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What will you be driving in 5 years?

Discussion in 'Environmental Discussion' started by rpatterman, Jan 16, 2009.

  1. rpatterman

    rpatterman Thinking Progressive

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    Location:
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    What do you drive now? And what will you be driving in 5 years?

    Now: -2004 Prius handles 90% of my trips. Seats 4 or hauls a lot with two.
    With studded snows it works year round, great road trip car.

    -1999 Ford Ranger Pickup used only in the summer for waterwater rafting
    and the occasional need to haul something.

    5Years: -Very small 4 passenger EV. Fold down back seat for trips to the grocery.
    Just for around town and 50 mile round trips to Denver.
    Should handle 80-90% of my trips, but needs to do 65mph.

    -PHEV 4 passenger 4x4 SUV. Size of a RAV or CRV.
    Will use for: Winter around town (rarely have snow on the streets),
    ski trips (200 mile round trip), towing whitewater raft (will need about 1,500 lb towing capacity) and road trips (will plug in overnight).

    Will be adding 7kW PV system to new house which should cover both vehicles.


    Bottom line: -I will keep my current vehicles UNTIL I can buy something with a plug!
    When will the car makers make the vehicles I want?
     
  2. JSH

    JSH Senior Member

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    In 5 years I will still be driving my 2005 Prius. It only has 50,000 miles and at 10K miles per year it will only have 100K in 5 years.

    The 2003 VW TDI is another story. It has 180,000 miles so it is closing in on my 250,000 to 300,000 mile lifetime.

    IF a 50 to 100 mile EV becomes available in the next 5 years I may be tempted to upgrade to an EV. A PHEV would need to have at least 30 mile of EV range before I would be interested though I would still prefer a simple EV.

    The most interesting concept vehicle that I believe as a reasonable chance of being built is the Honda CR-Z.

    [​IMG]


    The most interesting EV concept I've seen is the TH!NK OX. Of course it was announced in 2007 to go on sale in 2009. Now it is 2009 and no sign of the OX.
    [​IMG]
     
  3. Fibb222

    Fibb222 New Member

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    The plan is to have a 40+ PHEV mini crossover for my eventual family of 5 and a hybrid PHEV MP3 scooter.
     
  4. mikepaul

    mikepaul Senior Member

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    Right now, I just want a 2014 Prius.

    Reading reports from the Auto Show that direct fuel injection non-hybrid cars will get near-hybrid MPGs 'real soon now', I might reevaluate my position later. I'm not all THAT green.

    A sudden breakthrough giving 400+ mile range and 10-minute full recharge to all-electric cars? That'd move one from NO to Maybe...
     
  5. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Currently driving my 2004 Prius.

    In five years I'll be driving my 2004 Prius or a Plug-in Prius or a Th!nk Ox.
     
  6. Dave_PH

    Dave_PH New Member

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    Now: A 2008 VW GTI MkV

    In 5 years: The same
     
  7. Unlimited_MPG

    Unlimited_MPG Member

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    Now: I ride a Trek 1000 road bike

    In 5 years: hopefully still riding my bike...but I also hope to own a Prius, Volt, or Honda Insight...ect for my wife to drive. Still undecided...playing the wait and see game.
     
  8. tripp

    tripp Which it's a 'ybrid, ain't it?

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    probably my same 2005 prius. It really depends on several factors.
     
  9. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    .
     
  10. warrior

    warrior New Member

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    Toyota iQ I hope.:)
     
  11. warrior

    warrior New Member

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    Toyota iQ I hope.
    A 78 yr old.:)
     
  12. SSimon

    SSimon Active Member

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    I drive my cars until they'll run no more so hopefully I'll still be in my current Prius. I now supplement the warmer months with bike treks to and fro work but after last year, biking has disclosed some core body strength imbalances. I'm trying to rectify so that I can continue with dual transporation modes. My neck is sooooo messed up and I haven't even ridden for the last couple months. :(
     
  13. nerfer

    nerfer A young senior member

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    I'll still probably have the 2006 Prius. My wife currently has the last ICE-only vehicle we will own. We might be replacing that in 3-5 years if good options are available, but I'm not sure if she'll go for the next-gen Prius.

    If I'm still working close to home (3 mile commute), I'll likely be putting most of my miles in a velomobile of some sort (human-powered vehicle, basically a 3-wheel enclosed bicycle), and using the Prius only for vacations and long trips.

    If I come into some money, I'd buy a new Prius and sell my old one to my parents, who have expressed interest in it. Or buy a Triac, maybe even a Volt. But likely my only purchase will be a velomobile. I like the Leitra, but a Catrike + Velokit is a lot cheaper.
     
  14. nerfer

    nerfer A young senior member

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    Sounds like you need a recumbent! No neck strain. There's a place in Niles I think that has several options (2 and 3-wheeled).
     
  15. SSimon

    SSimon Active Member

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    Yeah. I sit at a desk all day which only exacerbates this problem. I'm doing core exercises to right this evil wrong. Painful. I've thought about a recumbent but have talked w/ people that ride them and understand that they're very difficult on hills. I've got a couple of those on my commute path....one going over the xway on Meacham. Anyway, I'm far better off in the long run if I strengthen my core and right my postural wrongs in the long run rather than take to a different kind of vehicle and ignore these inequities.
     
  16. judymcfarland

    judymcfarland Queen of Moral Indignation

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    In 5 years, I hope Fiona and I will still be traveling the roads. She will be 7 and I will be 73. Right now she has almost 18K miles - In 5 years I anticipate she will have about 60K and we will be enjoying life as mature ladies. My next car (if there is one) will be a plug-in. I would consider electric only, even with a limited range as I could rent a car for those occasional trips over 50 miles. Dare I hope for more mass transit - probably not in Milwaukee.
     
  17. JSH

    JSH Senior Member

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    I have a recumbent and love it, I would never go back to a traditional road bike. I've had no problem with hills, the key is to simply gear down and spin. You also have the advantage of a seat back to push against. The only limit to the force you can generate at the cranks is the strength of your legs. With a traditional bike you are limited to your weight plus the amount of force you can generate by pulling on the handlebars.

    Recumbents are technically and ergonomically superior to traditional bicycles. The only reason the traditional bike remains is because recumbents were banned from competition when they proved to be a superior design. Recumbents ridden and built by unknowns beat the best riders in the world from the most respected brands in the world. It didn't take long for the major brands to team up and ban the new technology.
     
  18. pewd

    pewd Clarinet Dude

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    hopefully, an EV with 120-150 mile range.

    DD should get my prius next year, hopefully it will still be running in 5 years
     
  19. Fibb222

    Fibb222 New Member

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    I don't know if you're correct about the ergonomics but I want to add that recumbent bike riders are significantly lower and sometimes much harder to see by drivers = this is an important safety consideration IMHO.
     
  20. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    In 5 years I expect to be driving a 14 year old Intrigue and an 8 year old Prius. Since my 1983 Delta 88 I've kept cars for 17 years.