http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/02/bu...524&ei=5087%0A
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The article also mentions that this switch is a problem for US manufacturers, who are heavily invested in bigger trucks and SUVs, but personally, I hope they can revamp their fleets, go hybrid, and start to catch up.

As usual for the 'Times -- not even a mention of Hybrids.

The shift is very deep. For the past year, I have been the one expanding the conversation at work to hybrids. Now, my coworkers are bringing up the subject and genuinely want to know my experience with the TCH. Some of these are people that I barely know except at work.

Two have recently bought hybrids, and more are indicating plans to do so.

I think I read somwhere recently that the TCH is now outselling the V6 versions of the Camry -- this in spite of the removal of the tax credit.

... and, as soon as the tax rebate clears, we will be a two-hybrid family. The only question now is do I get the HiHy now or wait a month or two for new developments. After all, new hybrid development announcements are happening fast and frequent now.

(For those that are wondering from the "HiHy vs MMH" post, my wife decided on the HiHy over the MMH becasue she felt the MMH sat a little higher that she liked, and felt it was somewhat sensitive to cross-winds at mid-range to high speeds. We also tow our two ocean kayaks a lot, and liked the higher towing capacity and beefier roof rack of the Toyota.)

It is the ignorant among us that will eventually destroy us all.

I was wondering, as I read your post. HiHy is a nice choice. Higher towing capacity is always good. The FEH/MMH are nice too. Drove a 2008 FEH a couple of weeks ago. Quite nice, and would be plenty for our family.

Steve

STOP terrorism - Drive a HYBRID

Vehicles:
350 miles a week ------------ 2006 HCH II, Magnetic Pearl, w/NAVI (born on May 25, 2006)
350 miles a month ---------- 2003 Mazda Tribute ES-V6
350 miles a year (for now) - 1986 Mercedes 560SL

This is going to put a bigger squeeze on the domestic automakers who make more profit selling land barges than they do on fuel sippers. Oh well, they need to respond quickly to the market or go out of business. I hope they turn it around.

2008 Galaxy Gray Honda Civic Hybrid

You're correct; but if U.S. automakers could respond quickly, they would have done so already. Five years after gas prices started to jump, the big three are still churning out the same old "land barges," while trying to hype new, fuel-efficient models that they plan to build sometime in the future.

Meanwhile, Honda and Toyota remain ahead of the curve, because they developed hybrids five years BEFORE gas prices jumped. They covered all the bases when they didn't really have to, and when the game changed, they were ready.

The Big 3 could have done the same, but like my uncle who recently retired from Ford says, "American car companies aren't in the business of selling cars. They're in the business of selling stock."

When you care more about quarterly profits than quality products, you wind up sacrificing both. But that doesn't matter to the people who run these companies. They jack up the stock prices however they can, then bail out with golden parachutes. And if things get too bad, our trusty federal government will bail them out.

Doesn't matter if it's a car company, an investment bank, or whatever. We're all on the hook for any disasters they create. It's a real gold mine -- they get the gold, and we get the shaft.

So don't count on any turnarounds in Detroit. They're too busy firing people and closing factories to worry about building new cars.

They did this in part because of the partnership for a future auto, Al Gore's program for an 80 MPG car. Everyone had various stages of prototypes and concept cars right up until GW Bush took office and decided to reverse every Clinton era program. For cars, he took the partnership money for the hydrogen fool-cell programs. Meanwhile, the Japanese were ready to compete with Al Gore's program and for a few years, looked to be 'the chump.'

But Toyota learned they could sell every Prius that came to the States and Honda discontinued to Insight but kept the Honda Civic on. Toyota also saw the same future Al Gore could see and decided to make a long-term gamble that has paid off. Ford was also on the same track but then they ran off the lady in charge of their hybrid program and remain with just two in their stable.

GW Bush repeated Reagan's example who also ripped out Jimmy Carter's energy programs. Today, we pay the price for electing these short-sighted "leaders." Tomorrow, the deficits they ran up become due.

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.

Excellent post , Bob. Change needs to happen and faster.

'04 Seaside Pearl #7. Fumoto oil drain, mudflaps, rear bumper scuff protector & rear warn system, compass mirror, EV mode button, 8" subwoofer in right rear cubby & 6" subs under seats, power lumbar in the front seats, Coastaletech hitch w/ Aspen bike/snowboard rack. iPod2car, 2 amps, Alpine component speakers, and DVD video, solid 47 MPG @ 70000 miles.

I'm sure that when Barack gets into office with a veto-proof majority in the Senate that all sorts of mandates, requirements, regulations, surcharges, taxes, and an explosion of government spending will solve all our problems. Let's punish the greedy corporations that only exist to make a few people wealthy while raping the planet. Make them fund all the feel good give-away programs that the rest of us deserve. Better yet, let's drive all capital out of America and we can all go back to growing our own food, tending our herd, and making our own clothes and beeswax candles. All tongue in cheek of course.

If the big three domestic car builders don't have the foresight to make the right cars let them feel the pain.

2008 Galaxy Gray Honda Civic Hybrid

Mike I don't know where your tongue is, but I couldn't understand what point you were trying to make.

It gets late early out there. - Yogi

Funny
Here's what I thought...

Not to expect a new government's spending/taxing/punishing policies to solve all our problems.
Hitting up the "nasty" corporations (BIG Oil, BIG Iron, etc.) won't solve all our problems either. They'll just leave - or likely find the ever-present loopholes as long as they can. Many already have essentially left, getting much of their product or labor from overseas, where costs are unfairly cheap. I'd like to see some of this change (I'm for FAIR trade, not FREE trade), or else the US worker does NOT have a fighting chance to compete. But if you go overboard, there are consequences.

Steve

STOP terrorism - Drive a HYBRID

Vehicles:
350 miles a week ------------ 2006 HCH II, Magnetic Pearl, w/NAVI (born on May 25, 2006)
350 miles a month ---------- 2003 Mazda Tribute ES-V6
350 miles a year (for now) - 1986 Mercedes 560SL