If someone is going to pay 55k for a car - I'm sure they don't care what the fuel economy is or what the gas prices are. Why don't automakers offer hybrids on the base models that fuel efficiency and gas price conscious consumers buy? The Tahoe base model starts at 35k - add 3k for the hybrid batteries and you can get it for 38k. Same thing with the Camry - it starts at 20k. Add hybrid batteries and you can get a camry for 23k. But the current hybrid Camry sells for over 26k. Same thing with nearly every other automaker - if you want the hybrid model you also have to get a whole bunch of other gay options like leather seats, sunroof, navigation, etc. These hybrids are being marketed as premuim luxury models so that only a few people can afford to buy them - the very people that don't care about fuel effiency or gas prices.
If you do the math you will see that rarely do hybrids make sense strictly from a financial point of view, meaning the extra money you spend on a hybrid buys *a lot* of gas, even at $4/gallon. Many hybrid variants of existing cars don't get Prius-like great gas mileage. Thus, I think hybrids buyer tends to be folks who can afford to be green about their choice - its not someone doing it to save money, thus most want a "well appointed" car. Just my guess....
Exactly. I always do my best to look at things logically and objectively. Add 6k min to the price of any hybrid for the batteries. That is what I have seen. when I compared a Toyota Highlander hybrid to non 2 years ago at an expo. Then figure how much you drive and what is the ROI. For me it's doesn't make sense. I day trade and don't drive much for the last couple of years. It would make much more sense if the would offer more diesel options like Europe has. My relative in Europe bought at TDI Hyundai Elantra and the thing would be about $2,000 more the internal gas combustion. It gets approx 50 mpg and you could run on biodiesel if you want. You can't even get one here or any thing other than a Volkswagon or Benz in diesel. Both have poor reliability. For you Aussies, you can get a Toyota Hi Lux truck aka as the 4 runner in North America in diesel for the last 20 + years, they last forever. The only diesel truck we can get here is so monster truck I have no need for I just want a 4 runner in diesel or a regular passenger car. No here's another to look out for if you are looking a fuel costs. Some newer cars require premium octance 20 cents more a gallon. When I bought my V6 Camry 5 years, which take premium, the Iraq war just started and I could have never fathomed having to swallow $4 gallon gas which we will have the summer. It was 1.80 back then I think. I guess I shouldn't complain too much. Last time I checked the avg. price converted in Europe was around $9 a gallon or more depending on country.
I think the additional 3k is not a lot considering (1) tax breaks (2) higher resale value and (3) saving lots of money on gas especially if you drive over 20k miles a year. The Chevy Tahoe gets 21/22 which they say is the same as a 4 cyclinder Camry in city driving.
2008 Toyota Camry CE 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 5M) Mileage Estimates: 21 mpg / 31 mpg; = 26 average 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid: Pricing Hybrid 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) Mileage Estimates: 33 mpg / 34 mpg; = 34 avg Assume you drive 15000 miles per year- 15000/26= 577 gallons 15000/34= 441 gallons 136 gallons per year difference, even assuming gas is $4/gallon that's only a savings of $544 per year.
55k for a chevy tahoe 5 years later you are lucky to get 22k for it..... waste of money funny how they run to throw hybrid suvs at the market. If you drive an SUV you deserve to pay $125-$150 at the pump, enough with the hybrid SUVs...
Forget the hybrids all together, just load the trunk up with enough lithium batteries and I'd be happy. http://www.teslamotors.com/ Acceleration 0 to 60 in under 4 seconds Range About 220 miles
GTS, you did not compare the pricing of a 2008 CE vs hybrid CE 2009 Toyota Camry CE 5-Spd AT Pictures, Features, Specs, Dealer Quotes $19,770 MSRP $18,088 INVOICE 2.4L I4 158HP 21/31 mpg 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid 4-Door Sedan $25,350 MSRP $22,814 INVOICE 2.4L I4 192HP 33/34 mpg THATS A $4,726 DIFFERENCE IN PRICE, I think you are better off without the hybrid..... so you might save around $500 a year but you have to pay an additional $4700 for that hybrid, where is the savings in that......
Yep, I agree - in fact the difference maybe even larger. I helped someone buy a Prius a couple of years ago before gas prices exploded and they were in high demand, it was hard to negotiate a good deal, I'm sure the same is true for many hybrids, especially those that are still eligible for tax breaks (amazingly the dealers know about the tax breaks too and have no problem with tacking on above-MSRP surcharges to high-demand cars) Whereas you can negotiate very hard on the non-hybrid version of Camry so I'd bet the actual different in price that you would pay at the dealer for hybrid vs non-hybrid is even worse then the MSRP differences reflect.
What has been posted is true but things are changing and the differences in price have been and will continue to get smaller. Also, resale of hybrids will probably be better. Pretty soon the car companies will be stumbling over themselves to have the best price on hybrids. Of course, the best thing that we could do is lobby Congress to require that all new cars be hybrid by the year 2010.