What do you all think about HYBRID vehicles? If you own one, what kind and how do you like it? If you want one, which one? If you don't like them, why not?

I would like to have one, though most the time I put my money were my mouth is and walk everywere I go or ride a bike sometimes you need a car!
Right now we have a normal truck but I would love to get a hybred and cut down on our use of gas

I absolutely love my 2001 Toyota Prius. It has great mileage and excellent pickup. (Pssst.... They recovered my stolen vehicle, guys!)

I don't drive. For that reason I don't have one or want one.

I like my bike though! It gets great miles per gallon.

My boyfriend wants me to get the Ford Escape hybrid but I think I want something like a Prius that gets more gas mileage. I mean the Escape only gets about 30 mpg which for a suv is good but if you can get better then why not?

I have a 2000 Honda Insight. When I first got it, I was getting about 70 mpg per tank of gas. Since then, it's dropped a smidge to about 55/60. Still nice, but I walk or ride my bike during the warmer months anyway. I'd recommend them to anybody, at least until they start selling no emission vehicles. :D

I'd love to replace my 16 year old gas powered Honda Civic with the Civic Hybrid, but it's expensive. :(

Semi-yay, semi-nay.

Many conventional cars, many sold in Europe or Mexico, but not the US, get far better gas mileage than any available hybrid.

The diesel Lupo gets 70+ MPG.

But these little efficient cars aren't offered in the US, because big fat Amuricans like to drive big fat cars. :)

I voted "want one," but I have mixed emotions about them. Sure, I think they're a step in the right direction, and I like that the idea of using less gas now has bipartisan support, but I think we need to keep sight of the fact that they're not an actual solution; they're just a SMALL step in the right direction. We really need far more sweeping changes, like creating communities where we live within human-powered commuting distance of our jobs, where we buy more locally produced food and other goods, where more people use mass transit, and where the cars people do drive get more like 200 mpg... or don't depend on fossil fuels at all.

I did see a news spot about a group who is pushing the idea of retrofit kits for the Prius so you can turn it into a classic plug-in electric vehicle witha backup gasoline engine. So you use zero gas for your daily tooling around town, recharge it nightly, and then when you need to use distance driving, the gasoline engine kicks in the way it was designed. Depending how you drive it, you really can get 200 mpg. The only problem is the extra battery array goes in the trunk, leaving you with approximately zero trunk space. I seem to recall Toyota was lukewarm on the idea, presumably because they put quite a bit of marketing muscle into explaining to the public that no, you don't have to plug this car in, and they don't want to confuse the message.

Ludi, you are so correct. My husband and I were just talking about how America loves their Hummers. I don't get it. Anyhow, we do what we can do. We drive Hybrids. We each have a Prius (he has on '04 and I have an '05). We also have 3 kids who are in a zillion activities all over town, every day, and, yes, a Prius can be a fine family car! We fit just fine. Amy, if you want a hybrid, consider a pre-owned maybe. The price will be less.

I have two years to go on my Corolla, and I'm hoping by then there will be some good late-model used hybrids on the market.

Don't have one currently, but want one. I will probably trade my car in for one soon. Hopefully this summer, but my DH wants a little truck and since he's spent the last year in Iraq, I think I'll let him get what he wants first.

The plug-in hybrids don't burn their own gasoline or spit out their own pollutants, but the electricity has to come from somewhere. So long as that's primarily from petroleum and hydrocarbon fuels, in a very real sense they only change where the polllution and consumption happens. Were the power to be clean, though, that'd be a different story.

My understanding is that a gallon of diesel fuel requires significantly more petroleum as a source material than a gallon of gasoline, so the economies there aren't what they would seem.

Ludi, do those Mexican and European cars lack emissions systems? I'm told that in the US, catalytic converters and other emissions-reducing things reduce a car's mileage.

Hybrids Suck

The plug-in hybrids don't burn their own gasoline or spit out their own pollutants, but the electricity has to come from somewhere. So long as that's primarily from petroleum and hydrocarbon fuels, in a very real sense they only change where the polllution and consumption happens. Were the power to be clean, though, that'd be a different story.

Exactly. Until all power is generated via Solar/Wind/Hydro/Fusion/other NO EMISSION sources, you are simply trading emissions at the end for emissions at the beginning.

Hybrids are a lot of feathers and not much chicken.

Save $20000 and buy a good bike and a bus pass.

I've had a Toyota Highlander SUV Hybrid for almost a year now. The gas mileage isn't anything to write home about (23 MPG city, slightly better highway), but it would be tough for me to find a way to transport up to 7 people and/or a significant load of cargo that's more fuel efficient. If I didn't have tasks that involve large loads of cargo, and other people's kids (and their gear) to transport, I'd switch to something with better mileage at least. As it is, this is the best I can do for now.

The plug-in hybrids don't burn their own gasoline or spit out their own pollutants, but the electricity has to come from somewhere. So long as that's primarily from petroleum and hydrocarbon fuels, in a very real sense they only change where the polllution and consumption happens. Were the power to be clean, though, that'd be a different story.

... and the iron mined to build the car? And what happens to the battery when you have to get a new one? etc etc

no thanks.

I bought a full tank of gas in early april. Have only used 1/2 a tank since. Yay walking, yay public transit.

Don't have, don't want since I've never owned a car, haven't driven one in over twenty years, and very rarely ride in one.

Don't have, don't want since I've never owned a car, haven't driven one in over twenty years, and very rarely ride in one.
Maybe I should have mentioned that I was reaching out to people who drive? My mistake!
On that note...
For some people, like myself and my husband, we CAN NOT be without vehicles. We are a family of five with very busy and productive schedules. But I do think that if you don't need a car, don't drive one, that's great!

Well, everyone could be without a vehicle since most people have done so since humans started walking on two legs. It's a matter of choice.

Well, everyone could be without a vehicle since most people have done so since humans started walking on two legs. It's a matter of choice.
My husband is a social worker and works specifically with troubled youth and their families. He has helped reform dozens of children from lives of drugs and crime. His work does more good than his Prius does harm. He goes to families homes all over the county, takes kids to appointments, court, grocery stores, out looking for jobs and so much more. We live 40 miles away from his office and the area he works. Some people NEED vehicles. I'm sure you know this anyhow, since you have a computer and I'm sure you didn't grow it in your garden. I assume you get mail and deliveries? Everyone uses transportation either directly or indirectly. If your lifestyle permits you to not drive, great! But many people have to be the ones directly using vehicles. So until you are completely independent and living off the land, your statement is quite hypocritical and judgmental. I was simply trying to get an idea of what DRIVERS' opinions are on hybrid card. (Please note that as this may come accross harsh, it's not intended to be!:D )

Ludi, do those Mexican and European cars lack emissions systems? I'm told that in the US, catalytic converters and other emissions-reducing things reduce a car's mileage.


I'm leaping to the conclusion that the European cars, at least, have emission systems (because of Kyoto agreement) but I'll try to find out for sure.

My understanding is that a gallon of diesel fuel requires significantly more petroleum as a source material than a gallon of gasoline, so the economies there aren't what they would seem.

When rude is cracked the hydrocarbons are boiled off at different temps and collected to form the various gases we use. The very lightest of hydrocarbons are propane, methane, butane, etc. The next level is gasoline followed by naptha, and below that is diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, etc. Then heating oil, lubricating oil, and other heavy petroleum products. The leftover matieral is used in asphalt.

The amount of aech product derived depends on various factors such as the quality and mix of the crude itself, refinery efficiences. Some crude oils put out as little as 5% gasoline and others are ofer 50% gasoline per gallon or crude.

Diesel vehicles get around 40 - 80% better fuel milage than their gas counterparts which is close to what a hybrid gets. Personally I would prefer a biodiesel burning vehicle over a hybrids. Hybrids are going to be very expensive to maintain after the warrenty expires.

My husband and I were just talking about how America loves their Hummers. I don't get it.

I saw my first Hummer a couple of months ago. I nearly had an accident because I thought there was a TANK driving down the road and I lost my concentration for a few seconds. Afterwards someone told me it was just a Hummer I saw.

Disgusting looking object. Absolutely decadent. If the choice of a car reflects the person's character who buys it, then I am pretty sure the guy who was driving the Hummer and I would NOT see eye to eye. I reckon he must be a fascist right wing hunter. I mean who else would want to drive around little Switzerland in a f***ing HUMMER????? Jesus!!!!

Hybrids are cool. They're one step in the right direction.

Some people NEED vehicles.

I'm not disputing that some people need vehicles to live the life they're living, simply that they've chosen to live that life. They could have chosen another lifestyle, different places to live and work, made different reproductive choices etc -- therefore owning a vehicle is a choice. Just because someone is born into a culture where most people live a certain way doesn't mean they have to follow that lifestyle. If it did there wouldn't be any vegetarians in Western civilization. Of course, there's no such thing as 100% purity, whether for anticar advocates, vegans, or animals and people living in the Arctic and suffering from a remote civilization's pollution.

I happen to think cars have done more damage to the planet and society than, well, any other invention, so I can't agree with you that any work using one does more good than harm. I think everyone will be doing a lot more living off the land, probably within your lifetime, definitely within your children's, because a major collapse of our civilization's house of cards is coming soon. The ironic thing is that those who embrace this civilization are the ones doing the most to hasten its end.

I think everyone will be doing a lot more living off the land, probably within your lifetime, definitely within your children's, because a major collapse of our civilization's house of cards is coming soon. The ironic thing is that those who embrace this civilization are the ones doing the most to hasten its end.


Yep. :yes:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12617717/site/newsweek/