Surveys -- how they sometimes work - GreenHybrid

bwilson4web · #1 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008, 12:08 AM

http://www.evworld.com/article.cfm?storyid=1445

Quote:

...
2. The incremental cost of "green" does not really present itself in the market, even with HEVs. For example, even in cases where the added cost of green appears to be clear, it is just not that way. All the Civic buyers we have interviewed, did not consider a non-hybrid Civic. More often than not, Prius buyers we talked to compared the Prius with more expensive mid sized sedans rather than less expensive compacts. Understanding how the consumer frames their choice is essential. ...

I could never figure out why so many hybrid skeptics kept hitting the "Green" gong that to me might as well be a lead bar. Now it makes sense that they may have fooled themselves with their own 'surveys.'

Understand that I have no problem with paying attention to "the commons," the air and water, but I don't make a fetish of it to the extent the hybrid skeptics tried to paint us. In particular "CNW Marketing" tried to hit that gong harder to the point of making up stuff. Others have followed suit but events have moved beyond their nonsense. Now I understand how they fooled themselves about 'green.'

Bob Wilson

cbibbs · #2 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008, 05:13 AM

I have no hard data, but I suspect a significant portion of hybrid owners are concerned about green technology and used that in their decision process.

Just talking to prospective buyers on this site you'll find most of them haven't decided on the model and just debating hybrid versus conventional engine. No, they're usually considering an array of vehicle options. Being able to tick off 'Green' goes into the plus column.

Think of it as the American way. Why sacrifice to save the environment when I can buy something to do it for me.

bwilson4web · #3 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008, 05:35 AM

Let me post an example of relative merits between these three fuel efficient technologies:

Insight - great mileage but lean burn was not the lowest
Prius - good mileage and car had very low emissions
Diesel - OK mileage and emissions issues

Some of us don't really worry that much about who has the cleanest tail pipe. If there had been a five seat Insight with adequate size, it would have been a serious contender. But when I bought my Prius, "lean burn" had pretty well disappeared and the Insight had too little space for our family.

If I can figure out how to give my NHW11 Prius a "lean burn" capability at cruise speed, I will. This could significantly improve my cross-country mileage while dumping the NO(x) fertilizer gas in the bordering fields. But this is not a trivial technical challenge.

As for diesel, the mileage doesn't make sense in what is available and the past diesels earned a poor reputation. But "lean burn" and diesel thermodynamic cycles are pretty close to each other.

Bob Wilson