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New legislation could make hybrid ownership worthwhile

07/20/2006, 12:51 PM

By admin

The U.S. Congress today will examine ways to entice more people to buy and use hybrid vehicles, according to the Detroit News. The hearing will explore why the U.S. auto industry has lagged its Japanese rivals in developing hybrid cars, the newspaper said. It also will look at what federal and state governments can do to make hybrid ownership more appealing to consumers. Typically, hybrid cars cost $5,000 more than their gasoline counterparts — a figure that would take quite some time to recoup from gas savings alone. Earlier this year, President Bush asked Congress to lift the cap on the federal tax credits that limits incentives to to the first 60,000 vehicles per manufacturer. This became a problem for Toyota when it recently exceeded sales of 60,000 hybrids this year.

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07/20, 12:59 PM

posted by:

pj

thats fine as long as they keep these slow OS out of the carpool lane they cause too much traffic

07/20, 1:08 PM

posted by:

GMrules

With legislation like this, Saturn’s Green Line products will sell like hotcakes!

(I’m holding out for a Sky Green Line myself).

07/20, 1:13 PM

posted by:

anonymous

Ooh maybe now I can get my Lexus GS450h …. or @ least the Accord hybrid.

07/20, 1:45 PM

posted by:

British_rover

I am pretty sure it was announced that there would be no Sky greenline made.

07/20, 2:29 PM

posted by:

Bush

Most people I have spoken to who have Hybrids don’t care about “getting their money back” etc. They just want to put less crap in the air.

07/20, 2:38 PM

posted by:

Josh

Hybrids are BULL**** the reason american automakers didn’t produce them is because you can’t make money from them… example ford Escape hybrod dosn’t sell… and they loose money on them …. the only company to even come close is toyota and they don’t give out that info… the future is in ethanol … all that is needed is more supply to reduce the price.. and with new ethanol distillerlys poping up all over the country…putting in e85 or maybe e100 of 100% american made energy into our cars.

07/20, 2:46 PM

posted by:

Anonymous

the problem is they are not any better for the enviroment than other cars (actualty they are worse than most) they only thing they are good at is decreasing our need for oil

This is BS

07/20, 2:54 PM

posted by:

pj

hydrogen should be perfected to give off the least greenhouse gases but anyways global warming is bs to scare you keep living life like you do youll be fine dont fall fo the lies they tell you

07/20, 2:54 PM

posted by:

chiprius

Hybrids are not bull****. You are being narrow minded. Hybrids do not have to only apply to gasoline. They can be incorporated into all of the alternative fuels. They were designed to help with consumption of fuels as well as polutants. No matter which fuel source is dominate in the future we still need to conserve it. Did you know that you get worse gas millage using E85 because they cannot raise the engine combustion to a level to make it as effecient. Also the amount of corn that it takes to fill just one 25 gallon tank with E85 you could feed one person for an entire year. Why waste just to waste.

07/20, 3:03 PM

posted by:

The Stig

Congressional involvement could also mean that more American made hybrid cars are coming on-line soon.

07/20, 3:14 PM

posted by:

zan

I forsee a huge battery landfill in our future.

07/20, 3:31 PM

posted by:

manny

^one of many reasons hybrid ownership will never be worthwhile…
diesel power!

07/20, 3:37 PM

posted by:

chiprius

Have you see the prices of diesel lately

07/20, 3:42 PM

posted by:

Bush

THER IS NO ONE SINGLE “SILVER BULLET” TO THIS SITUATION. Do your research before you open your mouth. All of these “alturnatives” in various combinations are the solution.

07/20, 3:47 PM

posted by:

Patrick

Hybrids ARE bull****. Sorry. No question.

07/20, 4:12 PM

posted by:

Bush

Getting 37 to 39 miles per gallon in a Honda Accord Hybrid (with ALL the bells and whistles including a 235 horse power V-6) driving across country twice in one year is NOT BULL****.
Your BULL**** Patrick because YOU don’t know what your talking about. I’ve got over 36,000 miles of information.

07/20, 4:14 PM

posted by:

JMa

#5, american automakers don’t know how to make a profitable car, regardless of what energy source it uses.

07/20, 5:04 PM

posted by:

Mike

“driving across country”
“Your BULL**** Patrick because YOU don’t know what your talking about”

not sure how your regenerative braking would help on the highway. If you want to praise the system you own…maybe try to learn how it works first.

ps: my 2004 Stratus V6 (2.7L) gets 34mpg highway on 87 octane averaging 80-85mph. your 37 is nothing to brag about.

07/20, 5:43 PM

posted by:

Dave

Hybrids make no sense economically, as it takes years to save the extra money they cost. On top of that, replacement batteries will eventually be needed, and they will be very expensive. Also, a hybrid can be quite dangerous to emergency workers in an accident situation, as they use very high voltages. Add it all up, and they are indeed BS. Unfortunately, so is e85, for now at least, as it takes more energy to produce the corn needed to make a gallon of fuel than the amount of energy that gallon will produce in your engine. I think the old internal combustion engine will be around for a while yet.

07/20, 5:59 PM

posted by:

1c3d0g

#11/12/15/18: damn straight!!! :-D

07/20, 7:58 PM

posted by:

nist777

Diesels last longer, gets better MPG (Volkswagen 1.4L TDi gets around 80mpg while the Prius is only getting around 55mpg), is cheaper to make, and relies on the basic engine technology as standard internal combustion engines. Biodiesel owns the future.

Hybrids like the Prius are for wealthy liberals who would like to show their self-proclaimed superiority and hypocrisy. Leonardo DiCaprio has 3 Priuses, but he is also often seen in his brand new Cadillac Escalade and a Hummer Alpha H1. And what about those who buy half-ass hybrids like the Lexus SUVs and the Accords? Maybe they can’t afford an Escalade to off set the Prisu so they gotta have something that can settle somewhere in the middle…

07/20, 11:33 PM

posted by:

Renton

Relax the rules and let us drive diesels. Diesels are better.

Then let them make turbodiesel hybrids. We will all be tter off.

07/21, 5:45 AM

posted by:

doug

I think i saw it on history or discovery channel saying how sugar cane ethnol is cheaper, more effiicent, but US gov is putting this law on south american made ethnol so they cant import it.

07/21, 6:00 AM

posted by:

jimothy

What a fantastic program! Clearly, what the Japanese auto manufacturers need right now are subsidies from the U.S. government!

07/21, 7:17 AM

posted by:

zan

How many times do we have to explain this crap.

In the grand scheme of things hybrids of today do not save you money, they are not better on fuel, they cost more to buy and the only advantage emmission wise is if your in stopped traffic constantly and they cost more energy to build! Yes more energy to build and where does energy come from? OIL!!!!

The same issue with E85 it cost more oil to make the fuel then it does just to burn gas to begin with.

Could these technologies be the solution someday, maybe, but not today.

And the fact that people buy them does not make it a good idea, most people are idiots and will buy whatever TV tells them to buy. Oh look Leanardo bought a Prius they must be good cause we know he is some kind of Genius right. Please!

07/21, 8:59 AM

posted by:

David Snitchnhinger

I’m waiting for a diesel hybrid. from one of the European manufacturers of course.

07/21, 10:35 PM

posted by:

The Stig

^^^^^
So am I…

 
 
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