Nissan CEO ridicules hybrids

[B00ne]

Originally posted by: Transition

Originally posted by: notfred
Hybrid cars are overrated.

Regular civic: 31 / 38
Hybrid Civic: 48/47

You get a 24-54% in fuel economy, which is good, but it comes at an additional cost of $6640. The price of the car goes up by 50%. The base price of the car increases by more than the fuel economy does.

Assuming even city mileage numbers, and 12,000 miles a year, at $2.00/gallon you save $275/year by driving the Hybrid version. At that rate, it'll take you about 25 years to make up for the increased purchase price of the car. Since the car wont last that long, it doesn't make economic sense to buy the hybrid version.

Does it make environmental sense to buy the hybrid? Even the standard civic has an ultra-low emmisions engine, and I can't find anywhere that says the Hybrid actually runs any cleaner than the standard version, plus you have those extra batteries to deal with. It very well be a toss-up in terms of pollution.

What about reducing dependence on oil?If we have 50 or 100 years of oil left, then switching everyone to cars stretches that to 75 or 150 years. That's really NOT that big of a difference. We're going to have to come up with some other non-fossil fuel solution either way, and we can do it in 50 years just as easily as 75. The hybrid really doesn't help all that much there, either.

That may be the current situation on hybrid's, but the point is the technology is progressing rapidly. With new developments on more efficient electric motors and implementation we'll start to see the hyrbids making more sense soon. While i do agree with you that at a $6,640 premium for the Civic hybrid doesn't make sense immediately, it's also helping companies push forward with R&D. If consumers had 0 interest in hybrid's ATM the market would halt. Technological progression takes time, and it will all make sense in the end.

No he is right. And Hybrids largely only save gas in the cities (stop and go), going constant speed on the highway wont save you anything (possibly consume even more gas due to more weight, loading the batteries, higher electricity consumption)

What is left to progress on the technology (efficiency wise)? An electric motor has about 90-99% efficiency you are not gonna gain much there. The batteries that is something where improvements can and need to be made.

 

[WolverineGator]

Remember the GM EV1? That made GM look like a technology leader, even though the car was pretty limited. Hybrids are GREAT PR and technology is evolving almost as fast as computer technology moved from the 286 to the 486. $3000 back then, $500 now and 100x better.

No one needs an SUV just like no one needs a hybrid. SUVs and hybrids fulfill desires and the manufacturers know how money talks:

"Honda Motor Co. Chief Executive Takeo Fukui said a second-generation Civic Hybrid coming next fall has "significantly higher fuel economy and performance" than the current model but did not elaborate." [The Civic hybrid currently has a combined 47 mpg.]

"Lexus has more than 11,000 orders for the RX400h gas-electric hybrid, due in April. Toyota in Japan can build about 2,000 per month, so waiting lists are likely for several months, like with the Toyota Prius."

from http://www.freep.com/money/autonews/hybrids27e_20050127.htm

Ignore hybrids at your own peril.