See this link for some interesting pics of hybrid concepts and upcoming vehicles: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/01/hy...ts/index_01.htm
Wow, if people think that the Prius is a funny looking car, they should get a load of those cars. Makes the Prius look like an antique. I love that there are more 'hybrid vehicle' idea floating around out there, it's definitely a huge step in the right direction.
It seems like such a long time ago now, but two years ago while I was waiting and starting out here on PC, we kept talking about how we were hopefully just making a ripple. That hopefully if more people bought hybrids early on, they would become more commonplace and more acceptible to non-early-adaptors. I agree with you that it's a great sight to see more hybrid concepts on the drawing board. Now I just hope that the hybrid momentum can be maintained to get those cars produced, availble, and sold in large numbers. That's why it's important for current hybrid drivers to be ambassadors for hybrid technology, to dispell the misconceptions and to educate the general public. We need to make sure that we avoid the "I got mine" attitude and suggest that "now you get yours."
I really hope Volvo gets their act together and produces a hybrid or even better true EV car. The concept they have is sweet. I would buy it in a hartbeat! Their cars are already relativley FE so I think using a 5 cylinder engine together with a hybrid engine would be a good choice (and then only activating 3 cylinder most of the time). Unfortunatley they seem to go down the V8 path which they never used to do (both Volvo and Saab used to be more prectical cars and now they are turning into rebadged SUV brands :-()
they were just cashing in on the trend... but there is a different trend emerging and we all know that. Hopefully, the auto makers will identify.
Some simple mods for my rapidly becoming outdated 2004 Prius: 1. Replace the roof with transparent aluminum 2. Modify the engine to run on ethanol/hydrogen/used political hot air/cooking oil 3. Enable the ICE to use "second hand smoke", i.e. exhaust from cars in front of me 4. Generators which work on the ambient air flow around the car and from passing semis 5. Automatic mood lighting for the interior; activated by driver or by sunrise/sunset sensors. Current mood lighting requires driver to actually turn on a switch. Passe. 6. Auto-dimming glass, from maximum permitted tint to clear depending on outside light 7. Voice activated radio, climate and GPS functions.
Hmmmm should I wait for the toyota hybrid van??? nahhhhhh... I want my prius YESTERDAY! *smile* :lol:
