Quote Originally Posted by BanginJimmy

Why not? At current usage we have several decades before we start to see any shortages in oil production. How about instead of shoving econo boxes down our throats whether we like it or not, the govt starts giving incentives to buy them?

Honda Civic base price 15,505 30mpg average
Civic Hybrid base price 23,650 42.5mpg average

Taking today's AAA gas price average of 2.314 and an average of 15k miles per year it would take you 24 years to break even. That doesnt even take into account the need for VERY expensive replacement batteries and other repairs that wouldnt be needed on a non-hybrid.

Lets look at another vehicle.
Chevy Malibu

standard base price 22,325 26mpg average
hybrid base price 26,275 30mpg average

Using the same criteria as above it would take 22 years to break even.

Why should I buy a more expensive hybrid when it would take more than 2 decades to break even on the investment? If the govt wants to force these cars down our throats they need to do something to make it economically prudent.

not all these cars will have to be hybrids


As long as the manufacturer has them to offer, and the average be in the 35mpg range like tony stated. you can still have the 20mpg vette, with the 40mpg aveo. Its just gonna make companies have a set standard all across the board, instead of different emission standards for different areas. So the state manufacturers dont have to make changes for every different emission standard (california emissions), and the states wont have to fund the emissions.

there not being forced down anyone throats, car companies are gonna be given a basic emission guideline to go by all around..