Cephus
DP Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2007
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Actually, I have a theory on that...
I think that they AREN'T putting much effort into hybrid, which is WHY they tend to suck. I think ALL the major companies are busy, in underground bunker style R and D labs, trying to make either hydrogen, or better all electric cars.
I think hybrids are here just to shut us up, so to speak.
Look up some of the stranger concepts released by GM over the last 20 years or so, and you'll see what I mean. They best minds are NOT focused on hybrids, I truly believe that.
I'd love to think you're right, I just don't think so. The hybrids were initially introduced as a means to show the government that the carmakers were trying to meet increased efficiency standards. The first hybrids failed miserably in the marketplace, it wasn't until Hollywood and the liberal left took up the cause and started driving Prius that hybrids had any traction whatsoever, and as studies show, most people who buy a hybrid, unless they're a complete liberal enviro-nut, don't buy another one. The reason is, these cars just don't live up to the hype. They only get that mileage by stripping the car down to the bare bones, everything you put on the car reduces mileage and every pound you pack into it reduces efficiency. When people don't get 50mpg because they don't weigh 28lbs and want to take passengers or equipment, or want to have air conditioning, etc., they realize that a hybrid is just an overpriced status symbol, it doesn't actually get them anything.
The problem with technologies like hydrogen is that you have a massive industry with tons of money and political connections that is entrenched in keeping oil in production. Sure, in a perfect world, you could convert all gas stations over to hydrogen stations, but the gas industry doesn't make any money off of that. It's politics that has killed any non-gas innovations.