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I'm losing count of the articles that state hybrids underperform, are overpriced, can't save enough gas to justify the extra cost....

My question is why are there so many anti-hybrid articles? It's so strange when most hybrid drivers are very happy with their vehicle. It's looking like the writers of these articles are either ignorant or feel threatened.....


Aversion to the unfamiliar
Writers that use performance cars as the benchmark
Bad research, repeating what others have said without investigating
See hybrids as a threat to Detroit
Some writers seeing hybrids as a threat to larger vehicles (one writer has a minivan), even though the FEH and HiHi are hybrids.
"Red State" person seeing hybrids as an environmental/political statement (i.e. GreenPeace), even though they are driven by people all over the political spectrum
Ignorance

Hi Chuck:

___This is where the likes of you and I come in. I get really aggressive with the non-hybrid owners busting hybrids for any number of reasons while at work but once they hear the facts, they tend to back down from their own pulpit all the while I am just beginning to preach from mine. We have a ton of real world data to recall which can smash a naysayer’s POV in short order. Remember that this is coming from a non-hybrid owning hypermiler even today. There are many non-hybrid drivers that can bust out a great segment on a daily basis but going head to head with a smart hybrid driver, you will always lose as they just drive them and they can destroy our level best when they want to … From a new car standpoint when considering the tax credit, extremely limited depreciation, and a hybrids maximum or even its average real world FE capability, the rest of the world has a long way to go before actually understanding what makes a hybrid a “SuperCar ” by any comparison anyone could possibly make.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Keep in mind there's no reason to publish an article that isn't controvercial. Media is in the business of selling ad space, pure and simple. The best way to sell ad space is to draw in viewers and readers. You won't get many people in this day and age that want to read anything that isn't sensationalized, so the best way to help the media attract readers/viewers is by getting their content out there thanks to controversy. Unbiased reporting really doesn't exist anymore because all reporting is only for the purpose of making money.

Keep in mind there's no reason to publish an article that isn't controvercial. Media is in the business of selling ad space, pure and simple. The best way to sell ad space is to draw in viewers and readers. You won't get many people in this day and age that want to read anything that isn't sensationalized, so the best way to help the media attract readers/viewers is by getting their content out there thanks to controversy. Unbiased reporting really doesn't exist anymore because all reporting is only for the purpose of making money.

You know you really have a very valid point in what you just Posted. I also think that what Wayne just Posted is Correct.

I have at this time nothing to add but you guys see and understand the Big-Picture (IMO).

tiger

I find this quite frustrating as well, especially having tried to understand how CNW Market Research (which is the most recently quoted anti) concluded that hybrid vehicles cost a quarter of a million (or whatever it was) to decommision.

But I accept the notion that CNW is in GM's back pocket. Harder to fathom is Consumer Reports overestimating hybrid vehicle depreciation and maintenance costs. I emailed and tried to help 'em out, but got only a bland empty sort of response.

Over yonder in the Car Talk chats one person opined that total cost of ownership is the 'dirt little secret' that hybrid drivers won't talk about. Alrighty then, mine is 22 cents per mile all in, since 2001, what's yours? I'm sorry to report not receiving a response to that post.

It all seems very puzzling, and yet every Toyota dealer I happen to visit says that they just can't keep the things in stock. So I suppose that we ought to just keep responding with 'letters to the editors', help them to stir the pot, so they can sell inches. Seems like we are all part of some big game.

But the others are paying more to play, that at least I am sure of.

DAS