Let's buy hybrids and drive like jerks

[ShawnD]

While looking at Nissan's website for some stats on the 350Z, I noticed they now have a hybrid Altima. Since my parents own a 2005 Altima, I decide to look at the specs for this hybrid and see how they compare.

First thing to notice is that hybrid vehicles have excellent low-end torque, meaning they are capable of quick acceleration. Look at the http://nissan.ca/en/vehicles/specifications/specifications.asp?series=T [Broken].
3.5L Altima = 258lb at 4400RPM
2.5L Altima Hybrid = 162lb at 2800RPM in addition to 199lb at 1500RPM
On top of all this low-speed torque, the hybrid gets 50mpg in the city compared to 27mpg. Whoa! Double the gas mileage and have a ridiculous amount of torque? Sign me up!

Alright so what if you don't want to replace gasoline with electric and you just feel like slapping some electric motors on your huge SUV? The http://www.toyota.ca/cgi-bin/WebObjects/WWW.woa/5/wo/Home.Vehicles.Highlander4-1uvE3maaCF1zJ2Vyn20bxw/10.11?v191040e%2ehtml is for you.
3.3L Highlander = 222lb at 3600RPM
3.3L Highlander Hybrid = 212lb at 4400RPM plus 247lb on the front wheels and 96lb at the rear wheels.
Wow! This thing has 3 sources of power, two of them delivering close to 350lb between 0-1500RPM, and the gasoline boosting on top of that. This thing can probably spin all four tires in third gear!



Who said hybrids had to be slow and ugly?

 

[Chi Meson]

Already they have hybrid SUVs and trucks, yet there are still zero hybrid minivans available on this continent. Why is this? [warning: horrible generalizations ahead] You'd think there'd be fewer green rednecks than green soccer-moms.

 

[physics girl phd]

Mini-Van! Mini-Van!
Oh yeah -- and we will need it to be wheel-chair ramp-modified. Think THAT'S a possibility in the next two years?

As an aside, if you are someone you love is buying a wheel-chair ramped van, do NOT buy the GM version. GM sucks, but as you can see, choices are limited:
http://www.braunmobility.com/products/consveh/index.asp
We'll be lucky to get three years out of it; it's had problems from day one (Dec 2005), mostly due to the GM itself, not the ramp (although those things have issues too).

 

[Curious3141]

Why get a hybrid? Get one of these. OK, the top speed is nothing, really, but the torque and acceleration are fantastic!

 

[Moonbear]

Why get a hybrid? Get one of these. OK, the top speed is nothing, really, but the torque and acceleration are fantastic!

:!) Ooh, pretty car! And, unless you're planning on racing it, a top speed of 100 mph isn't a problem anyway.

 

[Moonbear]

Already they have hybrid SUVs and trucks, yet there are still zero hybrid minivans available on this continent. Why is this? [warning: horrible generalizations ahead] You'd think there'd be fewer green rednecks than green soccer-moms.

Well, I don't know about that necessarily, since plenty of soccer moms are driving around SUVs, but I do think the ones more likely to be concerned about the environment would be the ones choosing the minivans rather than SUVs. I agree, that seems like it would be the better market to start with.

 

[turbo]

:!) Ooh, pretty car! And, unless you're planning on racing it, a top speed of 100 mph isn't a problem anyway.

Since it's over $400,000, I'll probably have to sell my 10-year-old Nissan pickup to help pay for it. :rofl:

 

[dontdisturbmycircles]

Yea the looks don't justify the price. I do concur with Moonbear though, its a very nice looking car.

I wonder how long it will be until the majority of people are driving hybrids... What do you guys think?

I say 10 years.

 

[Moonbear]

Since it's over $400,000, I'll probably have to sell my 10-year-old Nissan pickup to help pay for it. :rofl:

Yeah, when the article said they only produce 15 a year, I kind of figured the price would be a bit beyond my means.

 

[russ_watters]

I like the idea of the performance hybrid and will definitely consider one for my next car. Honda has been attaching one to their V6 Accord for a few years now.

 

[Moonbear]

I like the idea of the performance hybrid and will definitely consider one for my next car. Honda has been attaching one to their V6 Accord for a few years now.

I'm waiting for the ones that come with sound effects like the cars in The Jetsons made.

 

[Cyrus]

You could just buy a VW

Golf
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/07/volkswagens_pol.php

Jetta
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/02/07/209864.html

62MPG (Golf) 45MPG (Jetta) on diesel, which is better than your hybrid and won't have an expensive battery pack to replace and costs under 20k.

 

[Moonbear]

62MPG (Golf) 45MPG (Jetta) on diesel, which is better than your hybrid and won't have an expensive battery pack to replace and costs under 20k.

Not until the prices of diesel fuel come down. And, if you have cold enough winters, you still have to plug in the diesel cars to keep the fuel from gelling (they had that problem with school buses this winter when the temperatures dropped too low), so might as well plug it into charge a battery. I also didn't pay any attention to it until my parents showed up with a diesel vehicle that apparently, only one gas station in this entire town sells diesel fuel, and of course they are the highest priced station right next to the interstate.

 

[scorpa]

Already they have hybrid SUVs and trucks, yet there are still zero hybrid minivans available on this continent. Why is this? [warning: horrible generalizations ahead] You'd think there'd be fewer green rednecks than green soccer-moms.

I hate hate hate hate soccor moms and their minivans. Hate hate hate! Sorry, I know that is off topic, I just had some very bad work experiences with them

But on the topic, I am glad there is an altima hybrid now, as well as some SUV hybrids coming out...it is nice that they are finally coming out that aren't ugly and useless. Once they start getting some hybrids out there that are more appealing I would consider buying one (well when i have money anyway), but right now there are very few that I like. I do not like the styling of most hybrids out there right now at all. The smart car is essentially useless, the civics...ect are just ugly and unless you live in a city there are no import dealers around.

 

[ShawnD]

You could just buy a VW

Golf
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/07/volkswagens_pol.php

Jetta
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/02/07/209864.html

62MPG (Golf) 45MPG (Jetta) on diesel, which is better than your hybrid and won't have an expensive battery pack to replace and costs under 20k.

Unfortunately VW is a company with a lot of quality issues at this time. Jetta's quality is 2/5 stars

Moonbear, is diesel more expensive than gasoline where you live? In Canada, diesel is usually 10 cents per litre cheaper than gasoline. That would be about 38 cents cheaper per US gallon.
Edmonton gasoline prices - $0.95/L ($3.60 per US gallon)
Edmonton diesel prices - $0.82/L ($3.10 per US gallon)
I would buy a diesel if any company actually made them, but I think trucks are the only vehicles that ever come with diesel engines. Over in Europe it's a different story.

 

[radou]

Over in Europe it's a different story.

Yup, completely different.

Btw, VWs are the over-priced.