The amount of hybrid cars available at a dealership has a lot to do with the price of gas, says Doug Harrison, sales and leasing consultant.
With the price of gas at a high of $1.40 a gallon in 2008, Harrison said it was impossible to keep a hybrid in stock. With the price of gas currently being more affordable, less people are willing to spend the extra cash on a new fuel efficient car.
With the declaration of the National Fuel Efficiency Policy, stating strict new rules on car exhaust emissions and directed producers, the number of hybrid cars available will increase between 2012 and 2016. The policy requires U.S. automakers to produce cars and trucks that will achieve an average of 35.5 mpg (or 29.56 mpg in Canada).
“At a time of historic crisis in our auto industry, this rule provides the clear certainty that will allow these companies to plan for a future in which they are building the cars of the 21st century,” said President Barack Obama in a White House press release.
On this past Earth Day, Honda introduced a brand new hybrid vehicle called
Insight. It is currently Canada’s lowest priced hybrid at $23,900.
“What a lot of people are not aware of is that even though this vehicle is more money a buyer could get as much as $2,000 in P.S.T. back as a rebate,” said Harrison. “Suddenly this $23,900 starts to become a lot less expensive, plus the long term fuel savings.”
Brian Scharf, a professor for the automotive service technician apprenticeship program at Loyalist College says a hybrid owner wouldn’t see any payback until at least seven years down the road.
Brian Scharf“The issue with hybrid technology is the cost,” said Scharf. “There is always substantial cost for a hybrid car compared to a normal internal combustion engine car.”
Hybrid cars basically have a redesigned engine to make the best use of fuel being put into the car.
“If they squeeze a little bit more into a hybrid they can extend the mpg number. Hybrid vehicles are a transition between the good old gas guzzlers to something that is the next step,” said Scharf. “Ultimately it’s not the answer but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.”
According to Scharf there are many alternatives to hybrid cars that are still fuel efficient such as fully electric cars and vehicles that are downsized. These alternatives would eliminate all the huge vehicles on the road, which improves gas mileage and cut emissions at the same time.
“There is a variety of different things that could be implemented other than hybrid vehicles,” said Scharf. “It’s just one direction the manufacturers seemed to have gone. And if the price will go down then people would be more ambitious to buy a hybrid.”
This is the future of the auto industry but unfortunately for Loyalist College students, only four per cent of the curriculum will deal with hybrid vehicles specifically in two to three years from now.
“Right now the curriculum is dated, so it’s in the process of being revised,” said Scharf.
Harrison says there are many things to take into consideration when purchasing a hybrid vehicle.
“An owner of a hybrid vehicle would greatly benefit from city driving. If you do a lot of driving on the highway you will not get proportionally as great a savings as you would as driving regular gas car,” said Harrison. “But it is a little presumptuous to say you won’t see any savings seven years from now.”
Harrison said this policy would affect manufacturers, so it will affect the dealership in Belleville.
“I think what we are gong to see in the next five or 10 years is a very different product selection from these manufacturers,” Harrison said.
“35.5 mpg a very good thing,” said Allan Chatwood, mechanic of 42 years at Shaw Auto in Belleville.
Chatwood will have to take a training course if a customer brought in their hybrid car to be fixed, but Harrison disagrees.
“Most people return their hybrid cars to their dealership if the vehicle needs any work on the warranty, but electric motors do not require a lot of maintenance,” said Harrison. “We have a saying here ‘Why open your hood to strangers?’ If any components went defective a specialist should have a look at it.”
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To read The National Fuel Efficiency Policy click hereTake me home!
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