NYT: New Mainstream Hybrids Offer Comfort With a Clearer Conscience

[DeepModem Mom]

GREEN AND COMFY
New Mainstream Hybrids Offer Comfort With a Clearer Conscience
By DANNY HAKIM

Published: October 27, 2004


DETROIT -- The hybrid is about to enter the latte generation's comfort zone.

By April, Toyota will start selling the Lexus RX400h, a sport utility vehicle that gets compact-car gas mileage.

The RX400h is a far cry from the Honda Insight, the tiny aluminum two-seater that was the first hybrid electric vehicle sold in the United States. Heated leather seats? Check. Navigation system? Check. Gasoline engine? Check. Electric motor? Check. Waiting list? Check, and then some....

***

When Toyota and Honda first introduced hybrids a half-decade ago, the buyers were often committed environmentalists or technophiles, in either case taking a chance on an unproven technology that could increase fuel economy by 40 percent or more.

Now, though, the hybrid market is entering a second, more mainstream phase, expanding beyond Toyota and Honda and just small cars. A variety of pressures are encouraging the trend: gas prices that have soared and seem likely to stay high; new regulations in California that may be copied by other states, with tough new emissions standards; and glimmers of a change from the ever-bigger mind-set of consumers that produced such behemoths as the three-to-four-ton Ford Excursion in the 90's....


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/27/automobiles/27HAKI.html

[NJCher]

1. "rabid" environmentalist

In this article, a 49-year old nurse comments that she's not a "rabid" environmentalist but she just wants to save a little money on gas. Where would one get the framework to use such terminology? "Rabid?"

From the out-of-control rightwinger in this country, that's where.

As seen in the article, most people interested in hybrids are both "fond" of technology and have a concern about the environment.

On another note, I have a line on a Prius and may be purchasing one myself. I rented one for a couple days to see how I liked it and have decided that it is one of the few cars I can get excited about.




Cher

[slor]

2. Have you seen the hybrid Subaru?

Due out in 2006, I cannot remember the name, but it is very nice!
On Edit: here is a link
<http://www.edmunds.com/news/autoshows/articles/100643/page009.html>

[gottaB]

3. I've been watching the World Series on television

And seeing all these adds from the big 3 for vehicles that are like 3 parts machismo, 2 parts stupidity.

Does anybody remember when car ads featured mpg estimates? Now you have to go digging around fueleconomy.gov to find that stuff. Is that really so quirky, not wanting to be saddled with an automobile that gets 14 miles to the gallon?

In the last half decade, while the big 3 have fought tooth and nail against CAFE standards, and flooded the market with bigger and bigger "sports utility vehicles" (which typically have but a dubious relation to either sports or utility), Toyota and Honda have been kicking ass and taking names.



http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=TM&t=5y&l=on&z=l&q=l&c=hmc,gm,f,dcx

Hey, Rick Wagoner: Get a job!

[JPace]

4. When people start voting with their dollars....

and quit buying gas guzzlers the manufacturers
will start touting MPG's again.