I know that I shouldn't be reading this trash, but the following site is a very interesting read on how GM is spinning the truth about the Prius. http://www.freep.com/money/autoreviews/phe...12_20040212.htm Atoyot PS - If I posted this in the wrong forum I'm sorry, please move it to the right one.
Trash no kidding, why buy that thing when my V8 Tundra already gets 25-26 miles to the gallon, and has all the advantage of quality control in the manufacture. Well he's from Detroit, so he'd probably get shot at if he said anything else.
What will be really interesting to see with truck hybrids is how much does carrying a full load in the back effect the power and mileage.
I love how the author makes a decision that the GM product is good because it is cheap and simple vs the Toyota is complex and expensive. Oh, pay no attention to the fact that the author (later in the article) hasn't really driven the GM product that much. It wouldn't surprise me though if GM money was deposited in the author's bank account ...and that is the same thing as driving the product. Right?
Personally, I loved how the author spoke of the product as if has already hit the market and is available. Unlike the Prius, the thing is still vaporware.
GM had a display of this at the Detroit show, and it wasn't impressive. I think the system is similar to the Honda IMA unit, hence the small MPG gain. The battery pack looked even smaller than that in the Prius, though they said it was 500v system. Probably a half-hearted attempt to look like they are doing SOMETHING.
GM had shuned hybrids technology until Toyota brought over the prius and saw the responce. They are playing catchup. The writer is the typical Detroit muscle guy. He wants a fast car and doesn't care about the mileage. He wants a tough truck and doesn't care about the cost or the mileage. I sold my 1998 dodge dakota because of the gas situation and the fact I never used it. Most people who buy trucks use them about three times a year. They get a big F-150, Silverado, or Ram thinking they will do all this great stuff but they don't. Real trucks need diesel hybrids. They have the power, the technology, and the mileage that people who use trucks need. Also, if you use the new cleaner technologies, like scrubbers, filters, and fuel injection, then diesels are much cleaner. Most people want the prius to be something it isn't. Isn't a sports car. It isn't a truck. It isn't a SUV. It is a hatchback that is low polluting and low consumption. If you don't want it for that, then this isn't the car for you.
i wrote a reply to him just now.... ================== re: http://www.freep.com/money/autoreviews/phe...12_20040212.htm c'mon, mark, if you want a pick 'em up, buy a pick 'em up! the Prius doesn't compete too well in a lot of ways with the H2, either! talk about apples and oranges.......... ROTFLOL! ==================
