Up-and-coming hybrid cars, seemingly the New Kids on the Block of the car industry, have built hype as gasoline prices have skyrocketed across the country in the wake of events like the devastating Katrina and the war in Iraq.
Hybrid car manufacturers razzle and dazzle with the impressive miles-per-gallon ratios their cars produce, but the question is this: is all the hype deserved?
Hybrids boast a higher-than-average mpg due to the recent automobile technology that allows the cars to power the engine from dual sources: a battery pack and regular gasoline.
The technology works like this: when, for example, the Toyota Prius travels under 15 mph, the car is being run by a battery cell separate from the battery used to power the headlights and other instruments. When the car reaches 15 mph, the gasoline power engine turns on. The amount from each usually depends on the weight of a driver’s foot.
The hybrids are remarkably economic as far as fuel prices are concerned, but most hybrid cars range between $3,500 and $7,000 more than their conventional counterparts, according to Motor Trend Magazine and www.ineedtoknow.org.
Some students at BYU-Idaho have a fondness in their heart for the cars that will help them save a little at the pumps.
“I love hybrid cars. I want one bad. It seems like they pay for themselves right now. The ride itself is comfortable and quiet. I really like the new Lexus, but I can’t afford that. Heck, I can’t even afford to change my underwear!” said Nate Wilson, a freshman from Stafford, Va.
Though Wilson is excited about the hybrid, not all students share the same enthusiasm.
“I just can’t see how the extra cost for a hybrid is actually worth it. The mileage reported on the sticker isn’t even what you’ll actually get,” said Paul Davies, a sophomore from Singapore.
Indeed, Consumer Reports has found that 90 percent of most cars fell short of the estimated mileage and the largest percentage of cars falling short were hybrids.
For example, the Toyota Prius hybrid fell short of the 60 mpg in the city it slapped on the sticker sheet by only achieving 44 mpg in the city, according to Consumer Reports.
These questionable numbers only support what Carlos Ghosn, president of Nissan, said of hybrids as “niche technology” that are regarded as “less that 1 percent of global sales,” Edmunds.com reported.
Although there are some kinks to be worked out in the initial stages of the hybrid market, Jay Omanson, a sophomore from Parker, Colo., has hope for the future of hybrids, even if they are not for him.
“I don’t think it would fit my needs. I think hybrids are for certain people, just like anything else. It’s a niche market that I think will find its place,” Omanson said.
Whether the market of hybrid cars will grow or not is yet to be seen. There are positives for the industry and hopes for the future, but will the hype continue? Stay tuned.
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