Why haven't American auto-makers come up with more hybrid cars or small SUV's, like the Ford Escape?

Question

Why does it take the Japanese to develop more than 4-5 models of hybrids, before U.S. automakers even attempt to pick a model to put a hybrid engine into? Are the U.S. automakers trying to "Escape" (pun intended) from this newest reality?

Answer 1

Because they have pressure from American oil tycoons. Look at your president! We have capability to have cars run on hydrogen but because oil people don't like it, no one make it in great numbers.

Answer 2

There is not a conspiracy and the Prius proves hybrid cars ARE in demand. The Tesla Roadster proves you can get a lot of power from an electric motor. Hybrid cars are much better at carrying high loads because the electric engine can produce a lot more torque.

US automaker CEOs failed to look forward and did not devote the R&D necessary. GM focused on fuel cells, which potentially have greater benefits, but are much more difficult. Toyota took almost a decade to make the Prius powerful enough to be popular.

Answer 3

The kinds of hybrid vehicles that are being produced now are a joke. If these ever came into wide use, we would be using up more energy, not less. The gas mileage has us so fixated, that it is easy to overlook that these hybrids cost more to manufacture, utilize toxic batteries that can affect the environment with crashes and disposal worse than gasoline emissions, are more costly to repair. We would be using more gas overall, not less, and have worse environmental impact. With the exception of the fuel cell, these other technologies are a sham. The car companies know this, but they are forced into being politically correct. Soon enough there won't even be any American auto makers anymore, as they continue to mismanage their way into extinction. Oh, and by the way the Ford Escape hybrid is for city driving only; it gets worse mileage on the highway than in traffic.

Answer 4

Hybrid cars are very reliable. I have a Prius and it is fabulous. My 45mpg average fuel economy is far better than any other car on the market. Yes it is lower than the EPA estimate, and farther below it than a gas car. However, in % terms it is not. 5mpg less than 50 is 10% while 5mpg less than 25 is 20%.

The hybrid components have an 8 year warranty, so the long-term reliability seems a moot as the manufacturer is going to fix the problem for me. . . In reliability tests, according to Consumer Reports, the hybrids have done much better.

Answer 5

Mostly because the price difference in a hybrid is more than the amount of money that will be saved by using less fuel. (I did the math and determined that a regular engine will be cheaper to operate in the long run.)

Other issues are:
Hybrid technology has not been proven in long term usage (will you be stuck with a lemon in 5 years?)

Hybrids only make sense for people who do a lot of city driving. People who commute on the freeway get worse fuel economy because they are using gasoline to haul those heavy batteries and generator/motor.

Answer 6

Automakers only produce what people demand,we will blame every one else for being dependent on oil,but lets face it,it's the consumer that dictates it,it's the consumer that wants that big car to move around with all the luxury's that go with it,the very same persons that complain about global warming,air pollution,high prices and long lines at the gas station,are the same persons that have three or four cars at home,and every one in the family drives one,even though they might all go to the same place.

Answer 7

Before the SUVs came along we had the problem on the run. For a long time no one would buy a V8. Most were taken off the streets. Many V8s went to the junk yard. The 4 and 6 were the best sellers on the lots. Then came Clinton, he exepted the SUVs from Federal mileage standards and pollution standards. This was done by Clinton to help the Auto Industry contribute cash to his election. Americans love the SUVs.. They are the Current status symbols.

Answer 8

Nope not in reality; more like Oil Company profits: Pressure from the oil companies:
the United States had both steam powered cars and electric cars in the early 1900's. PLUS THE UNITED STATES ALSO HAD HYBRID CARS ON THE MARKET IN THE EARLY 1900's. It is not new technology. It is over a 100 years old.

The Stanely Steamer held the land speed record of over 200 miles a hour in the early 1900's as well. No internal combustion engine could come close to it. Not only that but the Stanely Steamer and other steam powered car on the marker then could run on almost anything that burned.
gasoline.
diesel fuel
home heating oil.
grain alcohol
Vodka
Rum
coal oil (as made from coal)
If it would burn they could run on it. Big problem with all of them! They did not use much fuel or gas to run on! Cost the big oil companies sales.

Answer 9

For the same reason that the pharmaceutical companies don't have lower prescription drug prices: HUGE PAYOFFS.

Why has every person who has answered this question ahead of me and told the truth gotten so many thumbs down? Curious.

What do you think would happen to the oil company's record profits if all of a sudden, everyone started driving a vehicle that could run on an alternative fuel source? This is not high-brow economics here. It is a no-brainer. And there is nothing new about THIS reality.

Answer 10

Thanks to government regulation it takes a long time to get a car (or any other product) to market. Not to mention that you have to retool factories and that involves laying off workers (temporally). The unions don't like that. They will however have to do something eventually because if they don't give the people what they want the people won't buy their products. Just look at how they are losing money now. They will lose money until they produce cars and trucks that people want to buy.

Answer 11

Try lack of demand. The hybrids just haven't caught on here because Americans are still in love with horsepower and the hybrids don't have it like regular gas burners do.