Minivan-hybrid-why arent't there any?

[Thump553]

I know minivans are despised as boring, but some of us need the space capacity and price advantage minivans offer (as well as insurance savings). As far as I know (which could well be wrong) no one makes a hybrid minivan or is planning one for the near future. Any idea why this market is being ignored? It seems to me to be a natural that could be a big seller.

BTW, I'm not the least bit interested in SUVs, so please don't bring up hybrid SUVs.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Most minivans are made so a mom can take a messy living room on the road, thus need 1980232735 cubic feet of storage space for one kid. They don't have room for batteries unless they're AAs 😀

 

[AmigaMan]

if Honda or Toyota make it, I'd buy it. There's a ton of space to spare, so it'd definitely be doable.

 

[HannibalX]

Because all the trendy people who buy Hybrids would never buy a mini-van, because mini-vans are dull and don't represent them as being trendy.

/thread

 

[Thump553]

Car markets are made more by volume, not "trendiness." The Plymouth Voyager saved Chrysler Motors (only to have them stumble and fall again with their oversize, testaserone fueled macho designs of recent).

Anyone from Detroit/Japan listening? Time to start thinking outside the box, and design a vehicle people really want.

 

[thomsbrain]

it would definitely make sense from a practicality standpoint. lots of room for batteries, and they spend most of their time in the city. they would be ideal for those moms who sit and idle for 30 minutes every day outside their kids schools with the A/C blasting.

 

[MrPickins]

Originally posted by: thomsbrain
it would definitely make sense from a practicality standpoint. lots of room for batteries, and they spend most of their time in the city. they would be ideal for those moms who sit and idle for 30 minutes every day outside their kids schools with the A/C blasting.

Not that I think that it would be a bad idea to have hybrid minivans, but how would this be an ideal situation? I would think the engine would also need to be running on the hybrid to use the A/C.

 

[HannibalX]

Originally posted by: Thump553Anyone from Detroit/Japan listening? Time to start thinking outside the box, and design a vehicle people really want.

This is a bogus catch phrase that critics of the auto industry and chiefly critics of the US auto industry have been saying for years and years - but the facts are, people who say this, don't actually have a "dream car" in mind, or are simply not going to share it. The major auto makers have a car for everyone, they have tiny cars that get 30 mpg, to mid size sedans, mini-vans, big and small trucks, gas guzzling sports cars, a million crossovers, SUVs, hybrids, station wagons, hatch backs, two doors, three doors, five doors, minis, and the kitchen sink. Pick one, buy it.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: Pale Rider

Originally posted by: Thump553Anyone from Detroit/Japan listening? Time to start thinking outside the box, and design a vehicle people really want.

This is a bogus catch phrase that critics of the auto industry and chiefly critics of the US auto industry have been saying for years and years - but the facts are, people who say this, don't actually have a "dream car" in mind, or are simply not going to share it. The major auto makers have a car for everyone, they have tiny cars that get 30 mpg, to mid size sedans, mini-vans, big and small trucks, gas guzzling sports cars, a million crossovers, SUVs, hybrids, station wagons, hatch backs, two doors, three doors, five doors, minis, and the kitchen sink. Pick one, buy it.

Not true. The car people really want gets infinite MPG, has the internal space of the atmosphere, stands out yet blends in, is exactly what everyone else has but infinitely better, is free, and shows off how much money they have while increasing their penis size to the point that it can double as a telephone pole.

...only problem is that it's impossible. Like I always say, the major problem PCs have is that they aren't psychic 😀

 

[theeedude]

Highlander Hybrid is a minivan with big wheels.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Thump553
Car markets are made more by volume, not "trendiness." The Plymouth Voyager saved Chrysler Motors (only to have them stumble and fall again with their oversize, testaserone fueled macho designs of recent).

Anyone from Detroit/Japan listening? Time to start thinking outside the box, and design a vehicle people really want.

Exactly! We need more ultra-lightweight, mid-engined, fuel efficient, two seat sports cars. :thumbsup:

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Thump553
Car markets are made more by volume, not "trendiness." The Plymouth Voyager saved Chrysler Motors (only to have them stumble and fall again with their oversize, testaserone fueled macho designs of recent).

Anyone from Detroit/Japan listening? Time to start thinking outside the box, and design a vehicle people really want.

Exactly! We need more ultra-lightweight, mid-engined, fuel efficient, two seat sports cars. :thumbsup:

just buy your elise already 😀 😛

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Thump553
Car markets are made more by volume, not "trendiness." The Plymouth Voyager saved Chrysler Motors (only to have them stumble and fall again with their oversize, testaserone fueled macho designs of recent).

Anyone from Detroit/Japan listening? Time to start thinking outside the box, and design a vehicle people really want.

Exactly! We need more ultra-lightweight, mid-engined, fuel efficient, two seat sports cars. :thumbsup:

just buy your elise already 😀 😛

:laugh:

 

[rootaxs]

Originally posted by: MrPickins
Not that I think that it would be a bad idea to have hybrid minivans, but how would this be an ideal situation? I would think the engine would also need to be running on the hybrid to use the A/C.

Most hybrids have electrically powered compressors, so it runs on batteries. When the battery runs out the engine starts to recharge 'em.

 

[rootaxs]

Originally posted by: senseamp
Highlander Hybrid is a minivan with big wheels.

Odd as that phrase sounds, i tend to agree. The new highlander hybrid has about the same amount of space and features as a smaller mini van. Would be nice to have sliding doors though.

 

[Thump553]

The last time I looked at a Highlander (2000) it cost at least twice as much as a minivan and had half the space. I backed away from that thing so fast in the showroom you would have thought it was on fire.

No SUVs for me thank you, they are for posers.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Thump553
The last time I looked at a Highlander (2000) it cost at least twice as much as a minivan and had half the space. I backed away from that thing so fast in the showroom you would have thought it was on fire.

No SUVs for me thank you, they are for posers.

Twice as much? The MSRP for a fully loaded 2001 Highlander (the first year of availability) was $26,495. Base model was $23,515. The MSRP for a fully-loaded 2001 Toyota Sienna minivan was $28,436 and the MSRP for the base model Toyota Sienna was $23,905.

What school did you go to that taught you that $23,905 was half of $23,515?

ZV