Hybrids

[CaptainApollo]

most likely hybrid fuel cells.

also, you can't really compare a prius to a corolla because the prius offers so much more standard features than the corolla. for example, a corolla does not have a standard 7 inch touch screen that houses audio and AUTOMATIC climate control. the 2000 dollar tax deduction also helps justify the price difference so the Prius is a much better buy

[Skyline_BNR34]

Sorry about me being Banned. I do see what you mean about the gas prices abnd if they make them look better I'll buy one......

[rollin_on13s]

Consider a hybrid 4x4 truck, Wacked!

Not really. Check this out; each axle will have its own motor. No more driveshaft. Instantaneous torque and no stalling. Weight centered over each axle.

Perfect rock crawler.

[Killswitch]

With the price of oil continuing to rise, hybrids are going to become much more popular. SUV sales will go way down because people can't afford to fill them up every other day. There is nothing wrong with hybrids. Only thing I dislike is that they don't make any good looking ones. The Honda Civic hybrid is the most normal looking of them all. We need more like that.

[Killswitch]

With the price of oil continuing to rise, hybrids are going to become much more popular. SUV sales will go way down because people can't afford to fill them up every other day. There is nothing wrong with hybrids. Only thing I dislike is that they don't make any good looking ones. The Honda Civic hybrid is the most normal looking of them all. We need more like that.

[Twizted_3KGT]

How bout the hybrid Accord? That looks better than the Civic, and it's actually faster than the rest of the Accord line-up. I think what would set it off for the hybrids is if they made a sports car w/ some decent power that could get 40 mpg. Ever notice how the mpg is always better in city driving rather than highway for hybrids?? unlike straight gas powered's where highway is better. I think it's b/c the motor shuts itself off when it isnt needed (like when going downhill, sitting at a light).

[siege911]

Going back to hydrogen fuel cells as an alternative fuel source, I recently read an article in Popular Science about the "myths" of hydrogen, and it showed me many bad things and unrealistic things about the hydrogen fuel cells, such as the pressure needed to keep it useable, having to run the car almost every day to keep it from evaporating, etc. It's interesting, how the government proclaimed it as an "end-all" fuel source, when there are still many problems. As for hybrids, I think they're an excellent idea, and Toyota's definitely leading the way... I mean heck, even Ford's making hybrid SUV's, which will appeal to many people... Sooner or later, hybrids will catch on, in my opinion, but by that time gasoline will be nearly drained.

[CaptainApollo]

i doubt the accord hybrid is going to fly because of several reasons:

1) price: even with gas savings, compared to a normal accord you won't save enough money to pay off the hybrid increase in 9 years. plus, starting price is already near 30k and there's very little room for negotiating a price on these, so its a logical choice that more people will see discounted accords at 17k and choose that over the accord hybrid. (i'm using my own calculations and not basing this off of articles).

2) lost functionality: because of the hybrid battery in the back, the back seats don't fold down. this is only typical in honda's hybrids, e.g. civic and accord hybrid. toyota's and ford's don't have that problem.

i think its neat that they can shut down half of the cylinders but then it makes a really loud helicopter sound and although people inside the car won't hear it, i think its probably awkward for other cars on the highway

[Twizted_3KGT]

Well of course in the first year of production its not gonna be the least expensive or most popular thing. Give it time, I bet $50 it catches on!

[Filthy Sanchez]

Originally Posted by Muscletang

The thing is the oil companies won't invest in it because they're making money charging us out the butt for gas. If somebody with enough money and a way to transport it had a way to make and distribute it, oil would go way down.

Exactly and it's just to bad those oil companies fund the campaigns of politicians (Dems and Reps alike) and that world economies are built on it, and that human life becomes valueless because of it.

As far as hybrids go they are what they are, an economy car and I've never been a fan of economy cars. That's why I hate tricked out Civics, Focuses, and the like they are economy cars.

[Killswitch]

The automotive world has gone to Hell thanks to guzzlers like SUV's and luxury cars. Pretty soon, hybrids will be the only choice of vehicle if we want to continue using gasoline and oil. If not, then Earth's fuel suppy will be depleted in just a few short years, and even hybrids won't be used. Instead, alternative fuels like solar power and hydrogen cells will be dominant on our roads. It looks like that may soon become reality.

[CaptainApollo]

i think solar power would be really neat but i also think that large scale use of solar power would be very expensive. hydrogen? probably not in the near future. hybrids? probably always because hybrid denotes a use of two different energy sources and doesnt need to be gasoline at all, in fact you will probably see hydrogen hybrids instead of just pure hydrogen vehicles. reason being, hybrids are able to recapture some of the energy expended to propell the car.