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Hybrid
Cars, Trucks, & SUVs
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Do gas
price fluctuations threaten hybrid future?
Thursday,
October 19, 2006
"The
problem for the whole hybrid
vehicle sector is America's
evident short-lived concern
over higher fuel prices. Even
though there is plenty of
concern among energy analysts
that fuel costs could head
north again before the year is
out, vehicle buyers only seem
to take notice of the latest
prices displayed at gas
stations."
"The public's short term,
blinkered view of gas prices
is already taking a toll on
hybrids. Their sales fell last
month by 11 percent compared
to August. In the same period
total vehicle sales slipped by
just 1.9 percent, while truck
sales were up by 5.4
percent." (more)
It is no big surprise that the
sales of hybrid
cars are dropping. Still,
I doubt very much that Toyota
expected sales of the Prius to
ever reach the levels that
they did. Ultimately, I don't
think that Toyota expected the
surge in gas prices that
America just witnessed.
Nonetheless, when Toyota did
launch the Prius
hybrid car, gas prices
were not that high. Toyota's
hybrid vehicle development was
not driven by the current
energy market, but the future
energy market. As I wrote
earlier today, in 2008 we
could see the highest
gas prices we've ever
seen.
In the end, gas price
fluctuations might threaten
the the future of
American-made hybrid vehicles,
but I doubt very seriously
that it will threaten the
future of Toyota hybrid
vehicles. Unlike the short
term view of the average
American, American auto
companies MUST take a long
term view, and almost every
indicator is signaling much
higher gasoline prices in the
future.
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Current News
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Hot
Topic
Hybrid
vehicles: A California Fad or Trend?
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- Toyota
Prius interest drops with gas prices
- 6000
Ford Escape hybrids to be recalled
- Mitsubishi
to offer hybrid for American market?
- An
interesting week for hybrid cars
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(more
hybrid news)
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The
Ford
Escape Hybrid
The world's
first hybrid SUV.
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V6 power with V4 fuel efficiency, the
Escape
hybrid offers SUV functionality and environmental
awareness. (more)
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The
Honda
Accord Hybrid
Simply the best
Accord.
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Faster
than a conventional Accord, the hybrid Accord is the first
V6 hybrid and is shows. (more)
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The
Honda
Civic Hybrid
The first
converted hybrid vehicle
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Looks
like a Civic, drives a Civic, but at 50 mpg it gets 40
percent better gas mileage than a regular Civic.
(more)
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The
Lexus
RX400h Hybrid
The world's
most luxurious hybrid SUV.
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Due
out April 15, this hot hybrid has already received 11,000
down-payments (more)
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The
Toyota
Prius Hybrid
The hybrid car
leader at just $20,000?
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Simply
an unbelievable piece of automotive technology. The future
is here. (more)
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The
Toyota
Highlander Hybrid
The
first Toyota hybrid SUV is set to explode.
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The
hype around this hybrid SUV is huge and growing. Get in
line now, you might be there a while (more)
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We the people, must be the
difference. Join the revolution, buy a hybrid car
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