I've been somewhat amused to see and hear the use of "hybrid units" in a number of local GM and Volkswagen ads.. By "hybrid units", I mean that instead of the already misleading practice of quoting only the best-case highway figures in MPG (imperial as I'm in Canada), which still don't compare to the Prius numbers, they've now resorted to inventing a new "hybrid" fuel economy measure: kilometers per gallon- yes, these fools have "hybridized" SI and Imperial units!! Now they can quote figures in the 70-80 (and 90s in VW's case) range, basically showing that GM has completely missed the point yet again... Very, very sad...
I also find a GM television ad very interesting. They proclaimed that GM invented the first full-size hybrid truck, the Silverado. Hmmm. I was under the impression that hybrid meant the use of two different sources of propulsion To they include gasoline and gravity? Since the GM truck "hybrid" turns off its engine when stopped, thus extending its mpg figure by 2 mpg, I figure I can make my old F150 into a hybrid truck. I will just turn off the key anytime I am stopped at a light or in stalled traffic. It will then be a manually operated hybrid. Excuse me. They are honking back there. I must start the engine again.
Oh man, that's a good one. I think the word Hybrid will be missused and therefore misunderstood the way many internet lingo is. It's just ment to confuse and therefore mislead consumers into buying something they didn't fully research first.
"I figure I can make my old F150 into a hybrid truck. I will just turn off the key anytime I am stopped at a light or in stalled traffic. It will then be a manually operated hybrid. " Wow! You just invented the world's first bionic hybrid truck! That "hybrid" truck is a joke.
And this makes me think that Toyota's marketing of the "Hybrid Synergy Drive" trademark is a good idea. Hopefully people will realize there are different "levels" of "hybrid," and that the HSD is one of (if not *the*) best.
So then that means the Prius gets 82/96 in EPA Hybrid Units. WhooHooo! No wonder I'm only visiting the gas station every third week!
