The Not-So-Slow Death of the SUV

  

The Not-So-Slow Death of the SUV

Not too long ago, the vehicle of choice for many Americans was the SUV. However, soaring gas prices have resulted in a tremendous shift in consumer purchasing. The SUV is no longer the king of America’s roads. Families, couples and even single people are now opting for smaller, lighter vehicles that don’t guzzle gas.

Have high gas prices sounded the death knell for the SUV? Take a look at the average car dealership today. While you will still find SUVs for sale, chances are they are outnumbered by crossover vehicles, slimmer sedans, sport coupes and, of course, hybrid vehicles. Even hybrid SUVs haven’t been able to make a dent in the new pattern of consumer spending.

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Hybrid Technology versus Full Electric Cars

  

Hybrid Technology vs. Full Electric Cars

The looming energy crisis is not far off, adding impetus to the search for viable alternative fuels and transportation methods. Both hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles have been around for some years now. GM introduced full electric vehicles quite some time ago and hybrids have been introduced by every automaker from Honda to Ford. However, the technologies used in these two applications are widely different. Which one will stand the test of time? Which technology will rise to save the daily driver from fuel prices that seem set to put consumers on the track for bankruptcy?

Full electric vehicles are the dream of many automakers. Rather, electric vehicles with unlimited range are the dream of automakers. Today’s electric cars are sadly lacking when it comes to range of driving. For instance, they are fine for puttering around town for a few minutes each day, but don’t try taking a longer trip in one. The charge time for the batteries is usually overnight, meaning that if you become stranded, you’re stuck that way. This is the major contributing factor (other than sheer cost) to the unpopularity of fully electric vehicles.
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Hybrid Round Up – A Closer Look At Available Hybrid Vehicles – Video

Want 20% better gas mileage? Want to drive one of the best gas saving cars available at your local dealership? Look no further because the video below showcases all currently available hybrid vehicles that can be purchased today. Whether you love SUV’s, cars or even sports cars, you have a choice in utilizing today’s hybrid technology to ultimately save you money at the gas pump.

Enjoy! – MotorWeek’s Hybrid Round Up:

Mild Hybrids: Chevy Malibu Hybrid & Saturn Aura Hybrid

Within the industry, they’re referred to as “mild” hybrids. They’re cars like the Saturn Aura and Chevy Malibu that have conventional engines with oversized starter-motors, which allow the engine to be shut down whenever the car is braking, coasting, or stopped (such as at a red light) without requiring a full re-start. Gauges, systems (like air conditioning) and electronic accessories (mp3 players, GPS systems) run on existing electrical power, and the motor spins the engine back to operating RPMs before any fuel is injected.

While mild hybrids don’t have electric motors, they do still offer some hybrid features. For example, they use less battery power, over all, and some mild hybrids even use regenerative braking to recharge that battery, just like the Toyota Prius hybrid, and their other true-hybrid cousins.

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Chevy Volt: The Car That Could Save GM – And Gas Money

The new Chevy Volt, will it live up to our expectations or even GM’s expectations and meet its year 2010 deadline/release date? Here is a video that explains it all. The finished product will look more like our current 4-door vehicle that we see on the road today. The video goes onto show an Apple iPod-ish dashboard layout. So what’s the hold-up? … the battery!

Enjoy the video!

Toyota to build Prius in Mississippi

Ever since GM announced that they were going to close plants that made big SUV’s and restructure the organization to better meet today’s slumping economy others seem to be following suit such as Toyota. Two of Toyota’s gas guzzlers, the Tundra and Sequoia will not be produced for 3 months. That does not mean Toyota will stop making the Tundra or Sequoia. It means production will be at idle for 3 months while Toyota utilizes the Tundra and Sequoia plant to make more Toyota Prius’s. The Prius remains to be the hottest selling and most efficient hybrid that you can buy at a local dealership.

Below is the excerpt from Automotive News further explaining this new strategy that Toyota will attempt. Sounds good? You bet your ass it sounds good! I was put on a year long waiting list to buy a Toyota Prius for my wife. I don’t want to wait that long just like thousands of other consumers. Do you think this is a good move by Toyota?

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Toyota Prius vs. Toyota Camry Hybrid – Style or Efficiency

Do you like saving gas? Do you like driving a stylish car? Well which Toyota does best in either situation? Many of us already know about the Toyota Prius being the most fuel efficient gas powered car that you can buy from a dealership. What about the Toyota Camry Hybrid? People wont stare you down in a Toyota Camry right? Correct, if you are caught driving in a Prius you get this disliking “look” from other people on the road probably implying that you are saving more $$$ than they are at the gas pump… a lot more!

So what if you want to be stylish and save some cash at the pump. It is a no-brainer to go for the Toyota Camry Hybrid. Even though the Camry Hybrid gets slightly less MPG than the Prius, you will be happy to know that you are still SAVING!

Note: Currently the Toyota Camry Hybrid and Toyota Prius require that you get on a waiting list to purchase one. The waiting lists from some reports are between 6 months to over a year at some Toyota dealerships around the US. So, you may have to wait a while to drive home one of the most fuel efficient cars around.

Sponsored Link: Toyota Camry for sale

Technology breakthrough will bring Series Hybrids to mass market

 

Hybrid and pure Electric Vehicles (EVs) continue to be on the fringe of the mass market due to costs and range, and these disadvantages are not going away, even with $4 gas. The recent introduction of a new type of electric motor/drive from the aerospace industry is posed to move Series Hybrids into the mass market category. This breakthrough provides more power, better stamina, and increases simplicity which drives down costs.

Until now, there have only been two options for the electric motor for Hybrids, either a Permanent Magnet Motor (used in Toyota and Honda’s drive trains) or a 3-Phase AC Induction Motor (used by GM and Tesla).

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