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Re: Hybrid cars

If hybrids are so great, then why aren't they used in Japan or European countries where gas is more expensive? Answer: poor return on investment.

  1. They cost more.
  2. They depreciate quicker (and will as hybrid technologh improves).
  3. A high mileage car (like a Honda Civic or a Toyota Corolla or Echo) will get comparable gas mileage with conventional engine technology.

So... Calculate the increased cost of buying a hybrid and compare it with the gas savings and see how long it takes to break even.

Compare that with the cost savings you'd get by simply buying a good mileage internal combustion engine car.

Then decide for yourself.

I get a kick outta the SUV hybrids. Add a bunch of girth and then try to compensate by putting a hybrid engine in it. Sort of like buying a Hybrid Humvee.

b.

Reply to
<barry
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Actually, hybrids are used in Japan and Europe.

It is true that they cost more than a comparable non-hybrid vehicle.

I don't think this is necessarily true.

I do not think that the Corolla's fuel ecoconmy is as good as the Prius, although the Civic and Echo are in the same ballpark.

At today's gas prices in the U.S., I believe that break-even is somewhere around 7 to 10 years.

I do not believe that many people are purchasing hybrids to save money. More likely, they want the gee-wiz factor.

Reply to
Ray O

The term is "early adopters". I bought my first DVD player in 1997 before they really took off. Cost me $1099, although it was for the Pioneer combinational LaserDisc/DVD player. I bought another one later that Fall (from Sony) for $600. These days a machine for under $100 will perform at least as well and have more capabilities that were added as the technology progressed.

I used to work in downtown Berkeley, California. I would park at a city owned garage which was used for part of the city's motor pool. City Hall and many city offices were within a block. I think the city's policy used to be to buy American makes. There were a lot of white Ford Tempos, Chevy Cavaliers, and Dodge Ram pickups. Recently though, they've had several Honda Civic Hybrids.

Reply to
y_p_w

I enjoyed being an early adopter of automotive tgechnology a lot more when it was part of the job and didn 't cost me anything. I am a little less enthusiastic now that I have to pay for cars :-(

I lived in the Bay area from '78 to '83 and noticed that there were a lot more imports on the road in CA than in the Midwest. I suppose that the trend towards imports may even be stronger than it was back then.

Reply to
Ray O

The city population as a whole leans towards import makes, like Honda, Toyota, Volvo, and BMW. The city itself has varying incomes, and the tendency is towards American makes in some of the lower income parts of town.

There's only a single new car dealer in Berkeley that still sells an American make (a VW/Cadillac dealer). There used to be dealers for Olds, Buick, and Chevy until business started waning in the 90's. Reggie Jackson Chevrolet was the last to close. It's now a bookstore.

Reply to
y_p_w

Is Tim Soluthwick's Toyota of Berkeley still there?

Reply to
Ray O

One reason is that performance is not such a big issue, and typical cars there have smaller engines, and already get better milage than typical cars sold in US. Hybrids are way to keep performance AND high milage. yeah, you pay a premium for a car with good milage and performance compared to just small engined car, but US buyers are willing and able to pay such a premium.

Reply to
Don Stauffer

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