People-Power To Hybrid Power
by Tony Bosworth, Sydney, Australia on 05.22.07
Can people-power move the world’s automakers over to hybrid power? If the results of a campaign being run by the Hybrid Center.org are anything to go by, it looks like it just could.
Just over a month ago, Hybrid Center (an off-shoot of the Union of Concerned Scientists launched their Earth Day Challenge ’07—a petition urging Toyota to focus on fuel-efficient use of hybrid technology in the US market, such as the Estima Hybrid minivan which Toyota sells in Japan (it’s sold in other markets as the Tarago or Previa) but which is not available in the world’s biggest auto market.
Hybrid Center hoped members of their opt-in and on-line Driving Change Network would help them get more than 8,400 signatures, surpassing the number of projected Estima Hybrid sales in Japan this year.
But guess what? The organization now has more than 17,000 signatures, double the projected Estima Hybrid sales. The group says this is a tremendous consumer chorus for cleaner cars.
The deadline for signing-up and making your voice heard is May 28, so it’s fast approaching the deadline.
Go here if you want to lend your voice.
Of course, this is not to say that auto giants like Toyota who typically plan their product line-up 18 months to two years in advance will be able to change their minds even if they would like to, but as Hybrid Center point out, “our goal is to show Toyota how much of a demand there is in America for fuel-efficient family vehicles”.
Maybe it could catch on in other countries too...
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- Can Obama's Monster Limo Be a Hybrid? Yes It Can!
- Run Cars on Green Electricity, Not Natural Gas
- Chrysler To Ax Two Hybrid Models
- 3 Green Pre-Conditions for a Big Three Bailout
All hybrids look the same :|
Anyone in Illinois who wants to move the car companies should also be aware of the Illinois Clean Car bill currently before the legislature that would make Illinois adopt the cleaner California emissions standards. There are several posts about the bill and its movement through the legislature at my blog: http://www.thereisaway.us/environment/clean_cars/
As much as I appreciate the cleanliness of Hybrid emmisions ,I still question their complexity,cost and reliance on battery technology.Automakers need to come up with clean vehicles that the rest of us can afford and that our neighborhood garage can service.Toyota has stalled on bringing their brilliant turbo diesels here partly because the Hybrids are more profitable in the long run.Now that Honda has reported they will bring their new diesels here soon,Toyota will be forced to follow suit.
The article says, "the Estima Hybrid minivan which Toyota sells in Japan (it’s sold in other markets as the Tarago or Previa) but which is not available in the world’s biggest auto market."
I believe this is incorrect. According to what little information that I can find, the Hybrid is sold only in Japan. The Estima (non-hybrid) is sold in other markets as the Tarago or Previa but also here in the US as the Sienna (all of the above are based on the Camry platform). So an "Estima Hybrid" in the US would just be a Sienna Hybrid.
Since the Sienna is already in the US and the hybrid powertrain already exists in the Camry Hybrid, it is likely that Toyota hasn't offered it is because they don't have the capacity to build it yet, and/or it still doesn't make financial sense (ROI, market demand, etc.). If that's the case, I doubt this petition would make much difference.