2008 Woodie Awards
The car of the future?
With gas prices and environmental-concerns rising, hybrid cars may offer an alternative. If you can afford it.
Katy Coil
Issue date: 12/3/07 Section: Features
Between gas prices taking three dollars a gallon out of their pocketbooks and rising concerns about the state of the environment, many people are looking for an alternative to traditional cars.
For some, hybrid-electric cars provide answers to problems caused by rising gas prices and carbon emissions. With an environmentally friendly image, coupled with a nation-wide push to "go green," hybrids seem poised to be the next big step for the automotive industry.
Tye Hargrove, the sales manager of Alexander Chevrolet on Broad Street, links several factors to the rise of consumers buying hybrid cars, from the fact that the cars release less emissions and less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to the United States' dependence on the Middle East and the high price of oil.
"Hybrids are environment-friendly and get 50 miles to the gallon," Hargrove says. "Too many people rely on [gas]. Thirty years ago, a family might have one vehicle. Now, everyone above 10 in the family has their own car. Everyone's independent."
Hargrove says that hybrids can provide some advantages to buyers.
"People buy hybrids because the cost of gas is three dollars or more," he says. "You can get a tax break. Some people are just trying to save the ozone."
Though the numbers of people buying hybrid cars are up in every state but Hawaii, more traditional models are still sold.
"Availability is the problem," Hargrove says. "Hybrids are more expensive, which makes it harder for everyone to afford one. And technology has to keep up. Technology is expensive."
For car dealers, selling hybrid cars is often a game of trying to stay ahead the competition.
"Toyota has a surplus on the roads," he says. "They can't get enough. I read yesterday that Honda dropped their hybrid on the Accord. We've never sold one. I think they're serious. They just want to make sure it's a good product when they get it out."
Bob Scaife, a sales consultant at Alexander Chevrolet, believes the hype around hybrids is mostly from advertisers.
For some, hybrid-electric cars provide answers to problems caused by rising gas prices and carbon emissions. With an environmentally friendly image, coupled with a nation-wide push to "go green," hybrids seem poised to be the next big step for the automotive industry.
Tye Hargrove, the sales manager of Alexander Chevrolet on Broad Street, links several factors to the rise of consumers buying hybrid cars, from the fact that the cars release less emissions and less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to the United States' dependence on the Middle East and the high price of oil.
"Hybrids are environment-friendly and get 50 miles to the gallon," Hargrove says. "Too many people rely on [gas]. Thirty years ago, a family might have one vehicle. Now, everyone above 10 in the family has their own car. Everyone's independent."
Hargrove says that hybrids can provide some advantages to buyers.
"People buy hybrids because the cost of gas is three dollars or more," he says. "You can get a tax break. Some people are just trying to save the ozone."
Though the numbers of people buying hybrid cars are up in every state but Hawaii, more traditional models are still sold.
"Availability is the problem," Hargrove says. "Hybrids are more expensive, which makes it harder for everyone to afford one. And technology has to keep up. Technology is expensive."
For car dealers, selling hybrid cars is often a game of trying to stay ahead the competition.
"Toyota has a surplus on the roads," he says. "They can't get enough. I read yesterday that Honda dropped their hybrid on the Accord. We've never sold one. I think they're serious. They just want to make sure it's a good product when they get it out."
Bob Scaife, a sales consultant at Alexander Chevrolet, believes the hype around hybrids is mostly from advertisers.
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