A poll featured in Daily Fuel Economy Tip asked “What’s stopping you from buying a hybrid car?” Among the various responses were the following:
-49% of respondents stated that hybrid cars are too expensive
-29% of respondents stated that they were waiting for plug-in hybrid vehicles ( a vehicle combining the benefits of an electric car and a hybrid car)
-11% of respondents stated that they just are not interested in buying a hybrid vehicle
-9% of respondents stated that hybrid cars are too small
-29% of respondents stated that they were waiting for plug-in hybrid vehicles ( a vehicle combining the benefits of an electric car and a hybrid car)
-11% of respondents stated that they just are not interested in buying a hybrid vehicle
-9% of respondents stated that hybrid cars are too small
My response to "What's stopping you from buying a hybrid car?"... I think they are ugly. If we look at society today we see that society values materialistic as well as nice looking things. Take that coal commercial for example, viewers enjoyed the commercial because of its sex appeal, not because of their concern with using coal as a source of energy. People choose to drive Hummers because they believe they are what they drive. If you want to command a room and come off as powerful, than a Hummer is the way to go, not a hybrid. What can I say, Americans have good taste and expect to own nice things. I firmly believe that if car companies started to make fuel efficient cars that were more stylish and similar to the favorites we have now, people in general would be more willing to help the environment by buying one.
5 comments:
This article caught my attention because I think it just shows how much the American public really cares about the sustainability of our environment. I think many people do not take into account that yes, hybrids may be more expensive to purchase, but that they will save you money in the long run. Since gas prices continue to rise, hybrids keep looking like a good investment. I even read an article that stated that some police stations are considering switching over to hybrid cop cars, particularly in Hawaii. Basically, I feel that people don't want to take the time to invest in something that might be beneficial to them in the long run, instead they want what looks good and satisfies their needs in the short run.
I know that when I can afford to purchase a new car, I would definitely consider buying a hybrid, or the very least something with efficient mileage. I wish they would come out with a hybrid car that was efficient and good looking. I've seen the 2008 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, which I would consider buying since it is gigantic and gas efficient. However, I would not actually purchase this. For being a hybrid, it still has appalling mileage. It gets 22 MPG HWY! I've seen some other nice cars, but I would really want to buy American. If American manufacturers made stylish hybrids, people would definitely buy them more! But American hybrids won't be able to reach the same standards yet because of Big Oil's grip on the neck of the auto industry. Such a technology is possible too; Toyota did it. I do like the Prius in concept, I'm not too certain about the hatchback though... Regardless though, Americans, as we know, have always been obsessed with looks and material goods. Companies market their products based on this all the time, why not hybrids too?
I think that there has been an increase of interest in recent years in hybrid vehicles. While this interest is in no way substantial enough to make a large dent in the country's consumption of fossil fuels, individuals are probably experiencing heavier wallets due to the high mileage per gallon of these vehicles. I think that ultimately, hybrids will exponentially gain popularity as more and more people realize the amount of money that they ultimately be saving--even if they spend more in the short run to purchase the vehicle itself. It would be interesting to make it a requirement for car salesmen to first "push" hybrid vehicles at consumers who come in to purchase a new vehicle--ultimately, this would make more money for the car manufacturers.
Honestly, I feel as though Americans are not as informed about Hybrid vehicles and what they have to offer in comparison to your average fuel powered automobile. I agree, Hybrids are nothing special to look at, they are absolutely ugly. Maybe car companies are trying to create a new design like they do every so many years; however, I feel that this design is not attracting consumers and they are not the least bit interested in the idea of purchasing a Hybrid vehicle. People will indeed save money if they choose to purchase Hybrid vehicles, yet this is not a concern at this point in time. Most Americans think about how they look and are concerned with as previously stated in the article, what their car will say about them. Fuel mileage is becoming a concern with many Americans as prices reach nearly four dollars/gallon, but they still continue to drive their cars that they admire because of how it makes them look.
The Prius ugly? Surely not ;-).
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