Time for a quick fact. A gasonline lawn mower run for one hour a week for one year puts out more greenhouse gases/pollution than a typical car does in 20,000 miles. Run that generator….

InvisibleEcho – I had the same thought, but then I figure even Nissan knows it’s not politically correct to keep ignoring the hybrid market. Hybrids won’t do much for their bottom line, but then those machines have never been about good business in the first place, much less profit. Hybrids are about brand image and public relations more than anything else, so I can’t say I blame Nissan or others for dragging their feet. As a potential customer, it doesn’t sit well with me that I’ll have to fork over additional — and substantial — up front costs with very little return expected. Then there’s the issue with growing pains; I’m not in a financial position where I can afford unexpected problems (and associated repair costs) with my personal transportation. I prefer to buy a new car with with a reasonable warranty (but without mileage restrictions imposed by leasing as road trips are a required part of my life) then trade up for another new model a year or two after said protection expires. With rare and specific exceptions, a car is a liability no what your accounting perspective, so why spend more than you have to? Car manufactures like Nissan have front major R&D costs to bring these hybrids to market, only to find that most of their customers are making essentially the same case as explained here. As such, who can credibly blame any of them for holding out as long as possible?

And I’ll add another plug for more rear-drive and all-wheel-drive Nissan cars while I’m at it.

It is “easier” to clean up the pollution at the generation plant than millions of tailpipes (many linked to 1980’s and older dirty engines).

Bury a small Honda generator in the trunk to run the A/C and to charge the batteries if ya have to park nowhere near a plug.