Carmakers dumping the idea of performance hybrids
Last April at the SAE World Congress, participants in a panel discussion on the future of performance powertrains discussed hybrids as one of the best routes to enhancing vehicle performance without increasing emissions or fuel consumption. That approach may still prove to be viable in the future, but it appears increasingly unlikely that automakers will actually promote it that way. When Honda introduced a hybrid version of the Accord a few years ago they actually sold it as a performance enhancement rather than an efficiency booster. The Accord hybrid proved to be a retail failure and most of the Toyota's Lexus hybrids have been relatively weak sellers as well. Rather than promote the Lexus hybrids as a performance upgrade from the conventional models, Toyota is selling them as cleaner, more efficient alternatives to larger engined competitors. Meanwhile Honda is shifting toward diesels for larger vehicles and keeping the hybrid powertrains in smaller vehicles.
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Derek 11:32PM (12/28/2007)
Uh, the article actually says that before, auto makers were only touting performance benefits and that now they'll be touting performance and environmental benefits. That's exactly how Honda pitched the CR-Z concept.
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Benson Leung 4:54PM (12/29/2007)
I think this has been a long time coming. Toyota has made some tactical mistakes with its hybrid synergy drive strategy. The Highlander is a crossover platform based on the Camry. The conventional version of the Highlander comes in inline-4 and V6 versions. The i4 being less powerful, but more fuel efficient. When they decided to equip the Highlander with a hybrid drive, they picked a V6, and marketed it as more powerful, and an higher priced sku of the V6 highlander.
In my opinion, they should have started with a 4 cylinder version. The Camry Hybrid was much more well received because it's 4 cylinder engine allowed it to reach 40 MPG.
I think the trend, rightfully so, should be toward hybrid vehicles that don't push the envelope of performance, but are well balanced like the Camry, the Honda Civic and the Prius. None of these vehicles are top performers, but the hybrid system balances out the power requirements with efficiency in mind. Going forward, I hope that this trend continues.
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Bruce Arkwright Jr 5:41PM (1/02/2008)
I do not think I will be willing to buy another Honda after they stopped production of my Insight. Unless they con best the most gas efficient vehicle that used to be available. They broke my little heard and I do not think they con fix it again.
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