Letters to the Editor
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LOLPRIUS
im in ur prius backseat flippin off hondas
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Hey! Leave the Prius drivers alone!
I am grateful for those who have the resources and the interest to acquire early technologies. From vacuum cleaners to air conditioners to telephones to Ipods, they pave the way for the rest of us.
This past year I purchased a 5-speed manual transmission 2007 Matrix for less than 18K. I get 36-41 MPG because I hyper mile, keep an absolutely empty car, and have purged myself of my lead foot tendencies.
I wish Ms. Clarren had recommended manual transmissions to boost the mileage of some of the smaller cars. An added bonus is that many of the young car thieves don't know how to drive a stick. :)
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It Figures.
It figures that anything the auto manufacturers would do for the environment would be half-assed anyway. I guess when Americans get sick and tired of killing, and being killed, for the oil, they will demand Congress get off it's butt and start the business of a really serious energy policy for our country. Or maybe when Florida runs out of water the light will go off in most of the in-denial minds in this country. But, hey, there's a new cell phone out next week.
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A better non-hybrid alternative
Rather incomplete consumer research. She would do much better on stated criteria with a Yaris by Toyota. For only $11,300, an EPA rating of 34/40 mpg. Even Corolla and Civic get better mpg ratings than her chosen Renault by Nissan, Versa, with reliability yet to be determined. I can only hope this was a hypothetical purchase, as misleading as it is. Look elsewhere, folks.
Leonard Lloyd
Oakley, CA
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FWIW Toyota's Prius had mediocre sales when it looked like an Echo
When they stuffed in a brand new and unique body sales took off. If you think no one buys a hybrid because they don't want everyone to see them driving it, you're wrong. That would be like asserting that the middle aged fat bastard software engineers who are all weekend Harley riders are in it for the fresh air and 'exercise'. Not that sane usage and conservation are bad things but that in this day, EVERYTHING is a fashion statement to some extent.
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When they make a fun to drive hybrid, I'll buy one
I commute to and from work by bus 5 days a week; right now I'm looking for a used Miata with a manual tranny to run weekend errands and for an occasional fun weekend trip down a twisty road**.
Why? Because Miatas/MX-5s are lightweight, relatively fuel-efficient and shitloads of fun to drive. Which brings me to my next question/point:
Why can't automakers create a hybrid (or at least a high-mileage) car that isn't just an appliance to get from point A to point B?
I realize most drivers on this letter thread - and on the roads at large - don't actually seek to get any joy from driving; they are just looking to transport themselves, their family. etc in the most trouble-free way possible. And that's totally fine.
But for the few of us out there that actually care about power, handling, fun factor AND being as green as possible - there really are no choices! Maybe a Civic Si and to some extent the little Miata...but otherwise, being green on the road means driving ultility-only vehicles like the Prius & Civic GX.
*******
For what it's worth - the new Corvette convertible is an awesome performance machine that gets 28-30 mpg on the highway. (Green-minded midlife crisis sufferers, take note! =) Sadly, I have nowhere near $55-60K to spend on one...
[**-Yes, that's right: I'm an environmentally-minded person who derives joy from occasional purposeless, recreational driving. I shop locally to balance it off - so please, please do not lynch me!]
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More Info.?
This quote was intriguing:
"Even so, several cars on the market, such as the Honda Accord and Volkswagen's Beetle and Rabbit, emit less than hybrids."
I'd like to know more about where that came from and what it really means. I agree that people should buy small cars instead of SUV hybrids, but small hybrids are better than you are saying. I drive a Civic Hybrid in a cold climate, get 38-40 city, 50-53 highway, all after an adjustment period. The car taught me to be a better driver, a benefit I never expected. And look, it shuts off when I stop at a light! This is no small thing. Imagine if every car did that. Hybrids are leading the way to new innovations that should become standard. Price is an issue, but the tax breaks came close to compensating for that. There should be tax breaks for all low mileage cars, though, not just hybrids. Big tax incentives for living close to work might have an even bigger impact.
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Golf carts
I thought golf carts were fully battery powered. Am I wrong?
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Movin' Into the Carpool Lane
The article briefly touches on, but fails to adequately illuminate the one major motivator behind the Prius craze. You think people invest in the vehicle for environmental or altruistic reasons? Think again.
Those ubiquitous yellow carpool access stickers have become synonymous with the Prius, and it's the only real reason we're seeing so many on the road.
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On Generating Electricity
The author concludes her article by arguing that plug-ins aren't quite as helpful as zero emission vehicles because the electricity has to come from somewhere. According to Plug-in America's website, it takes 28 kWhs to refine one gallon of gas... and some electric cars can go farther on 28 kWhs than the average car can go on that one gallon (plus the 28 kWhs).
And lest we automatically go to the worry that more electric cars means more electricity generation and more opportunities for the Enron energy crisis in So. California, the largest consumer of electricity in California, again, according to Plug-in America is the oil refining industry.
So, less oil in all forms is good. The author makes a valid point... many down market cars get gas mileage similar to or better than the Prius, and many of those are more affordable. I agree so much that the summer when I sold my 22 mpg AWD car and bought a 35 mpg mid-90's Corolla. But the Prius is the first car that brings a mass-market electric vehicle with gasoline back-up into the range of the average car-buying public. Which is pretty close to where I think we need to be heading.