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Is the Saturn Vue Green Line a Turning Point for Hybrids?

72 messages,  Last post on Mar 09, 2009 at 3:28 PM

You are in the Saturn VUE Green Line Hybrid Forum.

What is this discussion about? Saturn VUE, Hybrid Cars, SUV

Messages Page 6 of 8

#43 of 72 Re: why VUE vs. prius??? [fshi] by pf_flyer HOST

Jul 18, 2006 (5:55 pm)

Replying to: fshi (Jul 18, 2006 12:41 pm)
I guess my original intent wasn't really to comapre the VUE to other hybrids. The point is more that I think a vehicle that doesn't make you think about it being a hybrid is the kind of thing that can increase the purchase of hybrid/more fuel efficient vehicles.
 
Kind of like if you came up with a healthy breakfast cereal that kids would like.

#44 of 72 Re: why VUE vs. prius??? [pf_flyer] by gagrice

Jul 18, 2006 (7:11 pm)

Replying to: pf_flyer (Jul 18, 2006 5:55 pm)
I think a vehicle that doesn't make you think about it being a hybrid is the kind of thing that can increase the purchase of hybrid/more fuel efficient vehicles.
 
I agree. It is strange to me that the very strongest hybrid proponents seem to poopoo the VUE approach. It does not have all the bells and whistles so it is not a REAL hybrid. That seems counter productive in my eyes. I think the simpler they make the hybrid the better the chance of wide spread acceptance.

#45 of 72 Simple is FINE. Unobtrusive Hybridity is FINE. by larsb

Jul 19, 2006 (8:06 am)

What's NOT fine is not giving the instrumentation panel a live, real-time MPG meter so drivers WHO CARE can improve their gas mileage (the whole POINT of owning a hybrid, no?) by learning how the car manages at various throttle positions, speeds, and environments.
 
That's not a "bell" or a "whistle" but merely a basic tool that any hybrid, however unobtrusive it desires to be, should always have.
 
And why would anyone buy a hybrid vehicle and not CARE about the MPG they are getting? Is that not idiotic?
 
Make it as SIMPLE as you want to, but don't leave out the BASICS.

#46 of 72 Re: Simple is FINE. Unobtrusive Hybridity is FINE. [larsb] by gagrice

Jul 19, 2006 (9:58 am)

Replying to: larsb (Jul 19, 2006 8:06 am)
Make it as SIMPLE as you want to, but don't leave out the BASICS.
 
The basics to some are obviously different than to others. My GMC has a MPG reading for the current tank of fuel. That is enough for me. My Passat had a instantaneous readout and was OK but not something I would pay extra to get. XM Radio is a basic I would not buy a new car without. Can't get that in a TCH yet. Sad but true.

#47 of 72 Well for sure, a real-time MPG meter IN A HYBRID VEHICLE is basic rquirment by larsb

Jul 19, 2006 (10:06 am)

Well for those who did not know this before, a real-time MPG meter IN A HYBRID VEHICLE is basic requirement !!

#48 of 72 Re: Well for sure, a real-time MPG meter IN A HYBRID VEHICLE is basic rquirment [larsb] by gagrice

Jul 19, 2006 (1:27 pm)

Replying to: larsb (Jul 19, 2006 10:06 am)
a real-time MPG meter IN A HYBRID VEHICLE is basic requirement !!
 
I guess that has to go down in the negative column for hybrids then. Until they can build a hybrid that gets great mileage without being a hyper miler they will NOT be accepted by the average buyer. That is the biggest complaint that people have to change their driving habits to gain anything mileage wise. It is the job of the automaker to give better mileage for the average driver.
 
For example people go from a V6 to a 4C Camry and get better mileage without any change in driving habits. That is the challenge to the hybrid manufacturer. Only those living in a dream world believe you will change the world's driving habits. It would help if they EPA ratings were closer to reality for the hybrids.

#49 of 72 We NEED to become less wasteful !!! by larsb

Jul 19, 2006 (2:15 pm)

Gary says: "For example people go from a V6 to a 4C Camry and get better mileage without any change in driving habits." and "That is the biggest complaint that people have to change their driving habits to gain anything mileage wise"
 
That just the key Gary - WE ALL NEED TO BECOME BETTER FUEL EFFICENT DRIVERS !!! That's part of the battle for sure !!!
 
Until MORE people start to realize that jackrabbit starts and trying to beat everyone else to the next red light or the next exit is a COMPLETE AND UTTER WASTE OF FUEL then the oil demand will NEVER substantially go down !!
 
People SHOULD start caring about how much gas they waste and using the tools the car provides to improve their economy !!
 
There are some people who will NEVER change, but there are millions of those people like me who CAN change. It was ONLY WHEN I BOUGHT A HYBRID that I learned HOW to use the instruments to help me conserve fuel !!

#50 of 72 Re: We NEED to become less wasteful !!! [larsb] by pf_flyer HOST

Jul 19, 2006 (2:45 pm)

Replying to: larsb (Jul 19, 2006 2:15 pm)
I agree it's a good thing if we all become more efficient drivers. The point of the question about the VUE is this. Take a look around at the general population... everywhere. People don't seem to want to DO anything anymore. They want something to do it for them. God bless the hypermilers out there. They love doing what they do and it make a contribution to the effort. But to a lot of people, and I get the feeling that it's more people than I'd LIKE to think it is, hypermiling looks like WORK. Just like they think driving a manual is work. They have to pay attention and be aware.
They want to turn the key, step on the tall skinny one on the right to go, and step on the one on the left to stop. That's it. They don't care if it's a TRUE hybrid or not. If it can get better mileage and they don't have to work at it is what will sell it to the masses. And isn't getting the mileage up for the ENTIRE fleet of cars out there the goal?
 
It doesn't matter, and it's not about if something is "better". It's about getting more people into more efficient vehicles.

#51 of 72 Re: We NEED to become less wasteful !!! [pf_flyer] by larsb

Jul 19, 2006 (3:01 pm)

Replying to: pf_flyer (Jul 19, 2006 2:45 pm)
Good points all around..........BUT.........allow me to clarify some of my stuff from earlier.....
 
We really don't know what number of 35+ year old drivers are like I was - not particularly caring about the MPG I got, but not a total wasteful hog.
 
I was not a speed demon because I hate to pay speeding tickets and the resultant Defensive Driving course and higher insurance rates, but I did not particularly take any actions to improve my MPG. I wouldn't put myself in the "just press the tall skinny one to go and the wide one to stop" crowd, but I did pretty much "go with the MPG flow" as it were.
 
But THEN, when I got a hybrid, and saw that little real-time meter and realized that NOT PAYING ATTENTION hit me in my WALLET area, SHAZAM SHABLAM a little light bulb went up over my head.
 
THAT"S the EUREKA MOMENT I want Saturn Vue and all other standard hybrid buyers to have !! And SO MANY of them CAN have that moment, because before they bought a hybrid, they never before saw the REAL connection between driving differently and thus saving money !!! Too many people do not know that making just a few, minor changes to your driving habits can save yourself GAS MONEY !!!
 
 Having a real-time MPG meter in ALL cars would potentially save MILLIONS of gallons of gas per year in the USA. All I'm asking is that car makers NOT leave out that handy and inexpensive little tool on their hybrids, no matter HOW mild it is !!
 
Is that so hard to expect?

#52 of 72 Re: We NEED to become less wasteful !!! [larsb] by gagrice

Jul 19, 2006 (3:17 pm)

Replying to: larsb (Jul 19, 2006 3:01 pm)
Having a real-time MPG meter in ALL cars would potentially save MILLIONS of gallons of gas per year in the USA.
 
I really don't think it would. Many cars have instant mileage readouts and I doubt the consumption is going down. I put it on the automakers to quit building cars just for performance and make economy a higher priority. As long as people buy for performance all the little gadgets in the world will not save a nickels worth of gas. Take Toyota the big Green automaker. They have built 5 hybrids. 2 for economy 3 for performance. How is that helping any cause except Toyota's bottom line. It makes the fat cats look green. None of the 3 are even PZEV rated.

Messages Page 6 of 8

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