Video: 12 consumers consider buying a hybrid
The video above is from a market research firm that video tapes responses to questions from average consumers. The question asked in the video is "would you be prepared to exchange your company car for a hybrid/low emissions car?" The questioners asked 12 people, all men actually, who drove corporate cars in the UK. Their responses varied but refusals to go hybrid often explained that they lacked performance.
Tim had an interesting response to the question. Tim said he would get a diesel because they don't emit as much as other vehicles. Tim's got a point: according to a recent study, clean diesels may over take hybrids as the greenest car option. The other people who said they would buy a hybrid said they would do so because it helps the public image of the company or they would be seen "doing their bit." I was a little shocked no one said they would go hybrid because of higher mileage. How would you respond?
[Source: YouTube]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Snowdog 3:10PM (9/26/2007)
I wouldn't get a hybrid because they all come with automatics. If Honda builds another hybrid with manual, I might be interested.
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spdracerut 3:07AM (9/27/2007)
Higher mileage relative to what? You can already buy diesels in Europe that get over 60mpg.
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Lascelles Linton 5:15PM (9/26/2007)
Spdracerut, you are right! That might explain why no one mentioned it. They are in the UK. Wow, I never thought about that before i.e hybrids must compete with diesel in Europe on the mileage advantage. I am pretty green but I buy when I see an advantage. Say, no carbon offsetting (I can pick my own charities, thank you very much) but organic food because it's better for me.
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Steve 6:00PM (9/26/2007)
Hybrids are just especially efficient gas cars. Only PHEVs start to be significantly better. This new DiesOtto engine variant sounds like another thing that will vastly improve fuel efficiency. People these days are talking like we HAVE to do something, NOW. But technology is moving very fast these days, and many long-running research projects are getting ever closer to breakthroughs. If we avoid nuclear war long enough, we could see an age where energy woes are no more as nuclear fusion powers our every need easily and cleanly.
My point is, Al Gore was very scary in that movie so that people would demand cleaner energy. He made a few exaggerations to work up as much frenzy as he could, just to jump-start things. But remember that because of all this demand, American capitalism is working on solutions to the problems of clean energy, and you can bet that when there's billions and perhaps trillions to be made, American capitalism will find a way. Just look at Iraq!
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Chris M 6:22PM (9/26/2007)
What struck me is how many myths about hybrids are still in wide circulation, in spite of all the efforts to educate the public.
Several were mentioned in this video. Can you spot them all?
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Lascelles Linton 7:10PM (9/26/2007)
Chris M, yeah, it was sad to hear the Hummer study repeated. At least they did not say, I won't buy a hybrid because it's an SUV :D
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/09/25/how-suvs-screwed-up-the-idea-of-hybrids/
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mike 9:09PM (9/26/2007)
Now that we can see the Arctic MELTING we find out Al Gore wasn't Scary Enough.
When to buy a Hybrid?
Do you live in a coastal town? or near a Nuclear or chemical facility?
Do you envision yourself sitting, with your family, in the 8 hour traffic jams we've seen in Mississippi and Florida?
Then, brother, You Need a Hybrid.
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stevejust 8:57AM (9/27/2007)
I'm getting so tired of Autoblog Green confabulating the situation in Europe and the situation in the US on the question of hybrids vs. diesels. I have posted so many time about this, I don't know what good it does.
1) I have a hybrid civic MANUAL transmission (2004). I averaged about 48.8 mpg over the 28,000 miles it has been driven. It is more efficient than any diesel car available in the UNITED STATES. Period. Moreover, I live in CA, and buying a diesel car is not an option for me AT ALL.
2) What people should be getting really excited about are hybrid diesel cars. Driven on biodiesel. That should be exciting. Hybrids and diesels are not mutually exclusive. Imagine a hybrid, diesel, rotary engine. Imagine that there doesn't need to be a debate! Hybrids, by storing power via regenerative braking MAKE SENSE. Start stop technology makes sense. Clean diesel technology makes sense. Using biodiesel makes sense. These are all ideas that can be true at the same time.
3) Taken together, this "debate" is IDIOTIC. When gasoline gets refined, some gas and some diesel fuel is made. You can change refinery conditions to change the ratio of gasoline to diesel, but you can't change the fact that you can't take a barrel of crude and get all gasoline, or all diesel. We live in a world where until we've got electric cars charging from the PVs on our roofs, we're going to have engines that take gas and engines that take diesel.
If I have to post this crap one more time, I'm going to stop reading this website, 'cause I get so tired of pointing out simple crap like this all the time.
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Lascelles Linton 9:02AM (9/27/2007)
Stevejust, you are right, the debate is stupid but until there are diesel hybrids, it will exist. I have only seen one diesel hybrid actually. I can understand why there is a not a big push for them. Like Snowdog says, you get the range with diesel. Diesel is getting cleaner. What's the real advantage of adding a hybrid to it? Diesels are not competing with anyone. These are the highest mileage cars. You know the auto industry, if you don't have the innovate, don't.
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