xcel
02-15-2007, 10:30 PM
The sales have just skyrocketed since the Camry Hybrid came out. (http://cgi.bowesonline.com/pedro.php?id=33&x=story&xid=287657)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2007_TCH.jpgLeighton Klassen - The Daily Graphic - Feb. 14, 2007
2007 Toyota Camry - One of 14 vehicles for which the provincial Canadian government offers a $2,000 rebate.
If you’re not already driving a hybrid vehicle, there’s a good chance you will within the next few years.
With a heightened awareness towards the environment and escalating crude oil prices, automobile manufacturers are increasing their production of hybrid vehicles.
But the push is also coming from the government.
On Feb. 6, the province announced a $2,000 rebate program for all Manitobans who purchase or take out a long-term lease on a hybrid vehicle.
Fourteen vehicles are currently available for rebate, including four manufactured by Toyota.
Portage Toyota general manager Doug Thompson, whose business offers the Camry, Highlander and Prius hybrids, said sales for the environmentally friendly cars are reaching boom status.
“The sales have just skyrocketed since the Camry came out,” Thompson said yesterday, adding the Camry hybrid was released last summer. “I can say for our most popular model which is the Camry -- it accounts for 15 to 20 per cent of our (Camry) sales.”
Thompson said the reason for the increase in sales is due to both the new provincial rebate and a heightened environmental awareness. In fact, the provincial rebate makes hybrids price-competitive with gasoline-operated vehicles.
“The $2,000 really closed the price gap,” Thompson said, adding a hybrid typically costs about $3,000 to $4,000 more than a non-hybrid.
Hybrid vehicles produce about half of the carbon dioxide a gas-operated vehicle produces. That’s because it is powered by both a gasoline-fueled combustion engine as well as an electric motor. That results in reduced emissions and better gas mileage.
“The two biggest points are fuel consumption and the care for the environment,” Thompson said, adding hybrid cars get about 50 miles per gallon in both the city and on the highway.
By comparison, the non-hybrid Camry gets 26 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway, according to Toyota Canada’s manufacturing specifications.
General Motors offers the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LS hybrid. Craig Dunn, general manager of Craig Dunn Motor City, said his business doesn’t stock the truck because it’s not fit for the market in Portage which demands a truck that can pull or haul heavy materials. But there will be a line of hybrid trucks in his showroom in the near future, Dunn said.
“We’ll have hybrid pickups in 2009,” he said.
Like all vehicles, hybrids are not bullet proof. They do require maintenance and repairs. Since hybrids contain parts gas-operated vehicles do not contain such as a battery, generator, inverter and electric motor, special training and equipment is required to perform repairs. Although automobile dealerships that sell hybrids are equipped with the tools and training, most independent repair shops are not.
Brian Kitson, owner of Kitson’s Service Station Ltd. in Portage, said his business currently does not offer repairs to the drive and power line of hybrid vehicles, but can still repair parts and systems that do not run off the hybrid system such as tires and lights.
“We need to get trained and familiar with them and then get specialized training,” he explained. “But it’s very costly.”
Kitson said the first phase of training can cost several hundred dollars per mechanic. And the cost of the equipment will be even more. He said he’ll have to further research the issue before deciding whether to train mechanics and purchase equipment.
The province’s rebate program will end on Nov. 15, 2008, but that doesn’t mean the end for hybrids.
“I can tell you Toyota has advised us that we will see hybrid models in all models including V-8 trucks,” Thompson said.
A list of hybrid electric vehicles eligible for the provincial rebate can be found online at www.gov. mb.ca/est.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2007_TCH.jpgLeighton Klassen - The Daily Graphic - Feb. 14, 2007
2007 Toyota Camry - One of 14 vehicles for which the provincial Canadian government offers a $2,000 rebate.
If you’re not already driving a hybrid vehicle, there’s a good chance you will within the next few years.
With a heightened awareness towards the environment and escalating crude oil prices, automobile manufacturers are increasing their production of hybrid vehicles.
But the push is also coming from the government.
On Feb. 6, the province announced a $2,000 rebate program for all Manitobans who purchase or take out a long-term lease on a hybrid vehicle.
Fourteen vehicles are currently available for rebate, including four manufactured by Toyota.
Portage Toyota general manager Doug Thompson, whose business offers the Camry, Highlander and Prius hybrids, said sales for the environmentally friendly cars are reaching boom status.
“The sales have just skyrocketed since the Camry came out,” Thompson said yesterday, adding the Camry hybrid was released last summer. “I can say for our most popular model which is the Camry -- it accounts for 15 to 20 per cent of our (Camry) sales.”
Thompson said the reason for the increase in sales is due to both the new provincial rebate and a heightened environmental awareness. In fact, the provincial rebate makes hybrids price-competitive with gasoline-operated vehicles.
“The $2,000 really closed the price gap,” Thompson said, adding a hybrid typically costs about $3,000 to $4,000 more than a non-hybrid.
Hybrid vehicles produce about half of the carbon dioxide a gas-operated vehicle produces. That’s because it is powered by both a gasoline-fueled combustion engine as well as an electric motor. That results in reduced emissions and better gas mileage.
“The two biggest points are fuel consumption and the care for the environment,” Thompson said, adding hybrid cars get about 50 miles per gallon in both the city and on the highway.
By comparison, the non-hybrid Camry gets 26 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway, according to Toyota Canada’s manufacturing specifications.
General Motors offers the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LS hybrid. Craig Dunn, general manager of Craig Dunn Motor City, said his business doesn’t stock the truck because it’s not fit for the market in Portage which demands a truck that can pull or haul heavy materials. But there will be a line of hybrid trucks in his showroom in the near future, Dunn said.
“We’ll have hybrid pickups in 2009,” he said.
Like all vehicles, hybrids are not bullet proof. They do require maintenance and repairs. Since hybrids contain parts gas-operated vehicles do not contain such as a battery, generator, inverter and electric motor, special training and equipment is required to perform repairs. Although automobile dealerships that sell hybrids are equipped with the tools and training, most independent repair shops are not.
Brian Kitson, owner of Kitson’s Service Station Ltd. in Portage, said his business currently does not offer repairs to the drive and power line of hybrid vehicles, but can still repair parts and systems that do not run off the hybrid system such as tires and lights.
“We need to get trained and familiar with them and then get specialized training,” he explained. “But it’s very costly.”
Kitson said the first phase of training can cost several hundred dollars per mechanic. And the cost of the equipment will be even more. He said he’ll have to further research the issue before deciding whether to train mechanics and purchase equipment.
The province’s rebate program will end on Nov. 15, 2008, but that doesn’t mean the end for hybrids.
“I can tell you Toyota has advised us that we will see hybrid models in all models including V-8 trucks,” Thompson said.
A list of hybrid electric vehicles eligible for the provincial rebate can be found online at www.gov. mb.ca/est.