It's not like I hate the environment or anything (please, all I do in the summer is camp and mountian bike), it's just that hybrid cars are, well, sloooooow. I'm a car enthusiast and I've tweaked my Subaru WRX wagon to put it over the 350hp mark. It's a 4-cylinder turbo wagon that goes 0-60 in 4.9 seconds. That's respectible. Gas milage is 21mpg so that kinda sucks, but it isn't horrible. It's better than most SUV's on the market today (and I still have 4WD). I love my car. I just love cars.
I never thought these hybrid cars would really take off until two things happened. #1 - they were really fast. #2 - you can modify them. I admit #2 is not as important to most people, but I don't know many people who don't like power in their vehicle.
I came across the Lexus GS 450h today and it looks like Lexus has finally answered my #1 complaint about hybrids.
This new hybrid powertrain is unique to the GS 450h. It features a 3.5-liter V6 engine teamed with a high-output electric motor that, when combined, will produce "substantially" more than 300 horsepower, according to Lexus vice president of marketing Mark Templin. Lexus claims that this hybrid will be quicker than the new V8-powered GS 430, yet it should achieve fuel economy similar to that of a compact sedan with a 4-cylinder engine.
Only time and test driving will tell, but I think car manufacturers are moving in the right direction with these hybrids.
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3 comments:
What's that thing cost? It looks pretty cool
I have no idea... but it's a Lexus so I assume around 45K.
I read a report a couple of weeks ago that claimed that fuel savings on hybrids, including good ones, were not very good for car loving drivers.
If you accelerate and brake a lot forget them. So I forgot them.
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