Hybrids are here to stay. There is no denying it. Many are happy with theirs once it graces their lives. The decision is personal and will take time. For each of us the reasons for investing (or not) in a hybrid vehicle will vary. Investing in the environment and future has always served us well as a human populace.
This is no different and time will tell. Auto-consumers are notoriously slow to adapt to changes and new offerings. There are skeptics about hybrids, HEV, fuel-cells, diesel-electric hybrids etc. Japanese, European (German) and North American automakers are all working feverishly to move this market forward. Some are collaborating and even sharing technology in the interest of moving this market forward with some faster momentum.
Call us cheap, lazy, ignorant or power-hungry, comfortable and stuck in our habits…because we do not know or have not had exposure to better, all keep us from trying out new or alternative technologies. Automotive options are no different. We have our bias, prejudices and preferences. It will take time to gain more ground and be mainstream, but hybrids are here to stay. For many, we act like opportunistic environmentalists that will jump at the chance to make a difference and do something special (like cut down on pollution) and vehicle emissions.
For many Hybrids are not as visually appealing and the trend seems to be to make them look more ‘ordinary’ and similar to their gas-guzzling counterparts in an attempt to raise interest and address these ‘uncertainties’ and close-mindedness to odd and weird looking, futuristic designs.
Expensive to some, novelty have-to-have for others, it does still cost more and sometimes you have to wait a long time to take possession, due to automakers NOT being able to keep up with the demand.
We can speculate what the cars of the future would look like.
If they will even be traditional ‘cars’ per se or some other form of personal transportation, like a human-enabled getting around device of some sorts, sky-cars, alternatives?
The human imagination and ability to dream will keep us coming up with innovative new designs and solutions. With the fact that fossil fuels are not a renewable energy resource and stocks depleting around the world, alternatives will certainly keep surfacing that are more efficient, revolutionary and setting a new tone and pace. It is up to us to make the decisions where to invest our money and development.
Green house effects, degrading ozone, devastating impact of noxious fumes and particles in our atmosphere and living environment and more, all motivate and inspire us to do something different. Consider green alternatives in and around your set of wheels, home and lifestyle calls for some different, counter-intuitive thinking and actions, possibly including the choice of buying a hybrid or not.
Saving money, saving the environment, driving something really cool and futuristic, doing the right thing… whatever our personal motivation, hybrid cars will dot our roads and driveways for years to come and more and more are seen
everyday as people try to avoid skyrocketing gas prices. Diesel, hydrogen, fuel-cells, plug-in electric cars, zero-emission vehicles and so on will be in our future in some way, shape or form.
Research into why people actually buy hybrids have shown that it is primarily NOT TO SAVE MONEY. Te motivation and reward seem to be much deeper and personal (varied) than that.
It offers a new alternative, we did not have before.
It is developing and growing, refining and exploring options.
It is reflective of the human capabilities, innovation and potential.
The hybrid does what your old car does not/can not
It is a viable alternative and worth investigating, even investing in
The hybrid gives you the opportunity of looking beyond yourself and your choices, awareness of bigger issues outside or ourselves and our selfish needs and wants.
There really is something else at work for people that buy hybrids
When looking at the popularity of SUV’s for example, the symbolic meaning of a vehicle has to be added to the list of reasons why people buy them, and to explain the explosion in their growth. Hybrids are predicted to be no different. At some point buyers and prospective hybrid car owners will simply not compromise on what they want or perceive to need and desire.
They will not settle for a conventional car, because there are alternatives worth exploring.
For most, safety is still a big issue. Crash test ratings and crumple zones are major concerns on these vehicles. They do not look ‘robust’ enough to withstand a collision and somewhere at the back of most individual’s minds human error and potential accidents still figure into this equation.
Hybrid cars are just one of the ways we explore and leverage imaginative alternatives to our dependency upon oil.
Whether your vehicle of choice offers hybrid power assistance from and Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system and concept styling or you pit yourself to be one of the many new hybrid enthusiasts who are searching for a gasoline-electric automobile practical for family use, there are options and choices available today with more to come in the near future.
The investment decision is personal, the ramifications and impact wider and global.
Something else to also keep a close eye on are hydrogen, alternative fuels, electric cars etc.
For example, one online source is quoted as saying that automaker BMW is actively involved, dedicated and spending much time and money researching practical hydrogen power.
Some say their launch of a hybrid 7 series, is as close as 2010.
It might seem a little too futuristic for some, but it is a real possibility. One online writer phrases it as follows and we happen to agree…
Though it may seem strange to think that hydrogen power may be only a few years away, consider this: many states have already seen and or approved legislation to allow the beginning phases of hydrogen refill station planning and construction.
Things are changing and winds are shifting. The age-old automotive industry is redefining itself and hybrids are just one of the options and channels through which this is happening.
There is a clear trend, commitment and dedication to the development and implementation of hybrid technology.
Most if not all automakers have hybrids lined up for launch and production. Experiments with public transit and low emission buses are on-going.
Hybrid trucks and work equipment is next in line and not far behind, with increasingly commercial options becoming available. It is the choice to be making and supply and demand will fuel this market for years to come.
Whether under development or scheduled to roll of the production line Hybrids are here to stay. Combination hybrid technologies will soon invade most new releases.
You do not have to be a fierce environmentalist or tree-hugger to see the value and potential of a hybrid vehicle.
Like with anything else that is new and innovative skeptics and critics will have their say, automakers are getting ready for what they anticipate consumers will be wanting in the years to come. Future generation drivers, students and researchers are working tirelessly to come up with alternatives to fossil-fuel dependent, gas guzzlers.
Governments and interest groups are working together to create the right type of environment for these hybrids to thrive in.
Educate yourself on the different options, pricing and hybrids available
Learn from numerous sources everything and as much as you can about the hybrids you are interested in or considering
Get some hands-on driving experiences and test-drives under your belt to help you make up your mind – put theory into practice and to the test for yourself.
Keep a keen eye on the new technologies and models that are making their way onto and into the market.
Not all hybrids are created equal – ensure that you understand exactly what the term means for the vehicle that you are buying
If it makes sense, compare it with conventional vehicles (cost, fuel economy, drag etc.)
Do not compromise your main considerations and wants. Pick the hybrid that is most suitable for you and your budget, commute and driving challenges.
We each have our very own personal bias, prejudices, preferences and motivations for buying a hybrid vehicle - make your list of top three things you definitely want, must haves, need to haves and ‘pleasers’ BEFORE going shopping for your hybrid.
Financial, monetary and economic reasons for buying a hybrid are REAL! It make economic sense, with tax incentives and rebates coming your way as a reward for the choice that you have made.
Figure out for yourself, WHY exactly you want and are buying a hybrid vehicle. Is it the technology, the gas-savings, fuel economy, eco-friendly aspects etc. This will help you talk to dealers and sales representatives better, communicating exactly what you want, not settling for anything less.
Know which hybrids are available and what they cost (remember base model pricing is common, added features and other fees have to be added onto this price).
Expect to pay more for your hybrid vehicle, new technology tends to be priced higher.
Low to zero emission vehicles, alternative transportations eco-friendly machines will keep making their way into our lives and a set of wheels to reflect this orientation is just another piece of the overall puzzle.
Understanding the technology better will help you drive, maintain and get the most fuel economy from your vehicle.
Optimizing your gas mileage and driving at an optimal speed for maximum efficiency become possible with a little better grasp of the fundamentals, the nuts and bolts of how your hybrid engine actually works.
The FIVE types of hybrid technologies out there and asking about what exactly is going on under-hood to make it a ‘hybrid’ makes you an informed and empowered consumer and decision-maker.
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