Current Trend: Hybrid cars give owners a charge

registerguard.com ^ | 6 December 2003 | by Scott Maben

[bicycle thug]

Wendell "Wendy" Ray, the former Oregon sports and KUGN broadcaster, is cruising around Eugene these days in the hot-selling Toyota Prius.

There's nothing about the hip, four-door hybrid that Ray doesn't love.

"It's very easy to drive, it's very comfortable and it saves a lot of money," he said. "And it's environmentally sane."

Powered by a seamless combination of gasoline and electricity, the Toyota hybrid can travel 600 miles on a tank of gas while spitting out one-half to one-third of the pollution of a gas-only combustion engine.

And unlike all-electric cars, hybrids don't need to be plugged in. Energy reclaimed from the driving process, such as braking and coasting, charges the batteries.

Joyce and Wendell Ray bought their first hybrid in 2001 for fuel savings and environmental reasons. They recently bought their second vehicle.

At about $20,000, they cost several thousand dollars more than their traditional counterparts. But buyers also qualify for federal and state tax breaks that can lower the price by $3,000 or more.

Hybrids steadily are gaining in popularity in Lane County and across the country, appealing to buyers partly because of rising prices at the pump. Americans have bought more than 108,000 hybrids - mostly the Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid - in the past four years.

That's a tiny fraction of the 17 million new cars and trucks sold in the U.S. annually. But automakers are adapting the technology to a broader line of passenger cars and hope to roll out hybrid

SUVs within the next year.

Toyota plans to unveil a hybrid Lexus RX 330, its luxury SUV, next fall. And late next summer, Ford will start selling its first hybrid electric vehicle, the Escape SUV. The Saturn Vue SUV and the GMC Sierra, Chevrolet Silverado and Dodge Ram pickup trucks also are slated for hybrid versions.

But for now, the Prius is the leading hybrid seller.

Ray and his wife, Joyce, both in their 70s, drove their 2001 Prius to Los Angeles and back - some 2,400 miles - on 46 gallons of gas.

They were so happy with the performance that they recently bought the 2004 model, which is bigger, faster and more efficient than its predecessors.

They especially like the car's super-low emissions, which cut down on urban pollution and greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. The Prius, just named "Car of the Year" by Motor Trend magazine, runs exclusively off its electric motor when idling or at low speeds.

"It's just the right thing to do," Ray said.

Nearly 64,000 Priuses are on the road in the United States today, and the company sold 5,200 of the new models in November - a record sales month for the car.

The initial 2004 sales target was 36,000, but Toyota expects to announce a production increase next week, said Irv Miller, vice president of corporate communications.

"We had 10,000 sold orders on this vehicle before it went on sale," he said.

Nationally, the wait is about three months for one, he said. In Eugene-Springfield, the wait can last up to two months.

Many car buyers may be waiting for other reasons - to see how the new hybrids perform on government safety tests, or to gauge long-term maintenance costs and resale value.

It's also unclear how other emerging eco-friendly technologies, such as hydrogen fuel-cell cars, will affect the growing market for hybrids.

General Motors Corp., which showed off a fuel cell concept car this fall, has suggested that hybrids merely will provide a bridge to zero-emission fuel-cell vehicles.

The Bush administration earlier this year proposed $1.3 billion to promote hydrogen and fuel cell technology.

In the meantime, the Toyota and Honda hybrids have a corner on the market. Even wealthy Hollywood celebrities are driving them. Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz all are Prius owners.

Bill Berg, the Prius specialist at Lithia Toyota, said the hybrid is probably the hardest car to get right now among the Toyota lineup. "We just can't keep up with the demand," he said.

Kendall Toyota in Eugene sells a Prius every two to three days. "It's the hottest car we have currently," General Manager Davis Shears said. "We're selling every one we can acquire."

Buyers span the demographic spectrum, Shears said, from college students to couples with young children to retirees. What most have in common is they know what they want, he said.

"Primarily the people we've seen have done their research," he said. "They're very knowledgeable about the car and they want a Prius."

Honda was first on the scene in the U.S. hybrid market with the Insight, a two-seat model rated at 66 miles per gallon on the highway.

It's been overshadowed by the Civic Hybrid, a five-passenger model that closely resembles the regular Civic but gets 51 mpg.

"The Civic is such a mainstream car, until you get right on it, you don't know it's a hybrid," said Charlie Freeman, general manager at Kendall Honda in Eugene.

The dealership has sold 37 of the cars so far this year, up from 22 last year, Freeman said.

Gail Sights of Springfield bought one in October and uses it to ferry her daughter and grandson around the metro area. "It's got pick up and go. When you step on the gas, you go," Sights said. "They did a great job."

She's put more than 1,000 miles on the car and has pulled into a gas station just twice.

"I was going to buy an SUV," she said. "When I saw gas prices go up, I decided to go with this."

John and Nancy Hamilton of Junction City picked up their white 2004 Prius at Kendall Toyota this week - and immediately broke it in with a trip to Myrtle Creek, where their daughter coaches basketball.

Toyota redesigned the Prius for 2004. The new model travels an average of 55 mpg, accelerates from 0 to 60 in 10 seconds, sports keyless entry and ignition and seats five.

It was the Hamiltons' first new car since 1966, and they were practically giddy as they waited in the dealership lobby for the paperwork to be finished.

The quiet ride, fuel economy and spaciousness were key selling points, they said.

The couple, both 60 and retired teachers, also own a Dodge Caravan. But they wanted something easier to maneuver for in-state travel.

The Prius, Nancy Hamilton said, will be their primary car.

"The engineering is just superior," John Hamilton said.

[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

"The air in America would be vastly cleaner if everyone replaced his or her current ride with a brand-new "Incredible Hulk" Ford Excursion."
Car&Driver Jan 2001

[oceanview]

we will get more european diesels when the new clean diesel fuel regulation goes into effect in 2006. Mercedes CDI diesels are excellent.

the Prius is great technology, I wish US car makers were investing in this kind of stuff, instead of figuring out how to put more cupholders in a minivan.

[inPhase]

"Rhetorical question:

What is the environmental impact of the manufacture, operation and disposal of the batteries used in these cars?"

You are right, there are no free dinners. The cost of the fuel cycle is hidden. The disposal of the heat or the heat management cycle at the manufacturers is hidden. Strip mining is hidden. The new distribution of polutants in the air soil and water is hidden.

[bicycle thug]

LOL! Yep! But I still like my old one time landlord Uncle Fuzzy. I lived in one of his houses on N. Polk St. for a time.

Interesting how KUGN cleaned house letting all those guys go at once.

[MarkL]

I drove the military version in Saudi in mid-nineties. I'll keep it in mind. I like that part of pissing the Libs off! Hehehee... :-)

What you're talking about is the "original" Hummer, which is the civilian version of what you drove. I really want one of those! Just because of the "cool factor" of the engineering and technology... I love the idea of the reduction gears in the hubs, and the inboard disc brakes. I'm not sure how I'd handle a top speed of 83 mph, though... The Hummer mentioned earlier ($60,000) is the H2, which is an SUV designed to look like the real thing. The only thing keeping me from getting an original H-1 is about $110,000. I guess I'll just keep driving my Toyota Corolla, until I win the PowerBall!

Mark

[millefleur]

yes we need more diesel options!
A diesel version of the PT cruiser is in the works, but I have been unable to find out if it will be sold in America.
meanwhile, I'll hang onto my gas Dodge pickup and Toyota ECHO.

[Namyak]

Got myself a black '96 Land Rover Discovery... Old Man Emu lift;4 inches, superswamper tires, ARB bar with attached 8,000pd winch... have I mentioned I love this car? I know it's not an option for everyone, but to avoid mechanic costs I do all the mechanical work myself... it's easy enough, as long as you get used to the sometimes strange way the British engineer a car (don't get me started on the electrical system...), but I love it all the same... and do you know what else I love? Taking this black beast and off-roading as much as I can... gives the local enviromentalists conniptions to think of me and my buddies running over poor defenseless bunny rabbits and endangered moths...

[Paradox]

I checked out a Prius, its a very nice car. If I were currently in the market for one, I would consider it. I got no problems with "eco" cars, I just think that the market should decide. I think some of these hybrids just might catch on.

[CobaltBlue]

Mine's a 96, too. The last year they made a stick shift. I really don't want to have an automatic transmission, so will hang onto it until it dies.

I should do more of the work myself. I grew up with VWs and the Volkswagen Complete Idiot books. Wonderful things, those, with great instructions and illustrations, really showed you how to do just about anything.

[gcruse]

The Prius is a nifty little car. Let those who like that sort of thing buy a bunch.

[B Knotts]

I wish US car makers were investing in this kind of stuff, instead of figuring out how to put more cupholders in a minivan.

Actually, Ford is introducing a hybrid Escape SUV next year, and GM is coming out with hybrid full-size pickups and SUVs in the next couple of years.

[bjcintennessee]

Hmph! Misleading title. I expected to read about owners getting an electrical shock due to some flaw in the hybrid.

[phelanw]

I love my 70 GTO. 428 c.i. engine with 750 Edelbrock 4 barrel, racing distributor, over 365 horsepower. 400 turbo transmission with shift kit. It's a dream, and in some ways it's better than it was when new. The thing is built out of real metal that doesn't bend when you lean against it. It gets about 10 mpg in town. :>)

I would drive it every day, but the weather doesn't permit. I want to be buried in it, so I get out the Tahoe on rainy or cold days. The Tahoe's 350 c.i engine (with computer and fuel injection) seems slow as molasses after driving that old 70's technology. I had 10 or 12 Toyotas in a row when I was young and poor. Great autos, but now it's time to live..

[bourbon]

Interesting. I really like Toyotas, and I'm not knocking the Prius itself, just anyone who thinks they're morally superior to drivers of other vehicles. :-)

[dixiechick2000]

"I'm not knocking the Prius itself, just anyone who thinks they're morally superior to drivers of other vehicles. :-)"

That's exactly why I would never buy one. We do have a lot of those types out here.

I believe Toyota is coming out with a hybrid SUV, though. I guess I'll be seeing a lot of those in the near future.

[Clinging Bitterly]

Heh - the place on N Polk, I remember that. My wife's brother roomed with you there a while in his Skookum days, and used to bring his dirty laundry to my place (I remember having to throw away a washing machine because I couldn't get the mud & soot out of it's innards, and it would no longer wash anything that was white). Is that Skookum guy still in business?

I dunno about Uncle Fuzzy, but I thought Wendy Ray retired. They held out at that station a long time, still playing music after the other "big" AM station went to all talk, then they got the Ducks' contract and hired Jerry Allen as morning personality and program director. That pretty much ended the deal for the old school programming. But in thier all talk format they tried to stay with all local talent and tended to lean a bit to the left of what AM talk listeners wanted (surprising since Brian Obie still owned most of it at the time). The sale to Cumulus brought in some good national shows, Medved and Savage probably got them the best ratings they ever had outside of a Ducks football broadcast.

But as has been discussed here, they bowed to the pressure from a movement about various campii to silence Savage, and replaced him with this local guy who claims to be libertarian, but comes off to me as only slightly less authoritarian than Lars. But I haven't heard much of the guy, I swore off the station - including the Ducks broadcasts - when they dumped Savage, so I may not totally understand the Carlin guy.

But not to get totally off to FReeper Island, if I were in the market for a new car, I'd take a look at one of those hybrids. Most of my cars (I presently have but four) are at the economy end of the scale, but I think my Suburban cancels out the other three. Hopefully by the time I'm ready to dive into the market, they'll be making them a bit less ugly looking.

[Clinging Bitterly]

>> ...we need more diesel engines in vehicles.

Two problems with them are the noise and the stink. The noise is pretty easy to deal with, insulation is fairly cheap. The new EFI systems will greatly improve the emissions. I have already seen it in my business, even the new Tier II off highway stuff that has been out the last couple of years delivers more power with less fuel, and almost none of that annoying smoke. Only problem is the components are very expensive. Most people can't afford a car with a $20,000.00 engine.

[Jotmo]

There are more pickup trucks than people here in North Eastern Oregon.

[No.6]

The Ford Escape hybrid is scheduled for 2004 release although yes, it's technically a 2005 model year vehicle.

"We currently expect the vehicle to be released for retail sale in late summer 2004."

http://www.fordvehicles.com/escapehybrid/faqs/index.asp?bhcp=1

[B Knotts]

I know. When I wrote the comment you responded to, it was 2003. :-)