Comments on: Can I sell you a hybrid? http://globalwarming-factorfiction.com/2009/01/07/can-i-sell-you-a-hybrid/ Dedicated to the balanced discussion of global warming Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:02:31 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: tim maguire http://globalwarming-factorfiction.com/2009/01/07/can-i-sell-you-a-hybrid/comment-page-1/#comment-14534 tim maguire Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:59:57 +0000 http://globalwarming-factorfiction.com/2009/01/07/can-i-sell-you-a-hybrid/#comment-14534 Here, as in most instances, I follow the "all other things being equal" test. All other things being equal, I believe most people would make the environmentally sound choice; most people would buy the hybrid. But all other things aren't equal. I'm not a car person (don't own one and mostly don't follow the industry), so I could be wrong, but from what I've heard, you sacrifice a bit of performance for the mileage. People don't like that. And right now, pocketbook issues count for more than usual. If they're not reasonably sure of getting that money back in cost savings (even if we think oil will be expensive again soon--we've been thinking that for decades), then they can't justify spending more to buy. If someone manages to build a hybrid that is cost competitive and performance competitive with gas guzzlers, I think it would do very well. That said, I don't support policies to artificially inflate the price of gas just to try and force technologies now that would, by the very nature of technological advancement, be better in 10 years than anything we could come up with today (that's the dirty little secret force fed innovation--in the long run we are likely to wind up with inferior technology). Here, as in most instances, I follow the “all other things being equal” test. All other things being equal, I believe most people would make the environmentally sound choice; most people would buy the hybrid.

But all other things aren’t equal.

I’m not a car person (don’t own one and mostly don’t follow the industry), so I could be wrong, but from what I’ve heard, you sacrifice a bit of performance for the mileage. People don’t like that. And right now, pocketbook issues count for more than usual. If they’re not reasonably sure of getting that money back in cost savings (even if we think oil will be expensive again soon–we’ve been thinking that for decades), then they can’t justify spending more to buy.

If someone manages to build a hybrid that is cost competitive and performance competitive with gas guzzlers, I think it would do very well.

That said, I don’t support policies to artificially inflate the price of gas just to try and force technologies now that would, by the very nature of technological advancement, be better in 10 years than anything we could come up with today (that’s the dirty little secret force fed innovation–in the long run we are likely to wind up with inferior technology).

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