Toyota Prius and Honda Hybrid: Will anyone buy Hybrids?? - Car Forums

You have saved this page | See all saved pages

Toyota Prius and Honda Hybrid: Will anyone buy Hybrids?? - READ ONLY

257 messages, Last post on May 23, 2001 at 2:42 PM

You are in the Hybrid Vehicles - Archived Discussions Forum.

Your Host is pf_flyer

This discussion is ARCHIVED. To reactivate the discussion, post a request in the Lost? Ask the Hybrids Host for directions! discussion.

What is this discussion about? Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, Hybrid Cars, Fuel Efficiency (MPG)

#208 of 257 chevy_truck by denniswade

Mar 12, 2001 (9:41 pm)

and leave the rest of us to worry about the planet, right?

Very sophisticated -- what four-year degree teaches that line of reasoning?

By the way, it may delight you to know that GM and Toyota are working together on alternative fuel technologies that may allow you to keep your truck past the next decade -- won't that be nice?

#209 of 257 Hybrid's = yes by rfruth

Mar 17, 2001 (6:18 am)

The inner you shows chevytruck, I'm not a big environmentalist as you might think, walk or bicycle when I can, some recycling & believe use what you need and leave the rest - anyway in another thread here on Town Hall you said something like look under the hood of most Chevy trucks and you'll see throttle body fuel injection, is TBFI preferable (easier to modify, more reliable) ?

Rob Fruth - Houston, Tx
http://freeweb.pdq.net/rfruth
1981 Raleigh for commuting, errands & fun
1997 Trek 2300 for real fun !
2000 DX Civic hatchback

#210 of 257 --- by chevytruck_fan

Mar 17, 2001 (10:39 am)

I'm not going to drive some ugly piece of junk slow car like the insight that can carry 1 person.

The reason nobody wants to buy this things is cause they are uglier than sin. Put technology in a regular looking car for a reasonable price and people will buy it. otherwise only hardcore greenpeace members will.

The fact is the technology isn't even close to as good as a gas engine. And until it is there most people won't buy them.

#211 of 257 I'm afraid your opinion by denniswade

Mar 17, 2001 (12:09 pm)

is not supported by the facts. The Prius is so popular it's back-ordered; the Insight is not doing nearly as well because, as you say, it's small and not very practical. It also is unavailable with an automatic, which limits its popularity (they will be offering one the next model year).

You may not care for the Prius (I don't either -- it's slow and unattractive, except for the interior), but a lot of people do, and the fact that they're out there racking up miles means that, in time, the technology will improve and costs will decline. A friend of mine with whom I ride share from time to time has one, and the silence is remarkable. It really is a terrific commuter car -- no more, no less.

#212 of 257 drive what you want by agtabby

Mar 28, 2001 (7:41 am)

but don't complain about gas prices.

I predict that 10 years from now vehicles will be even bigger.

Chevytruckfan's full size pickup will be a small vehicle only driven by sorority girls. I see it now, "But dad, that ten year old truck is sooo cute" "sorry honey, can't have you driving a 5,000 lb vehicle with all the 10,000 lb vehicles on the road. Not safe"

Post 10 years from now "all I want is a vehicle that can haul 30,000 lb, clear a 4 ft curb, and has a 300 gallon tank"

Soccer mom's will drive grey hound buses. Truck fans will drive semi's. Average gas mileage will be 2 mpg. People will live 200 from work. And people will complain that gas prices are unfairly high.

Go Figure.

#213 of 257 The future is dark by denniswade

Mar 28, 2001 (8:31 am)

in your world -- as the Kinks once sang, "Hope I die b'fore I get old!"

#214 of 257 In 30 or 40 years by lemko

Mar 29, 2001 (1:21 pm)

I believe that in 30 or 40 years, hybrids will probably be the norm. We can't be consuming all this fuel and polluting the atmosphere forever. The gasoline engine probably won't go away entirely in our lifetime. Who knows? Maybe a new source of automotive power will appear on the horizon in that time?

I think the Prius and Insight are technological marvels, but believe the Prius will do better in the market due to the fact that it can seat 4 instead of two. However, the Insight is more attractive. I actually got to see an Insight on the PA Turnpike when it first came out. Still, hybrid and electric vehicles are still pretty rare and probably driven by the ecologically-minded and technophiles.

#215 of 257 lemko by abbanat

Mar 29, 2001 (1:32 pm)

"Still, hybrid and electric vehicles are still pretty rare and probably driven by the ecologically-minded and technophiles."

Lemko, you're right on this one. According to a Toyota Motor Sales, USA representative, as soon as they see consumers moving from mid-size mainstream cars over to the Prius as opposed to the environmentally conscious and compact/subcompact owners, they will boost production from 12,000 a year to over 100,000.

#216 of 257 by logic1

Mar 29, 2001 (2:19 pm)

Chevytruck fan: Read the latest Autoworld Weekly. Dodge is coming out with a Dodge Ram Contractor's Special Hybrid. It is brilliant. The electric motor brings gas mileage in the 3/4 ton pick up to 18 city 23 highway. And here is the kicker: the electric engine converts to a generator when the truck is parked. And not just an accessories generator, but a generator capable of powering a large house.

Construction workers, farmers, campers, and others who need to generate electric at remote sites now do not have to pop an extra 5 to 15k for a generator. Their truck is the generator. Plus the buyer gets the tax break for buying a hybrid.

The environment gets two benefits: One, the improved mileage and lower pollution from the truck; and Two, the truck engine is subject to the clean air act while generators are not.

Those who drive trucks purely for the image may not care about this brilliant development. But those who buy trucks because they actually need them will probably flock to this new product.

#217 of 257 Just got a link by denniswade

Mar 29, 2001 (9:19 pm)

to a site that covers a new electric car that does 0-60 in less than 5 seconds, the 1/4 mile in low 13s and goes 100 miles on a recharge. I have the link at work, I'll have to remember to post it here. Amazing.

The Prius just got a real nice review in Autoweek, by the way. Just wish they'd put some sex into the sheetmetal.

Forum Tools

Search Forums

Enter Keyword(s):

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle

Browse by Board

Browse by Topic

View All Topics

Learn More, Do More

Edmunds Community

Explore Edmunds