Plato gave us that old chestnut, "Necessity is the mother of invention." Sometimes, though, it gets a shove. More and more people--including interest groups and the federal government, consumers and industry--have declared that the U.S. must wean itself from petroleum dependency. Thus, exploring transportation alternatives to the conventional gasoline engine is a current issue. In this context, hybrid vehicles are being given a second look.
Proponents of hybrids and other alternative-fuel technology usually offer the following basic paradigm (in varying forms): The U.S. is the world's largest consumer of oil. Fossil fuel resources may be dwindling. Transportation is responsible for roughly 65 percent of our petroleum use and is our country's principal cause of air pollution, according to the Department of Energy. The conclusion: Transitioning to vehicles fueled by less oil and yielding higher mileage should ease reliance on an arguably shriveling resource and significantly reduce pollution.
In Idaho alone, there are an estimated 1.2 million cars. Following the national trend, vehicle emissions are the top cause of air pollution right here in the Treasure Valley. Facing growth, sprawl, rising gas prices and air pollution, Idaho's government leaders and consumers are looking to hybrid technology as possible relief.
A hybrid vehicle is so called because it combines gas and electric fuel sources. Hybrid cars integrate a gasoline engine with an electric motor and a powerful battery to continually recharge and store energy. Because this configuration allows less energy to be lost, hybrids hold the highest gas mileage in their classes.
But why are hybrids the vehicles we see on the roads and at the dealerships instead of electric cars or hydrogen cars? Bottom line: practicality and technology. Hybrid vehicles are available now. Unlike other alternative transportation, consumers can walk onto a car lot today and drive away with a hybrid. Thus hybrids can be a step forward now in scaling back on oil consumption and reducing air pollution.
There is an aspect of novelty to hybrids. But are consumers buying? Certainly the public is talking about them. Government leaders are talking, too. The federal government predicts that over the next decade, some 15 percent of vehicles on the road will be hybrids. That number isn't overwhelming.
Local dealerships report continued interest in hybrid vehicles. Not long ago, when the 2004 models were rolling off the line, there were waiting lists to purchase the vehicles. With the 2005 hybrids, though, buying no longer requires a stint on a waiting list and dealerships around the Valley report sustained interest and enthusiasm in their readily available hybrids. Local dealerships are keeping anywhere from three to 15 hybrids in stock, and report that even if hybrids don't fly off the lot, the few they have sell steadily. The novelty factor is a draw. As one local car salesman put it, by the time you weed out the tire-kickers, the information-seekers and the gawkers, you've shown 15 or 20 cars before you find yourself with a serious buyer. It's unclear whether curiosity about hybrids has developed into serious demand.
Being "green" and increasing mileage are certainly incentives for consumers to look at hybrids. Car manufactures, on the other hand, have another incentive to manufacture them besides public image: government. The federal government has strict emissions standards for each car manufacturers' product line. (Under existing standards, a couple dozen hybrids can be made for every gas-guzzling SUV.)
With the Prius, Toyota was at the vanguard of hybrid technology. The Prius was the first hybrid vehicle available to U.S. consumers, in 1999, and the company now licenses its hybrid technology to Nissan, Ford and others. Taking its cue from the prevailing wind, Toyota has not only gained a consumer advantage, but through licensing its cutting edge technology stands to profit further. Other car manufacturers are either licensing the technology or struggling to catch up.
It is arguable whether the car industry's hesitant foray into the manufacturing of hybrid vehicles is spurred by a sense of necessity, inevitability, or the concrete reality of government standards--perhaps all of the above. Certainly some manufacturers--like Toyota and Honda--are moving forward more quickly than others.
Idaho's leaders have shown particular interest in hybrid vehicles, with a specific focus on reducing pollution. Boise Mayor Dave Bieter has a multifaceted environmental agenda, so besides designating alternate-fuel vehicles and bicycles for use by employees, the city has added two Priuses to its fleet--two being what the budget allowed. Last autumn, Governor Kempthorne also called for state government to be proactive in improving air quality, and as part of that directive the Idaho Department of Administration is looking to procure its own hybrids. And State Senator David Langhorst is not only looking into ways for state agencies to put hybrids into their fleets, he also owns a Prius. Says Langhorst of his new vehicle, "I took a ride in one and that's all it took." Citing reliability, long-term cost-efficiency and the vehicle's potential for emission reduction, Langhorst views the issue as a no-brainer. With the Valley's air quality issues and the amount of cars in government fleets, he says it makes sense for the state to set an example--with the distinct possibility that hybrid's acquisitions will have a positive long-term impact on the budget. Leaders are talking the talk--only time will show whether hybrids will be truly incorporated.
Hybrid vehicles, while similar to their gasoline counterparts in performance and superior in fuel mileage and emissions, have potential drawbacks which consumers may not find acceptable. There's the sticker-shock--hybrids typically run $3,000 higher than non-hybrid counterparts. Maintenance and repair, too, are as of yet problematic, and will be until parts become widely available and the technology becomes familiar. There is also no such thing as a hybrid "muscle car"; if one is shopping for a high-performance hybrid, it isn't out there yet. Despite these hurdles, manufacturers say, as the technology is continually refined and improved, anything is possible.
Article copyright Bar Bar Inc.
Cartoon (A hybrid vehicle)
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