"Prepare for 100-mpg hybrids"

That Spinnella retard is quoted all over the place. Makes me sick, the guy is a total moron.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bossfan @ Aug 22 2006, 10:09 AM) [snapback]307515[/snapback]</div>

I haven't read all five pages, but it's a pretty good article, except for that part that relies on CNW Marketing research (by Art Spinella), that has already been vilified on PriusChat for this and other claims. Here's the most aggregious (sp?) quote:
"Average out-the-door incentives (which include cash and other deals) in July 2006 for the Toyota Prius were $1,100; $1,400 for the Honda Accord Hybrid; $800 for the Honda Civic Hybrid; $1,600 for the Ford Escape Hybrid; and $1,900 for the Mercury Mariner Hybrid."

Spinella has a thing against hybrids and has used his position to spin data against them. The average Prius does not have any incentives, and I'd be surprised if the average incentive for those that do is that much. I'd seen another quote from Spinella/CNW before saying something like "up to $1100 in incentives for a Prius", which is much more likely to be true.

I believe the authors, while doing their research, came across the data from CNW Marketing and apparently believed it at face value.
Ohp, my EEPROM burn finished, gotta go.

The original article, from Forbes Auto, is here:
http://www.forbesautos.com/news/features/2...in-hybrids.html

 

I wrote an e-mail to Forbes Auto, with subject line stating there's a possible error in their article:

"There seems to be an error in the 100mpg Hybrid article, specifically page:
http://www.forbesautos.com/news/features/2...-hybrids_4.html

The last paragraphs gives the "average out-the-door incentives" for various hybrid cars, including $1100 for the Prius. First Art Spinella and CNW Marketing have made some rather negative comments and spun data in, shall we say, interesting ways, in the past against hybrids. So these numbers needs to be carefully stated.

The average Prius is sold at MSRP without any incentives (in fact, usually there's a 1-3 month waiting list). Of the very few Prii sold with incentives, I've seen data suggesting the average is about half of what is stated. Another article that quoted CNW Marketing stated "incentives up to $1100 for a Prius". In any case, this is a very misleading, if not outright incorrect paragraph. It is true that high-performance and SUV-based hybrids have not done as well as the smaller hybrids, but to make a blanket statement that all hybrids are waning, and need incentives to be sold, is deliberately misleading. The Prius is far and away the market leader of hybrids, followed by the Honda Civic Hybrid, and both are still in very strong demand, with no slowdown in sight."

 

I'll take one for $500 below list and he can keep the $600.

 

So just wondering, is there actually any truth or progress in this area or adding additional batteries for longer electric runtime.

Viro

 

Technically the author is probably right... there *are* Prius incentives, but most people never realize they're getting any.

When a dealer sells you an extended warranty for 1000 dollars, instead of the normal 1800, guess where the extra 800 comes from? Usually it's the price of the car itself. That's not the kind of thing most people are going to see on their invoices, but it's probably what gets charged to Toyota.