid cars isn't it?" tonite.
cas

 

Well, since I had to miss two days of work to go pick up my prius out of town, everyone in the office knows I've gotten one, so I haven't really had to do any "advertising" about it. Those who are interested in it have asked me questions, which I'm happy to answer. Those who are really interested get to pick a place for lunch and I'll take them out for a drive (these have generally been people who already sort of understand the plusses of a hybrid, but are concerned with leg room, comfort and other such things. That's about as far as I'm willing to "evangelize" (but then I live in a rather liberal town, so there's no end of people who are interested and will ask me questions).

The biggest problem is that my boss really wants one, but here in Austin wait times are reaching into the 18-24 month period (which is why I had to drive four hours away to get mine).

 

The brochure hangs on a clip outside my office. I park in a safe place with afternoon shade that also happens to be easily visible from the street and near one of our parking lot entrances. So far I've given test rides to eight cow-orkers. I did not talk it up before receiving it, in fact only one person at work knew I was getting one.

 

Everyone I know (including co-workers I'm not that close to) get to drive my Prius. I tell everyone about the tech under the sheetmetal ( my office is littered with Prius tech printouts,etc.) and the fancy Smart entry/start, but tell them that to really appreciate it, ya gotta drive it. Even friends of friends are asking me. Everyone is overally impressed how 'normal' it is, how zoomy and roomy. And I had the dealer call once to send an older couple to my work to drive my car (at my request!) before theirs arrived. They were getting rid of an Excursion. That's really all that needs to be said. Drive fun, drive clean, drive Prius. 8)

 

My local alternative rag approached me for an article on my car. I wrote the following:

WHY I BOUGHT A PRIUS
By John Yannotti

Last fall it became evident I needed another car, but wanted to do my part to support cutting edge technology that would be less oil dependent. I wanted a hydrogen propelled car but they are not in mass production yet. Then I heard about the Toyota Prius, a gas-electric hybrid car. These cars still run on gas but also generate their own electricity. You don’t plug them in. Ever. This sounded like a good compromise for me. I could support futuristic technology while at the same time getting great gas mileage thereby doing my bit to reduce dependency on fossil fuels.

The Prius is a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle which is the cleanest sedan currently available in the US. To give you an idea of the pollution levels this car discharges, on a scale of 0-10 the Prius is less than 1 where the ‘average’ pollution of most new cars is a 5. How little pollution is that? A 3500 mile road trip produces less pollution than emptying an 8 oz. can of cooking spray. Driving 5200 miles produces less pollution than using a whole can of air freshener. Driving 8500 miles produces less pollution than using 4 oz of nail polish remover. Going 24000 miles …than spilling 1 cup of unleaded gasoline. Using a Prius for 150,000 miles produces less pollution than painting a 500 square foot room!

I ordered the car and after a few false starts at R&G Toyota I was able to pick up my Prius at the best dealership I know of…Freeman Toyota in Santa Rosa. I ordered the car fully loaded and had to wait about 4 months before it arrived. These cars are so popular (contrary to what the US automakers are saying) that there is at least a 6 month wait now that the car was named “Car of the Year†and has received numerous other awards. The wait list is so long now that you can only order a 2005 version…the whole 2004 production line is sold out even before they are built! Many dealers have stopped taking orders all together as the wait is so long.

Why is this such a unique car? There are many reasons. Toyota has used lots of new technology in the car, and made that technology seamless which means there is no training needed to own or drive one. You just get in and drive it. All hybrid technology works automatically. The car turns off the gas engine and drives only on the electric motor at slower speeds. This has the unexpected result of calming and soothing the driver down while in ‘stealth’ mode. You go far between fill-ups. Because the gas engine is off so often you change the oil less. The car has lots of headroom and leg room. The turning radius is much smaller than my previous Cressida. The electric regenerator helps with braking so the brakes don’t wear out to quickly…and they are made out of walnut shells instead of asbestos so they are not toxic. The ‘stealth’ mode of driving on electric power only is fun and provides a continual source of entertainment to get the car to that point. The display screen shows the immediate benefits of driving conservatively. My car came with at least 34 points of standard equipment including the ever popular way the car ‘recognizes’ the driver and unlocks the door as I near the car. Many of the bells and whistles on this car are only available on higher end cars costing much more. This is a true techie car with lots of special features. There is no need to plug a key into the dash…just push the power button and drive all day with no limitations on speed or distance.

Some other reasons I bought this car are: I can model what I believe in like conservation, efficiency, and supporting breakthrough technology. A byproduct is great gas mileage; I get about 50MPG, more around town and in traffic jams. The car is loaded with the latest in safety features. Toyota is noted for reliability, and this car is comfortable and fun to drive. There is no transmission to shift. The car can easily be adapted by adding a button (standard in Europe) which converts the car to electric mode only for short trips. The air conditioner and heat are run on battery instead of the engine so you can run them even with the gas engine not running. The car has a distinctive look, it is truly a radically different car.

Overall, I bought a car which models what I believe, is reliable, better for the environment than any other mass produced car, has lots of cool technology under the hood as well as inside the car. The car makes a political statement and sends a message to Detroit to get with what people want instead of accepting what Detroit automakers want us to have. Space here limits the amount of raving I can do about this new concept car, but if you see me around town ask for a ride and I will drive you into the future!

This article is a fabrication of my own experiences, as well as a compilation of facts drawn from Toyota.com, John 1701a’s website, and priusChat.com.

 

in my area, the prius will give me a chance to be a reverse snob. too many excursions, bmw x5's, range rovers, and stuff like that. the prius is MORE than accessible for most of the folks i run into, but their idea of status is burning as many dinosaurs as possible.

 

Anyone wonder how long it will be before we mostly read positive & well-informed articles like that?

The upcoming hybrid SUVs will receive at least as much attention as Prius, quite likely even more. That will result in significant changes.

Right now, many of the MPG stories I read about don't even mention the fact that hybrid SUVs will soon exist or the fact that a hybrid is capable of out-accelerating a traditional vehicle... supporting the belief that hybrids are apparantly just small, slow, powerless vehicles.

And obviously, the other MPG stories that actually do properly highlight hybrid designs misrepresent actual performance by seeking out an owner or tester that experienced much lower-than-average efficiency.

I know, patience.

 

Realizing that I have thoroughly annoyed my fellow coworkers while awaiting delivery on my new Prius, I have taken a different course. Prominently displayed on my desk is this month’s copy of National Geographic with the lead story “The End of Cheap Oilâ€, of which I encourage all whom notice it to read.

I figure that this article can better make the argument for the Prius and against gas guzzling SUV’s (both of which are mentioned), than I ever could.