They are environment friendly!!

They are cheaper to maintain on the long haul!!

They help you to save on your tax payment!!

….There were myriad reasons why so many people thought it worthwhile buying a hybrid car!

The net result is: Starting from the year 2000, till mid- 2006, the sales curve of hybrid cars depicted a definitive upward trend. However a fall in the fuel price had somewhat interfered with this steep growth (within August to November the sales fall to 19,000 to 32,000).

Cut to 2007. Scenario has changed a bit…tax incentives, at least for Toyota cars are fading out, but people have started to take environmental factors more seriously. Under this circumstance there zoomed in another factor in a rather big way and that relates to the gas price!  According to a survey conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), Gas prices will average slightly more than $4 a gallon by 2015 and just over $5 a gallon by 2020.

With soaring gas price, the fuel economy and emissions regulations are going to be even stricter over the next decade, not in the USA alone, but also in Japan and in the EU countries.

And gas prices during the next few years are going to determine the fate of hybrid cars in a big way.

Keeping with the gas price/pollution control regulations factors, the leading auto manufacturers, especially Toyota and Honda…two world leaders in manufacturing hybrid cars are going to give special emphasis on more environment-friendly greener and cleaner cars, reports Japan Times.

The three US biggies— GM, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler unit are also planning to take green route for competing with Japanese manufacturers in the face of soaring fuel prices in the forthcoming decades.

However, Toyota is one step ahead: It has already started thinking about incorporating alternative technologies apart from their usual gasoline-electric hybrid. As the experts predict; the environment protecting technologies will emerge as the ultimate winners. While fuel cell vehicles hold no such hope for commercial viability in the near future, the ethanol powered cars have earned relatively greater popularity particularly in the countries like USA.

The ‘J’ factor is expected to rule the hybrid market in these coming years too with the Japanese automakers fast catching up with the new technologies. “(Japanese automakers) are working to develop the technologies, but it is too heavy of a burden to pursue all of them,” as declared Fujio Cho, vice chairman of Toyota and chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, in the recent past. The survival secret of hybrid cars in the following years lie in better gas mileage (as for instance, the next generation Prius can offer you a princely 90+ mpg) and in the plugging in technology.

To summarize it all, the future hybrid cars are going to retain their popularity over the coming years with their green features such as ultra-low emissions and fuel efficiency. And the next generation hybrid cars are targeted at the consumers who are more sensible towards environment and for whom hybrid means necessity, not indulgence in luxury.

Cars have always been the hottest in the boy’s toys list. Whizzing past in a fast-moving car might have been the ultimate fashion statement for the men of past century. But today if you want to be regarded as stylist, you have to be politically correct even with your car and one aspect of political correctness is environment-consciousness. So today when we are fast moving towards a post-petroleum era, you can not afford to ride a fuel-sucking conventional SUV and claim yourself to be trendy. A cool dud like you should go green in a true blue way….you must drive a hybrid car!

If hybrid car has not been in your agenda so far, first of all you must get yourself acquainted with the top picks of the pack; much have changed since 1997, when the Toyota Prius hybrid first hit the roads of Japan. The latest hybrid models took the design and innovations to an unbelievable degree of excellence where concept and reality merge into one!

Take the example of General Motors’ latest concept vehicle, the Chevrolet Volt. Combined with Volt’s E-Flex flexible propulsion system, this new generation hybrid car is all set to offer the world the most efficient energy solutions.

Toyota has really moved beyond its Prius model that is already an icon in the green-car segment. The latest offerings from Toyota are the Camry and the Highlander respectively. The new Toyota Camry hybrid is a midsize car with a 4-cylinder engine and armed with a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

For the lovers of more compact cars, there is this Lexus GS 450h which comes with a 6-cylinder engine and 6-speed automatic transmission. 

Then of course the Honda —-once a king in hybrid segment and still is. In place of Honda Insight, you now get these two highly sophisticated hybrid models…the Accord Hybrid and the Civic Hybrid. The bonus points include the futuristic designs and other hi-tech amenities.

All the leading automakers are scurrying about to gab the market of more environment friendly cars. The consumer thrust also is definitely towards greener cars.

The future of the world seems to ride on these new generation hybrid cars; what about you?

In this high paced twenty first century world, who cares to listen to conscience?

Well, a sizeable section of the population seems to be doing exactly that.

How? —Simply by investing in a hybrid vehicle!

After all, we all should contribute something for making the environment better; at least we can help prevent its further deterioration. A hybrid car can help you to do your bit! And as we all have been taught in our school days that rewards await those who listen to their conscience; it really does pay owning a hybrid car. Some of the recent studies confirmed the fact that you can actually save lot of cash in the long haul if you opt for a hybrid car instead of an ordinary vehicle.

Soaring gas prices; add to it the stricter environmental rules; owning car—cause enough for a big headache! Now there is no doubt that a hybrid car is all politically correct as it helps you to go green. But people are still doubtful whether it will be monetarily beneficial to purchase and own a hybrid car with all its hi-fi range of electronics and oversized banks of cutting edge batteries plus an electric motor in addition to internal combustion engine!

Here is the good news for the doubting Thomases!

The latest report by Los Angeles-based IntelliChoice—one of the most reliable auto buyer’s guide— tend to clear all your dilemmas regarding a hybrid car. Their latest report based on automotive cost of ownership data revealed that hybrid cars will give you better cost-effectiveness than their conventional cousins over a five year/70,000 mile period.

In spite of their greater upfront costs, the hybrid cars save on cash as you consider the cumulative factors of

• Fuel cost
• Federal tax credits,
• License fees
• Moderate maintenance costs

But the real catch however lies in hybrid cars’ lower depreciation value/greater abilities of retaining values which is almost five and ten percent than the conventional vehicles.

Still not convinced? Consider this: a Prius owner over a five years period will save $13,408 more than the owner of a similar-size sedan. The rest 21 hybrid models on the market today are not far behind in performance either.

So why not stay true to the old planet while saving on some good cash all the way?

Bloomberg reported today that Detroit automakers are working on improving hybrid cars while Toyota pushes hybrid trucks, stating “General Motors Corp. promised to make a hybrid car that travels 40 miles on a battery before its gasoline engine kicks in. Ford Motor Co. introduced a redesigned Focus compact with a voice-activated music player to attract young buyers.”"Toyota Motor Corp., meanwhile, showed off a five-passenger, 381-horsepower pickup, while the star of Honda Motor Co.’s presentation was a sports car with a V-10 engine.”

In an odd twist, the Japanese aim for the big and powerful while American companies shy away from fuel guzzling trucks and SUVs.

If you’re looking to buy a 2006 Honda Accord Hybrid, you may be in for a treat, at least according to reviewers.

Automotive.com writes that it “may be the best of the midsize sedans. The Accord simply does everything well. It may not be best in class in every single area, but we can’t think of anything it does poorly. And the coupe packs the Accord’s attributes into a sporty two-door.”  ReviewCars.com also liked it, overall, and gave it a 4.5 out of 5 rating.

The MSRP is $18,225 – $29,300 and MPG is 21-29/30-37 (City/HWY).

This week Scientific American reported that there is a sufficient amount of power to switch from gas to electric.

They said that “Rumors of the electric car’s demise appear to have been greatly exaggerated, with so-called plug-in hybrids making the rounds from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., along with the sporty, new all-electric Tesla Roadster on offer. Now a new analysis from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) offers more good news: existing electric power plants could fuel 84 percent of ‘light duty’ vehicles if all 220 million cars and trucks converted to electric power overnight. ‘We’re delighted to see solid third-party confirmation of what the people who know best–the utilities–have been saying for sometime,’ says Felix Kramer, plug-in hybrid owner/evangelist and founder of Calcars.org.”

So there’s really no excuse not to start making the switch – it’s just amazing that the American government is not promoting this more, especially since so much of our money goes to some of their biggest enemies.

So what can you do?  Write your representatives at congress.org.

Technology is making it so easy to do just about everything nowadays, including the way we drive and how fuel-efficient our vehicles are. Consider going high tech if you want to lower your consumption, reduce your greenhouse gas emissions and save fuel. Look for these high tech bells and whistles when you go to buy a new or used vehicle:. Variable valve timing and lift: improves the flow of fuel and air during the engine cycle by varying the opening and closing of the engine valves depending on need. The technology can result in both greater power and better fuel efficiency.

. Cylinder deactivation allows V-6 and V-8 engines to operate as though they had fewer cylinders. While cylinder deactivation cannot decrease the weight of engines, it does reduce fuel consumption under light-load cruising conditions by only delivering fuel to activated cylinders.

. Gasoline and Diesel direct injection uses sophisticated electronic fuel-flow and air-flow controls, and precision injectors which inject the fuel directly into the cylinder and optimize the ideal mixture of air and fuel during combustion.

. Continuously Variable Transmission: Or CVT’s don’t have a gearbox with a set number of gears, instead they typically operate on a pulley configuration that allows an infinite number of engine/wheel speed ratios. This technology results in better engine speed matching, ideal “gear” selection and improved fuel efficiency.

. Hybrid Technology: by combining an internal combustion engine with an electrical motor and battery pack, most hybrids today can achieve improvements in fuel efficiency by using the electric motor to supplement engine power. Some hybrids can also operate exclusively using the electric motor at low speeds. Batteries do not require plugging in and are recharged by harnessing the energy from braking and from the engine. Hybrids are ideal vehicles for individuals who travel predominantly in the city under stop and go conditions. Consumers can use this information to help them buy, drive and maintain their vehicles in ways that will conserve energy, preserve the environment, protect their health and save money. Visit Natural Resources Canada’s website at vehicles.gc.ca or call 1-800-387-2000 to learn about the EnerGuide Label for Vehicles, the Fuel Consumption Guide and for other tips and tools to encourage fuel efficiency.

Credit: www.newscanada.com

Hybrid vehicles are a cross between traditional fuel-powered vehicles and electric vehicles. Combining an electric motor, a battery pack, as well as an internal combustion engine, these components work together to deliver power to a hybrids wheels. Common technologies include idle stop which allows the engine to automatically shut off and restart while the electric motor take’s over to prevent unnecessary idling and regenerative braking which harnesses the energy used while braking to recharge the batteries. In many hybrids, the electric motor also provides added power during acceleration and when added performance is needed. Some hybrids can also operate using only the electric motor and battery pack at low speeds. Because the electric motor replaces some of the work done by a traditional engine and some hybrids can run as electric vehicles at low speeds, hybrids are ideal vehicles for individuals who travel predominantly in the city under stop and go conditions.Anyone interested in reducing their fuel consumption, their emissions and impact on the environment and the price they pay at the pumps may find hybrids to be the answer. And the good news is hybrids are also making the grade with Natural Resources Canada in its annual rating of the most fuel-efficient vehicles in Canada. In fact, over the past several years, hybrids have been winning the annual EnerGuide Awards for a variety of different vehicle classes. Visit Natural Resources Canada’s website at vehicles.gc.ca or call 1-800-387-2000 to learn about the EnerGuide Label for Vehicles, the Fuel Consumption Guide and for other tips and tools to encourage fuel efficiency..

Credit: www.newscanada.com

Mercury joined the lineup of hybrid car dealers in 2005, and here’s what reviewers had to say about this year’s Mercury Mariner SUV…

Automotive.com said this year’s Mariner “continues unchanged on the outside, its slick and clean design accented by Mercury’s avant-garde styling cues. Inside is a pleasant and calming cabin with room enough for the kind of stuff people who are moving up from the Milan sedan or retreating from the more truck-like Mountaineer need to haul around.”

Consumer Guide said it “is a luxury-trimmed version of the Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute” whose “performance and accommodations mirror those of comparably equipped Escapes and Tributes.”

MSRP on models runs from $21,380 to $24,885 and mileage runs from 19/23 mpg to 22/26 mpg.

Thinking of getting a 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid?  CNET gave it a “spectacular” nine out of ten and reviewed it and had this to say: “The 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid is a comfortable, well-appointed sedan, equipped with a bevy of technology, from the economical hybrid propulsion system to a raft of standard in-car devices, including a Bluetooth interface and a premium audio system.”  The only complaint being that its “optional GPS navigation unit struggles with voice commands and can lose its bearings when out of town. Alternating between power sources can lead to a jerky ride.”

Edmunds was happy with it too, saying they “came away impressed by the new Camry’s quiet and comfortable cabin, its high degree of interior and exterior build quality, and its overall refinement.”

The MSRP base price is $25900 and mileage of 43 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.