Hybrids are saving the world. The super autos are rebuilding the ozone layer, curing cancer, and finding the real killer.
And that's just what channel 4 told us. Flipping to channel 11 revealed that owning one would cut our monthly car payment in half, reduce the gasoline bill to single digits, and put an extra 10 grand of fun money into our pocket each month. Channel 7 used a purse cam to uncover that automakers lied. Hybrids get the same fuel economy as a jet engine and do nothing to help the environment, thereby proving the EPA, the FDA, the FCC, the Post Office, Pier 1, and Target are all frauds. Channel 13 promised we'd see 100 miles to the gallon and that ownership would make Leonardo DiCaprio our new best friend. Channel 5 told us the Jaws of Life couldn't save us if we were ever in an accident in one, and then provided tips on a do-it-yourself will. Channel 2 awarded a local hybrid the Nobel Peace Prize.
Ah, that new-technology smell. And there's nothing quite like an oil crisis to give reason for creating mass panic, mass stupidity, and mass hysteria. Right now we're supposed to believe the salvation from it all is hybrids. But because there is so much misleading information out there about them, we decided to get to the bottom of what the heck these things are all about -- good and bad. Sure, there isn't a Jeep hybrid yet. But even if there was, it still may not be time for a trade in.
When you think hybrid, you think Prius, hands down. Toyota introduced the Prius to the United States in 2000 and Honda's hybrid, the Insight, was at dealerships in late 1999. So what went wrong with no one remembering the Insight? Honda diplomatically says that the two companies each had unique marketing strategies for hybrid technology but that they both actually scored from the different approaches.
Yeah, except Toyota nabbed more than 60 percent of the hybrid market compared to Honda's 30 percent, according to J.D. Power-LMC Automotive Forecasting. But it's not just Toyota and Honda building them. Most automakers are dabbling in the technology. DaimlerChrysler has10 years of hybrid research under its belt, experimenting with everything from minivans to front-wheel drive cars. It has offered a limited number of Dodge Ram HEV (Contractor's Special) pickups as fleet vehicles, and in 2008 there will be a two-mode hybrid Durango offered to the public. But other than Toyota and Honda (and GM to an extent), most automakers currently produce hybrids in such low volume that it's just not worth advertising their existence.
Plus, who knew fuel economy was suddenly going to become the number-one concern and having hybrid availability would be something consumers demanded? In a way, neither is completely true because the public is still snapping up SUVs, pickups, and V-8s.
While it may sound like there's a hybrid now in nearly every garage, it's more a buzz word than reality. J.D. Power notes that in 2004, hybrids made up only 0.50 percent of the U.S. market. That translates into less than one percent of car sales. Meanwhile, diesels were three percent of the market that same year.
Honda offers the Civic and Accord sedans with a hybrid option, so a "normal"-looking model is a possibility. The Toyota Highlander SUV is the same as its non-hybrid counterpart -- a "hybrid" badge is what signifies its difference. So why do the Insight and Prius have to be such eyesores? You have to look at the numbers to understand. The hybrid Highlander's fuel economy is 31/27 (four-wheel drive, city and highway, respectively), while the Accord's is 29/37. Impressive numbers, sure, but the Prius rates 60/51, while the Insight is 60/66. Make 'em funky and they'll get better fuel economy because the design can cut through the wind better, and covering as much of the tires and wheels as possible creates less aerodynamic drag (check out the Insight's rear wheelwells). Tire width can also help. The narrower, the less rolling resistance. Also coming into play is being a smaller package inside too (in terms of cubic space).
Therefore, one could argue that the fuel efficiency isn't necessarily all about the hybrid drive but what the automakers have done to vehicle design, making it lighter, smaller, and on little rubber. That's why one automaker calls the Accord the most honest hybrid on the road (no, it wasn't Honda) because it's not a purpose-built vehicle. The body is the same for both hybrid and non-hybrid, other than having an aluminum hood and more aerodynamic wheels, so it gives you a good source for comparing what hybrid and conventional technology will do for fuel economy.