One of my favorite automotive journalists, Ezra Dyer, wrote in the August 2010 issue of Automobile magazine, "All hybrids are not created equal." In looking around at the hybrid offerings, he's right.
Edmunds.com lists 58 hybrids available. Here's how they, for lack of a better term, break down:
Cars: 29 vehicles
SUV: 24 vehicles
Truck: 5 vehicles
I get it that making cars that people will buy is extremely difficult. Cars are so personal. But among the hybrid offerings, there's only a small handful that yields "wow" mpg numbers. Most of those SUV and Truck models are lucky if they get a combined 22 mpg. And they usually only beat their fully fossil-fueled counterparts by a few miles per gallon while their enormous battery packs (how does one recycle those?) add on about the same weight as an adult gorilla loaded down with CostCo purchases. So you end up with a car that's a silent stalker in the parking lots that won't let you make a quick getaway because of the extra poundage you're pulling. For someone who thinks driving is fun, that's not fun.
When I was car shopping a few years ago, I was so disheartened by the uninspiring mpg numbers of the hybrids I looked at that I ended up giving up and getting a full-time-gasoline-powered car. Granted, my needs for something big enough to carry my family and our dog camping guided my purchase decision, but even if I didn't have to haul so much stuff on a regular basis, I can't guarantee that I'd be driving a hybrid. Why? The numbers just don't impress me enough right now--and VW has its TDI diesel lineup that's posting numbers that compete with any hybrid out there while also keeping driving fun. Fahrvergnügen indeed--and 42 mpg on the highway, tü büt.
So what's next if you really want to break free from relying on gas to get around and a Surrey Bike has absolutely no appeal to you? The obvious next step is the electric car. This hybrid craze we're in (I live in Marin County where the Prius is as ubiquitous as French Broom dotting the hills) is our gateway drug to going all-electric. Current offerings have a pretty limited range, where "100 miles" seems to be the current goal. This seems to make for the ideal city car, but what about those of us who live beyond the bridges and tunnels of our urban centers?
I will definitely be keeping an eye on the Nissan Leaf when it comes out. And, of course, since I love the idea of the Porsche 918 Spyder Hybrid that gets 78 mpg and puts out around 710 hp, I'll keep a curious eye on what Tesla Motors is up to, too. Those cars are just human-sized RC racers (sans remote) in my book. And <ahem> my kids sure do think driving those RC cars is fun.
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