I've been pleasantly surprised by the responses on this thread. I previously held the misconception that the majority of hybrid enthusiasts were likely to be politically liberal, environmentally conscious folks. It's so great to see that the real appeal of hybrid cars, at least to those on this site, is grounded in real-life practical issues like conservationism and cutting-edge technology. I'm proud of the camaraderie amongst people of such varying political ideologies; I always thought that the hybrid vehicle itself was a politically polarizing topic. Now I see that isn't so. Even though I, personally, am slightly left-of-center, it's great to see that others here aren't.