Gas Mileage And Reliability Give Hybrids An Image Makeover

By Nancy K. Crevier

The “hippie” car or “tree hugger” car — the hybrid vehicle — is suddenly looking less like a fish out of water than a whale of a deal, as $140-a-barrel oil sends gasoline prices up, up, and away. Most of the major car manufacturers have some version of a hybrid vehicle on the market today, and customers are willing to wait weeks or even months for a hybrid vehicle as manufacturers gear up to meet demand.

A hybrid car combines a gasoline and electrical system to power the car, optimally utilizing the energy from both the electric and gas power. The sophisticated electric motor in a hybrid not only uses energy from the battery, but through a regenerative process, returns energy to the battery, eliminating the need to “plug in” to recharge the battery. According to information at Edmunds.com, Toyota reported battery packs lasting beyond 180,000 miles in testing, including in extreme temperatures. That same regenerative braking system means there is less heat and friction and brakes on a hybrid last longer than gasoline-powered vehicles.

People are not familiar with the new technology of hybrid cars, said Steve Vikaros, a sales representative at Honda of Danbury, and that causes some hesitation for them when considering a purchase. “What people mostly ask about is the longevity of the vehicle and how long the batteries will last. They want to know they are going to have the car long enough to offset the additional cost,” he said. Most manufacturers have taken the concern over battery life out of the equation, though, said Mr Vikaros, by guaranteeing batteries for several years. Honda guarantees the battery with a ten-year, 100,000 mile warranty. “I’ve worked here for eight years,” added Mr Vikaros, “and I’ve only seen the battery pack replaced once in a car.”

Juan Schrader, a sales representative for Greentree Toyota in Danbury, agrees that it is a concern over battery life that people first express when seeking to buy one of the three hybrid vehicles offered by Toyota. “The hybrid synergy system is warranted, though, for eight years or 100,000 miles,” said Mr Schrader.

Toyota service assistant manager Charles Guernsay said that he has yet to see a hybrid vehicle come in for repair to the electrical system or because of battery failure. “All we are seeing are people bringing in their vehicles for routine maintenance,” he said. The company is servicing more hybrid Toyotas for normal maintenance as they gain in popularity, and would probably be servicing more — if people could get hold of one.

“The wait for a hybrid is quite a while, now,” said Mr Schrader. “If you were to order a Prius this July, you might get it by March.” While the wait period for the Camry or Highlander hybrid is somewhat shorter, it is still several weeks, as manufacturing struggles to keep up with demand.

Gary Crisci is an owner at Newtown Car Care Center on Commerce Road. The center has been servicing hybrids like the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight since the cars first appeared on the market ten years ago. “We are seeing more and more hybrids,” said Mr Crisci, but like the dealership, he is doing just routine maintenance — tires, oil, fluids. “Anything major, a dealer would see, anyway,” said Mr Crisci, citing the extended warranties that come with hybrids. “I have only seen a generator go on a Prius once, and it had over 100,000 miles on it, and the dealer paid for it. Hybrids just don’t have any issues,” said Mr Crisci.