Comments on: Toyota to Launch Overpriced Plug-in Prius in 2012: $48,000 for a Minor Upgrade http://gas2.org/2009/07/06/toyota-to-launch-overpriced-plug-in-prius-in-2012-48000-for-a-minor-upgrade/ What is the future of fuel? What's new? What's next? Since 2007, Gas 2 has covered a rapidly changing world coming to terms with its oil addiction. Sat, 26 May 2012 14:59:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Micheal http://gas2.org/2009/07/06/toyota-to-launch-overpriced-plug-in-prius-in-2012-48000-for-a-minor-upgrade/#comment-10301 Micheal Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:51:00 +0000 http://gas2.org/?p=2821#comment-10301 I think this direction is pretty ridiculous. Actually, for the most part, the hybrid concept has been pretty ridiculous. The benefits of a hybrid vehicle do not out way the costs. I have a Hyundai Sonata that I bought used. It is pretty, lots of room, and gets 35 mpg. I agree that hybrid vehicles have become more of a status symbol than anything. Consider the Cadillac Escapade Hyrbid. The commercials rave about the 20 mpg. Are you kidding me? Regular SUVs can manage 20 mpg. Brag when you have good news. I think this direction is pretty ridiculous. Actually, for the most part, the hybrid concept has been pretty ridiculous. The benefits of a hybrid vehicle do not out way the costs. I have a Hyundai Sonata that I bought used. It is pretty, lots of room, and gets 35 mpg.

I agree that hybrid vehicles have become more of a status symbol than anything. Consider the Cadillac Escapade Hyrbid. The commercials rave about the 20 mpg. Are you kidding me? Regular SUVs can manage 20 mpg. Brag when you have good news.

]]> By: Micheal http://gas2.org/2009/07/06/toyota-to-launch-overpriced-plug-in-prius-in-2012-48000-for-a-minor-upgrade/#comment-33016 Micheal Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:51:00 +0000 http://gas2.org/?p=2821#comment-33016 I think this direction is pretty ridiculous. Actually, for the most part, the hybrid concept has been pretty ridiculous. The benefits of a hybrid vehicle do not out way the costs. I have a Hyundai Sonata that I bought used. It is pretty, lots of room, and gets 35 mpg. I agree that hybrid vehicles have become more of a status symbol than anything. Consider the Cadillac Escapade Hyrbid. The commercials rave about the 20 mpg. Are you kidding me? Regular SUVs can manage 20 mpg. Brag when you have good news. I think this direction is pretty ridiculous. Actually, for the most part, the hybrid concept has been pretty ridiculous. The benefits of a hybrid vehicle do not out way the costs. I have a Hyundai Sonata that I bought used. It is pretty, lots of room, and gets 35 mpg.

I agree that hybrid vehicles have become more of a status symbol than anything. Consider the Cadillac Escapade Hyrbid. The commercials rave about the 20 mpg. Are you kidding me? Regular SUVs can manage 20 mpg. Brag when you have good news.

]]> By: Reliance http://gas2.org/2009/07/06/toyota-to-launch-overpriced-plug-in-prius-in-2012-48000-for-a-minor-upgrade/#comment-10300 Reliance Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:07:16 +0000 http://gas2.org/?p=2821#comment-10300 Hybrids have never been cost-effective without tax credits - we'll have to wait for stronger incentives, better efficiency or (goodness forbid) higher oil prices before that equation balances. Hybrids have never been cost-effective without tax credits – we’ll have to wait for stronger incentives, better efficiency or (goodness forbid) higher oil prices before that equation balances.

]]> By: Reliance http://gas2.org/2009/07/06/toyota-to-launch-overpriced-plug-in-prius-in-2012-48000-for-a-minor-upgrade/#comment-33015 Reliance Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:07:00 +0000 http://gas2.org/?p=2821#comment-33015 Hybrids have never been cost-effective without tax credits - we'll have to wait for stronger incentives, better efficiency or (goodness forbid) higher oil prices before that equation balances. Hybrids have never been cost-effective without tax credits – we’ll have to wait for stronger incentives, better efficiency or (goodness forbid) higher oil prices before that equation balances.

]]> By: Russ Finley http://gas2.org/2009/07/06/toyota-to-launch-overpriced-plug-in-prius-in-2012-48000-for-a-minor-upgrade/#comment-10299 Russ Finley Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:02:48 +0000 http://gas2.org/?p=2821#comment-10299 My guess, the cost is to cover a battery that has to last the entire life of the car. Last time I checked, the retrofit kits had warranties good for only two or three years. Cars are mostly about status. This one will have very high status and will be snapped up by the wealthy as a status symbol, which is all high-end cars really are. It will usher in competition to bring the price down. We have to face the fact that although battery technology is finally technically feasible it is not economically feasible. My guess, the cost is to cover a battery that has to last the entire life of the car. Last time I checked, the retrofit kits had warranties good for only two or three years.

Cars are mostly about status. This one will have very high status and will be snapped up by the wealthy as a status symbol, which is all high-end cars really are.

It will usher in competition to bring the price down. We have to face the fact that although battery technology is finally technically feasible it is not economically feasible.

]]> By: Russ Finley http://gas2.org/2009/07/06/toyota-to-launch-overpriced-plug-in-prius-in-2012-48000-for-a-minor-upgrade/#comment-33014 Russ Finley Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:02:00 +0000 http://gas2.org/?p=2821#comment-33014 My guess, the cost is to cover a battery that has to last the entire life of the car. Last time I checked, the retrofit kits had warranties good for only two or three years. Cars are mostly about status. This one will have very high status and will be snapped up by the wealthy as a status symbol, which is all high-end cars really are. It will usher in competition to bring the price down. We have to face the fact that although battery technology is finally technically feasible it is not economically feasible. My guess, the cost is to cover a battery that has to last the entire life of the car. Last time I checked, the retrofit kits had warranties good for only two or three years.

Cars are mostly about status. This one will have very high status and will be snapped up by the wealthy as a status symbol, which is all high-end cars really are.

It will usher in competition to bring the price down. We have to face the fact that although battery technology is finally technically feasible it is not economically feasible.

]]> By: daveconrey http://gas2.org/2009/07/06/toyota-to-launch-overpriced-plug-in-prius-in-2012-48000-for-a-minor-upgrade/#comment-10298 daveconrey Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:24:03 +0000 http://gas2.org/?p=2821#comment-10298 For that kind of money, I'd rather have the new Tesla sedan. For that kind of money, I’d rather have the new Tesla sedan.

]]> By: daveconrey http://gas2.org/2009/07/06/toyota-to-launch-overpriced-plug-in-prius-in-2012-48000-for-a-minor-upgrade/#comment-33013 daveconrey Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:24:00 +0000 http://gas2.org/?p=2821#comment-33013 For that kind of money, I'd rather have the new Tesla sedan. For that kind of money, I’d rather have the new Tesla sedan.

]]> By: MaxHedrm http://gas2.org/2009/07/06/toyota-to-launch-overpriced-plug-in-prius-in-2012-48000-for-a-minor-upgrade/#comment-10297 MaxHedrm Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:53:12 +0000 http://gas2.org/?p=2821#comment-10297 Blogmeire: You're on the right track, though I suspect the number of idiots is higher. I went to try to test drive a Prius, because I'd never driven one. Problem one, they wouldn't let me (not so much a problem, they did only have one 2010 left on the lot after all). Problem two, they wanted $5k over MSRP for one in ugly gold. That's $34k for a Prius. It was a pretty loaded Prius, but not THAT loaded. They had already sold the other 4 (I think it was) they got in their first allotment, probably at close to $5k over sticker. Contrast this to the second Honda store I visited (the first had a dead battery issue). Test drove one, and they sounded like I would have paid MSRP, or perhaps a bit less. And it was a nice little car. More details: http://maxhedrm.montebellopark.com/blog/index.php/2009/06/27/shopping Blogmeire: You’re on the right track, though I suspect the number of idiots is higher. I went to try to test drive a Prius, because I’d never driven one. Problem one, they wouldn’t let me (not so much a problem, they did only have one 2010 left on the lot after all). Problem two, they wanted $5k over MSRP for one in ugly gold. That’s $34k for a Prius. It was a pretty loaded Prius, but not THAT loaded. They had already sold the other 4 (I think it was) they got in their first allotment, probably at close to $5k over sticker.

Contrast this to the second Honda store I visited (the first had a dead battery issue). Test drove one, and they sounded like I would have paid MSRP, or perhaps a bit less. And it was a nice little car.

More details: http://maxhedrm.montebellopark.com/blog/index.php/2009/06/27/shopping

]]> By: MaxHedrm http://gas2.org/2009/07/06/toyota-to-launch-overpriced-plug-in-prius-in-2012-48000-for-a-minor-upgrade/#comment-33012 MaxHedrm Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:53:00 +0000 http://gas2.org/?p=2821#comment-33012 Blogmeire: You're on the right track, though I suspect the number of idiots is higher. I went to try to test drive a Prius, because I'd never driven one. Problem one, they wouldn't let me (not so much a problem, they did only have one 2010 left on the lot after all). Problem two, they wanted $5k over MSRP for one in ugly gold. That's $34k for a Prius. It was a pretty loaded Prius, but not THAT loaded. They had already sold the other 4 (I think it was) they got in their first allotment, probably at close to $5k over sticker. Contrast this to the second Honda store I visited (the first had a dead battery issue). Test drove one, and they sounded like I would have paid MSRP, or perhaps a bit less. And it was a nice little car. More details: http://maxhedrm.montebellopark.com/blog/index.php/2009/06/27/shopping Blogmeire: You’re on the right track, though I suspect the number of idiots is higher. I went to try to test drive a Prius, because I’d never driven one. Problem one, they wouldn’t let me (not so much a problem, they did only have one 2010 left on the lot after all). Problem two, they wanted $5k over MSRP for one in ugly gold. That’s $34k for a Prius. It was a pretty loaded Prius, but not THAT loaded. They had already sold the other 4 (I think it was) they got in their first allotment, probably at close to $5k over sticker.

Contrast this to the second Honda store I visited (the first had a dead battery issue). Test drove one, and they sounded like I would have paid MSRP, or perhaps a bit less. And it was a nice little car.

More details: http://maxhedrm.montebellopark.com/blog/index.php/2009/06/27/shopping

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