Another important ingredient to make a hyrid car marketable is power. According to Ford product development chief Phil Martens, "Truck buyers and many big SUV buyers want horsepower and more horsepower, so it's hard to say how many of those buyers will go for hybrids if they perceive them to be less powerful (Healey)." The same goes for any vehicle sold in this country. People want power, speed and acceleration. Hope is in sight for this predicament as well. The first hybrids have all been small to mid-sized sedans, and the combustion engine has been a very small four cylinder. However, if a comparable engine is used in the hybrid car as compared to the standard vehicle, power is actually increased and fuel is still saved. For example, Toyota expects that their V-6 hybrid Highlander will have 15% more power and get 40% better fuel economy (Healey). This is a trend that is being seen in throughout all the major producers. This is the market that they expect to catch on and draw in millions instead of just thousands of customers (Healey). As SUVs and trucks are released as hybrids, power becomes more and more important, and the electric engine along with the gasoline powered engine will provide all the power people are used to and more.
The last issue that is pestering hybrid car sales is the battle between electric engines and diesel fuel. Diesel fuel provides excellent gas mileage, but many scientists believe diesel fuel gives off even more pollutants than regular gasoline. Diesel is also limited in availability compared to gasoline and has a much more pungent odor (Consumer Reports). After seeing just these few downfalls to diesel fuel, it makes it easy to see how hybrids have an edge. Diesel fuel may only get a few more miles per gallon than hybrids, if any, so when the environmental factors are added in, hybrid vehicles are clearly the frontrunners.

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It seems as if the future of driving may be here. With more and more vehicles entering the hybrid car market each year, the ball is rolling. The Honda Civic Hybrid, the Toyota Prius Hybrid, and the Honda Accord Hybrid remain at the front of the pack. Many people are dissatisfied with their cars fuel economy, and everyone wants to pay less at the pumps, or at least make fewer stops there. Now that these cars and trucks are becoming more attractive and more powerful, they are sure to catch on even faster. This is certainly good news for the environment as well as your gas card.

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Works Cited

Box, Terry. “Waiting Lists Grow for Toyota Hybrid Prius.” The Dallas Morning News 14 Dec. 2003.
Healey, James. “Hybrid hot rods, SUVs in the pipeline.” USA Today 6 Jan. 2004: 01b.
Kiley, David. “GM plans hybrids of big SUVs by 2007.” USA Today 6 Nov. 2003: 02b.
Knight, Helen. “UK firm aims to make hybrid cars more affordable.” Engineer (Centaur Communications) 7 Mar. 2003: 9
Lewis, Anthony. “Hybrid powertrains head into fast lane.” Automotive News 17 Nov. 2003: 22b.
“Shades of Green.” Consumer Reports Dec. 2002: 62-63
“Toyota Motor Corporation.” Scientific American Dec. 2003: 62.