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Alternative Vehicle Trends as Gas Prices Rise
By Melissa Bartell, Carseek.com
The next time you're on the road or in a parking lot, take a look
around. What do you see? Despite the fact that gasoline prices are once
again hovering near the $3.00/gallon mark, and our climate seems to be
changing more rapidly than most of us can utter the phrase “global
warming,” chances are that you don't see a disproportionate number of
hybrid cars flitting in and out between monster trucks and SUVs large
enough to have their own zip codes.
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Still, reports are that more hybrids were sold in 2006 than in 2005,
and fuel efficiency, while a factor, isn't the only reason. Let's look
at some of the main criteria when choosing a hybrid car:
- Fuel Efficiency. It's not the only factor, but it is the most
celebrated. Why suffer in an heavy truck or SUV that gets only 15 miles
to the gallon when Toyota is reporting fuel efficiency of 55 mpg for the
2007 Prius?
- Fewer Emissions. Generally speaking,
hybrid vehicles produce fewer
emissions than regular cars There are actually three classes of
emissions ratings ILEV (which is a Federal designation that stands for
“inherently low emission vehicle” and applies to electric-only cars) and
ULEV and SULEV (“ultra-low” and “super-ultra low emission vehicle,”
respectively) which are specific to California but used in some
northeastern states, as well. ULEV cars get that “50% cleaner”
designation, while SULEV cars produce only about 1% of the pollution of
regular cars produced prior to the year 2000, and generally incorporate
advanced technology or the ability to use alternative fuels. A fourth
designation has been added, which, again is aimed at the California
market and it's push for zero-emission vehicles: AT-PZEV, or “advanced
technology, partial zero emission vehicles.” Toyota boasts that their
Prius meets this standard, while Honda includes special filters to make
their hybrid cars meet it in select markets, but would generally be
classed as SULEVs otherwise.
- Tax Credits. Purchasing certain hybrid vehicles qualifies some people
for a tax credit of up to $3500, but it should be known that this credit
only applies to a certain number of government-approved vehicles from
each dealer, and once the dealer has sold more than that number, the
credit significantly drops – the threshold is around 60,000 cars sold in
a single year.
Obviously there are excellent reasons for consumers to consider the
purchase of a hybrid vehicle, but is a hybrid always the best choice?
Not necessarily. Here's why:
- Got Speed? While most hybrid's can manage a respectable 0 to 60 in
about 11 seconds, if you really like to push speed such a car might not
be the one for you. Hybrids work by feeding power back into the system
when the brakes are applied, after all.
- Home or Highway? Hybrids are most efficient when the brakes are used
on and off – there's even a driving technique called “feathering” that
helps maximize your mileage while driving one – so if you do long
stretches of freeway driving, again, you might not want a hybrid,
especially since regular cars generally offer more power and greater
torque.
- Maintenance Ease. Does your local mechanic even touch hybrids? Do you
live close enough to the dealer, or a mechanic who can work on your car?
This is an important issue to consider, as most auto shops NOT
affiliated with dealers don't yet have the technology or expertise to
fix such cars.
Hybrids, therefore, as attractive as they are, may not be the best
choice. So who is buying them, and why? Not surprisingly, California
with its higher standard of emissions requirements, and larger than
average population of idealists and activists, is one of the biggest
markets, followed closely by cities like Washington, D.C., Boston, and
New York. However, as more and more scientists talk about “peak oil” and
“sustainable mobility” pundits think the trend of buying hybrids will
continue to expand and grow.
What do those terms mean? Well, “peak oil” is the idea that we are
approaching the time on earth when we will reach the highest amount of
available crude oil, and that after this peak, oil supplies will start
to dwindle rather than increase. Many authorities say this will happen
by the year 2021, but 2015, and even 2010 have been mentioned as well.
As this happens, it's likely – and even necessary – that we as consumers
will turn to hybrid vehicles and alternative fuels. Already, there are
cars and trucks that use a different sort of “hybrid” technology,
allowing them to use E85 – fuel up to 85% ethanol – instead of “regular”
gas, and cars that can use synthetic motor oil have been standard for
years.
“Sustainable mobility” is the term used when talking about “green”
driving – cars that not only don't pollute the atmosphere, but also
generate their own power. Today's hybrid's already do this in part, with
their regenerative braking systems (braking returning power to the
engine), but plug-in electric vehicles do this as well, using far less
power than even a regular hybrid. Think of it as the automotive
equivalent of sustainable food.
Does this mean we're all going to be driving hybrids in three years?
Maybe not quite that soon, but with Toyota projecting 150,000
Toyota Prius sales by the end of 2007, as well as offering hybrid versions of
their Highlander, with Honda pushing their hybrid Accord and Civic, and
even Ford selling hybrid Mariners, the buying trend that started as a
fad is fast becoming the norm.
By Melissa Bartell, Carseek.com
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