We don’t know all that much yet, but it appears Honda is the first company to be able to offer a hybrid for the price of what a normal car should cost. As I’ve said in previous posts, I think one of the biggest issues facing hybrids today is that the price simply outweighs the gains saved in fuel economy.

It appears that the new 2010 Honda Insight will be offered around the $18,500 price point for a base model, and get somewhere around 60mpg. Now we’re talking… since for that price you really don’t see cars that exceed 36mpg. That means you can buy a new car at a reasonable price and save 40% on gas all in the process. Now we’re saving money!

As far as styling, I’m not quite sure why it looks the way it does. It seems to me that this is a spicier Prius. It has sharper lines than the Prius, but definitely retains the pod-like shape. But I suppose beggers can’t be choosers, so we’ll take what Honda gives us.

Image Courtesy Wikipedia

I love the idea of the Chevy Volt on a lot of levels.  I think first it’s about time a major American car company gets towards the front of the idea curve.  I also like the concept that this car runs on electricity primarily.  Hybrids can be great, for example my last post on the VW 1L, but at the end of the day, even some gas is not no gas.  Finally the car was originally designed to be practical, yet edgy, to appeal to a younger crowd.  The kind of crowd that can really push a movement such as this.

Unfortunately what’s good in theory isn’t always the same in practice.

Before I continue… I am not saying the Volt is not a good first step.  I think this car is great in getting the American mindset in a place where conservation is a good thing.  I’m just pointing out that GM may have nto gone far enough in some regards.

The first issue is the distance the Volt can go on a charge - 40 miles.  This is not a practical distance.  Commuters, the people in most desparate need for a break on fuel consumption, typically drive 40 miles or more in most cases.  So you’re stuck relying on gas for some of your journey.  The car does get good fuel mileage after the charge is out, estimated at 50 mpg, but still, it starts to defeat the purpose if you have a long commute and your goal is to not use gas.   So you’re thinking “Andy, even if you drive 65 miles / day, you are using half a gallon of gas only”.  Well, not really, since 50mpg is I’m sure at the top end.  But that’s not the point.  Many people will not have the ability to recharge every day.  Sure, someone who owns a house and has a garage wired for electricity probably won’t have much of a problem, but the people that are geared to buy this, younger, potentially apartment-dwelling individuals, may only be able to charge once a week.  The Tesla roadster, in comparison, can go 200 miles on a charge.  Granted the car is around $100k and has no gas tank, but hey, I didn’t ask the Volt to get me to 60 miles an hour faster than 99% of production vehicles out there either.

My second issue is in vehicle design… the prototype was cool, edgy, something the young generation wants to drive.  The young generation, a very influential group.  These are the people that are hungry for change, or want to be different, and make their mark.  This is the group that will change the mindset of fuel economy and sources in the years to come.  However the image of the prototype didn’t last, and the Volt has been scaled back to a slightly better designed Civic.  I think the car is still good looking, but it’s not making a statement anymore.  It doesn’t stand out from the crowd like it should.  It makes it less different.  That’s one reason people got a Prius, you know that crazy looking thing is not a normal car, and you’re like “Oh, he’s got a Prius”.

Finally the pricepoint is something I wish could have been lowered.  $30k base buys you a lot of car, and I think is a bit high for it to make a huge impact on our roads.  If it could have started around $22k, I think that puts it in a lot more people’s budget, making the impact huge, especially younger people.

So again, I’m quite happy to see GM come out with something different, a breath of fresh air.  I think the idea is incredible.  But I think as they developed it they may have lost sight of what the mission should have been.  Where really good is good enough.  I hope really good will be good enough for this to catch on.  If not, the whole effort will be wasted.

Image Courtesy Wikipedia

If you haven’t heard, Volkswagen is planning on releasing a new vehicle for the 2010 model year, the 1L.  Of course the image is still a bit in concet phase, however to achieve the staggering fuel efficiency it’s hyped to get, there can’t be too many changes to the overall design.

The 1L is designed to get a ridiculous 235MPG (note the decimal point after the 3 is not missing). In fact, the name 1L comes from the fact that it takes only 1 liter of gas to go 100km. No matter how you slice the numbers, that’s about 8 times better than you’re average compact and about 5 times better the most efficient hybrid that’s mass produced on the road today. So if your gas bill is $200/month right now, imagine it slicing to $25 or so. Unfortunately 2010 is only going to have limited production, but still, this vehicle is in all ways a gamechanger.

This car is nothing short of miraculous in terms of how it achieves it’s gas sipping superiority.  First is the car’s size. It seats only two, but in tandem (think how two ride a motorcycle, only with seats) instead of side by side.  So your passenger is behind you. This keeps the car really narrow, just a hair over 4ft wide.  It's also low at about 3.3ft high. That gives this car ultimate aerodynamics with a drag coefficient of .159, half that of normal cars, meaning less air resistance on the road, to burn less fuel.

VW also made this with ultra-lightweight materials making the cars under 650lbs in weight when empty. To put that in comparison, I had a 1983 VW Rabbit GTI in college, and it’s curb weight was TRIPLE that. Though my girlfriend refused to ride in it because she called it my suicide box, the 1L is built with safety in mind. It’s built with crumple zones that resemble racecars, so even though you’re vehicle may not be much in substance, it is designed to help you in the event of a crash.

Is this the perfect car? No… but it’s probably the best we’ll see in the next 2 years for practicality and affordability in an ultra efficient vehicle.  And with gas prices uncertain in the future, this could turn into the ultimate commuter car.  With my commute 45 miles roundtrip, I know I’d take this car anyday.  1 gallon of gas a week. Nice. But I’m a married guy with no kids. Would you drive it?  Would a 2 seater tandem car fit your lifestyle?