Most trends support the hybrid vehicle, but don’t jump to conclusions yet




OUT IN FRONT--The Toyota Prius  hybrid combines a  gasoline engine with  an  emissions-free electric motor to achieve an EPA-estimated, combined city-highway fuel economy of 55 miles to the gallon. The Prius has been the most successful hybrid vehicle to date.

OUT IN FRONT–The Toyota Prius hybrid combines a gasoline engine with an emissions-free electric motor to achieve an EPA-estimated, combined city-highway fuel economy of 55 miles to the gallon. The Prius has been the most successful hybrid vehicle to date.


Following decades of stops, starts and misfires, those technologically advanced vehicles that lower carbon dioxide emissions and reduce the nation’s dependency on foreign oil are starting to gain ground.

Automakers began to build smaller, fuel-efficient vehicles in the 1970s- some created functional electric vehicles in the 1990s- but the industry didn’t strike a balance until after the turn of the century when manufacturers unveiled hybrids that use both gasoline and electricity for power.

To better accommodate the needs of today’s drivers- and meet the California mandates requiring carmakers to build vehicles that minimize fossil fuel emissions- the hybrids quickly overshadowed the electric cars.

Hybrid trends

Hybrids are expected to make up about 1.5 percent of car sales in 2007, according to Kevin Riddell, an automotive analyst for Westlake-based JD Power and Associates, a global marketing information firm that conducts independent surveys of customer satisfaction, product quality and buyer behavior.

Hybrid owners earn an average of $113,000 per year, and 40 percent of them have an advanced college degree, Riddell said. The money and stature are necessary because being an environmentally conscious driver can be costly. Critics say it takes many years of gas savings to make up for the high upfront cost of an exotic alternative fuel vehicle.

Studies show that people express a real concern for the environment when they shop for a car, but when it comes time to purchase, environmental concerns are among the least important factors.

Hybrid sales tend to increase when gas prices go up and slow down when costs dip. “It seems that consumers are paying more attention to what hits the pocketbook,” Riddell said.

He also pointed out that hybrid owners anticipate more gas savings than they actually receive once they drive their car. “They expect to get 28 more miles per gallon but get about 7.5 miles per gallon because they don’t change their driving style.”

Even though they’re not perfect, hybrids bridge an important gap.

“You get the alternate power to boost your range- at the same time, they’re not as expensive as a totally electric vehicle,” Riddell said.

But some gas-powered small sedans aren’t far behind when it comes to fuel efficiency.

Experts also believe that while Japanese manufacturers appear to have the edge in hybrid marketing, the playing field will level once other companies work together to make a hybrid system for larger vehicles.

“Because research is so expensive, General Motors, Daimler Chrysler and BMW formed an alliance to design a hybrid system that all three manufacturers will use,” Riddell said.

A hybrid Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon are expected to hit the market toward the end of this year, industry sources say.

Chrysler will bring out a Dodge Durango with a hybrid system and BMW will follow suit.

Also on the horizon will be new plug-in hybrids that carry more battery power. The new models will have electrical systems that can hold a charge longer than the current hybrids, allowing drivers to use even less gas.

Other alternatives
lag behind

Although there’s been increased interest in diesel vehicles because they consume less fuel than the standard combustion engine, strict emissions laws have discouraged manufacturers from building diesels for the U.S. market.

And because they’ve been impractical for individual consumers, electric vehicles have lagged in the marketplace as well. They did find a temporary niche as transporation vehicles in public fleets, however.

In the film “Who Killed the Electric Car?” released last November, vehicles such as the EV1 manufactured by General Motors were said to have shown poten- tial, but were set up to fail by the very companies that built them.

The film explores some of the reasons why the auto and
oil industries worked to undercut the electric car.

But one company is still working on creating a viable electric
car. Tesla Motors, located in San Carlos, 15 miles south of San Francisco,
created an electric sports car with long-range capability and an estimated cost
of 1 cent per mile. The price tag of the Tesla Roadster is about $89,000 (fully
loaded $100,000). Visit www.teslamotors.com for more information about this
vehicle.


Environmentalists and government agencies also have promoted vehicles
powered by hydrogen cells, natural gas and biodiesel fuel, but experts feel
these cars still must overcome safety, accessibility and cost concerns before
they can succeed in a competitive market.

Global warming or not

Whereas some people believe that global warming is conclusively linked to CO2 emissions, others remain unconvinced. But everyone seems to agree that individuals should do all they can to conserve energy and cut fossil fuel consumption.

“Those who denounce global warming issues or say we will restrict economic growth if we try to minimize it are perhaps a little naive and self-serving,” said Keith Millhouse, a Moorpark City Council member who supports mass transit.

“Someone has to take the lead in establishing some environmental leadership,” said Millhouse, who drives a hybrid vehicle to cut his gasoline consumption and ease pollution. “I feel a certain amount of responsibility for future generations,” said the father of two teenagers.

Millhouse commutes on the train whenever possible.

Ventura County Supervisor Peter Foy, who represents the 4th District, carries a different perspective.

“They say global warming is a fact, but I’m not sure we have the exact science to allow us to make a conclusive decision.”

Foy supports the improvement of roads throughout the county to maximize fuel efficiency and minimize pollution.

Foy believes taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be spent on a technology that remains unproven. He says the U.S. can reduce its addiction to foreign oil through increased indigenous production and the development of alternative fuels.

“We just have to find the balance to make a conscious effort to be good stewards of the earth,” said Foy, the owner of an SUV and a Lexus.

The air quality in Southern California is much improved because cars today are more fuel efficient, Foy said.

“The need for standard utility vehicles hasn’t gone away,” said Mickey Shaver, general sales manager at Shaver Pontiac and Jeep in Thousand Oaks.

There’s been a small decline in the sales of extralarge utility trucks as people favor smaller SUVs, Shaver said, but many families still opt to buy larger vehicles because they offer extra cargo space and the promise of passenger safety.

Shaver said Jeep makes a flex-fuel option vehicle that uses an 85 octane gas mix with 20 percent ethanol, but pointed out that the special formula is only available at a handful of gas stations nationwide.

Despite their high price and inability to come to
market, alternative vehicles that run on favorable fuels appear to be the wave
of the future. But only time will tell.



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *