From today's Autobeat Daily

 

Don't most auto sales slump Jan-Feb anyway? I thought late spring-summer was the meat of the buying season.

 

I'm sorry to hear this but we always wondered why a minivan was not the follow-up hybrid electric. We had been watching the Toyota hybrid minivan, Estima, closely and several years ago, I sent an e-mail to Toyota America asking to be on the list.

Compared to an SUV:
- minivans can be used by businesses to haul stuff and make deliveries
- minivans attract 'value' buyers vs. 'muscle' owners
- minivans are entered horizontally versus 'climbing up' or 'squating down'
- more space for larger, batteries and EV only mode

As a general rule, minivans, all vans, maximize the volume and longest dimensions to weight ratio. Thus large sized loads can be protected from the weather. Only pickup trucks haul larger loads by sacrificing weather and security.

Now I can appreciate that hybrid SUVs and large luxury cars address the least fuel efficient vehicles. But I also associate SUV and luxury vehicle buyers with those having the least concern about fuel costs and efficiency. A hybrid hummer looks like an oxymoron gathering no respect.

One of my speculations is the thought of blue-printing a Prius engine-transaxle and installing it in a Scion xB or VW minivan. This would be a hybrid-electric, microvan with great utility and excellent efficiency. My wife and I could then go on camping-vacations and not think about the price of gas.

Bob Wilson

 

A continuation of the story:
http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Stor...oogle&keyword=

 

Thats really sad for the ford article, I like the idea of a hybrid mini-van!
When Hybrids were first coming out there was talk of a hybrid 6cyl & 8cyl.
the 6 would get the same milage of a 4cyl & the 8 would get the same as a 6cyl.

lol I guess I'll be dead before that happens......

 

Detroit News article about $1k rebate on FEH.

 

That's surprising. I wonder if it's brand related. (Like all US cars aren't selling well.)

 

On the positive side, hopefully the extra rebate will close the gap tightly on the "hybrid premium" and spur potential buyers who were either on the fence, or heading towards non-hybrid SUVs, to go ahead and purchase the FEH.

The FEH was the first hybrid SUV we test drove, and it was that test drive that convinced my fiancee to look at hybrids more closely, rather than just buy a non-hybrid SUV. But, as Pravis Prime alluded to, she balked at the Ford brand and the more masculine looks of the FEH, so we went with Toyota.

Rick

 

I think it's more about name brand and February sales in general. Also, people have adjusted to the higher gas prices. If the prices go up again, you'll see a big jump in sales.

All hybrid sales are down the past few months, but I expect they'll pick up again soon.

 

maybe a bunch of people have noticed that, unlike the prius, ford's hybrid does NOT drive the a/c electrically ... that would make a BIG difference to me as a potential buyer. penny-wise, pound-foolish, sales plummet.
+af