Topic: VW Hybrid Minivans for sale!

[epicurien]

I am very tolerant of the majority of members who participate on this forum and who don't give a f**k about whether or not the vehicle they're driving is environmentally friendly. I'm not talking about nice bikes or vehicles used to feed a passion (eg. race cars, fix-er-uppers, 4-wheelers, you name it). I'm talking about people who commute IRRESPONSIBLY. How is it in our day and age, that we have such a low percentage of smart cars on the road (at least here in America)?

I have a daughter who's 2 and another on the way. My little sub-compact just ain't gonna do it for us anymore. We're hip and our dream car resembles one of those old VW minivans and yet we also love the idea of hybrids.  

So what are we to do? The way the market is going, we don't seem to be in any hurry to replace all those gas guzzling minivans and SUVs on the road.  

So what about it? What are my partner and I to do in order to get a cool hybrid minivan? Will someone help clear up this dilemma? Are we wishful thinkers or will our "dream machine"  eventually become available?

I noticed a company called e-taxi that just started up in my neighbourhood. Needless to say, their two hybrid Civics don't seem to leave the parking lot too often. But I'll tell ya, I was tempted to drop off my resumé and imagined myself as one of their drivers (me and my little hip VW hybrid lol).

Or, I know. Better yet, why not offer to expand the company into a co-op "car-share" enterprise to allow members to be part owners of vehicles and then time-sharing.

Maybe ,we'd make it so big that we could develop and distribute hip, hybrid minivans to all those closet car-haters (like me) waiting for the air to clear .   .   .  

Anyways, beyond the fantasy there was a purpose to my post.  

I guess I was more curious to see if there was anyone that thought like me on this forum.  

I'm serious about wanting to develop co-op-type environmentally-friendly driving related initiatives in my community.  

By the way, if you're offended by my post in anyway don't bother getting nasty with me.  

Cars aren't everything you know!?

P. S. In case I got your attention and you are new here - this forum is quite incredible and there is always a wealth of information available either by searching through archives or posting your query.  

This is what I would call an "information co-op" and the people that are involved here are very dedicated to mutually helping each other even if only to share a laugh about how hopeless all us "vehicle-slaves" really are.

(Message edited by Duane of Barrie on May 31, 2005)

(Message edited by Duane of Barrie on May 31, 2005)

(Message edited by Duane of Barrie on May 31, 2005)

[tpl]

1) I agree that there seems to be no push for a hybrid minivan... Big SUVs, yes, small cars that are already economical, yes.  Weird, I agree there ought to be a market but there obviously isnt.  
2) Your best hope may be the new MAzda 5 euro sized people carrier when it comes out. But a lot of people would consider that too small for a family of 3 about to be 4.
3) I would point out that your 95 civic probably produces more than its share of pollutants compared to a newer vehicle, however well maintained.

4) shared vehicles and car pooling and such.
a) The insurance industry would not smile on this. There is an argument that even between friends carpooling is against the insurance contract if the riders pay for fuel on a consistent basis.
b) shared taxis " sheruts" that exist in lots of the world are very frowned on by Cdn regulators and the taxi industry. Some people tried it Mtl to TO and go shut down real quick by a combination of a lawsuit from Greyhound and the regulators.  Shared cabs also need high traffic... perfect on Yonge St.
c) the car sharing thing theoretically works but as everyone wants to go to work at the same time and come home at the same time, all the baseball games start at the same time etc. it is difficult to arrange... and again the insurance companies would have a fit.

So Duane, I agree that your vision is a good one.  I don't happen to agree with all of it but thats ok.... I might vote for your platform of more logical vehicle use.

(Message edited by tpl on May 31, 2005)

[sirAQUAMAN64]

Your Civic is pretty economical as it is. Too bad it's not big enough for you. The Mazda5 would be wonderful if the drivetrain in North American models returned better fuel economy.

Volkswagen is experimenting with diesel hybrids, which could easily achieve 100+ mpg. Heck, right now their European market VW Lupo 3L TDI and the Audi A2 1.2TDI both achieve 105mpg as it stands and have been around for years.  

Report released today is that VW may offer a mild-hybrid Jetta in North America. This might lead to a 10-15% fuel economy improvement on top of any engine. Now... all we need to do is get them to import the Touran...

VW may offer Jetta hybrid

By Jens Meiners
Automotive News / May 31, 2005

MUNICH, Germany -- Volkswagen AG may introduce a hybrid-powered Jetta in the United States in two years.  

A VW spokesman confirmed that VW is considering a so-called mild hybrid vehicle. A mild hybrid uses an electric motor to assist a gasoline-powered engine, but the motor alone does not drive the vehicle. The Honda Civic Hybrid is an example.  

VW did not forecast sales volumes or discuss the costs. The company said it has not decided which supplier would provide the technology.

(Message edited by sirAQUAMAN64 on May 31, 2005)

[maritime_storm]

This is an old arguement, but being I'm a $hitdisturber anyway, here goes.

Why in gods name don't these cars commpanies bring their european small cars over and phase out these gas guzzling suv's and be done with it? At current fuel prices there is no excuse to see an SUV with one person in it driving around the city, it's an extreme waste of resources & the fact that almost none of these vehicles are offered with a CDI is an insult. Then these manufacturers have the nerve to whine when the governement hints at imposing limits on vehicle fuel consumption. Why is the concept of energy conservation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions so hard to understand for these companies?

[johngenx]

We FINALLY have low-sulpher diesel mandated, so I would like to see lots of the super-sippers with the common rail diesels coming over.

Mazda is a prime candidate for diesels.  Their gasoline engines are thirsty for their displacment and category.  A CDI Mazda3 or Mazda6 still appeals to me.

[tpl]

WE may well get low sulphur diesel ( June 2006) but in the USA the oil companies/trucking companies are lobbying hard to delay it.

If there is no low sulphur diesel in the USA I suspect a lot of Mfrs will bother bringing diesels here for a) our small market and b) the complaints they will get from
customers when their cars perform badly on the way to Florida.

Supposedly over 1/2 the orders for the new 3 series BMW in Europe are for the 320D   167bhp and 200+ lb ft torque as well as 45 mpg

As DUane and Maritime sorta point out...it is a culture shift that we need and the Mfrs and politicians will follow.

[inco]

Not sure about this but if low sulphur comes out and we end up with diesels built to handle it, would the old diesel still work in the cars?

This might contaminate the system and if so and if the US doesn't bring in the low sulphur I don't think we will see many cars coming to Canada built for it.

Manufacturers wouldn't want to take the chance of having a car built for Canadian fuel, being fed the higher sulphur USA fuel. I think they would wait until both countries agree. Unless both fuels could be used and I don't see that as an option because it would defeat the low sulphur advantages.

[tpl]

Good question inco.   I read somewhere a couple of years back that some of the modern diesels can tolerate the sulphur...supposedly the BMW 320D one can at the expense of noise, smoke and more frequent oil chnages but the the BMW 3.5 one in the 535 cannot...dunno why.  The VW  1.9 and the V10 can but the higher powered 1.9s ( 136 and 150 bhp) have trouble.. something to with eroding the injectors or some such.

More likely it would be a function of emissions, that the rather fancy and finicky catalytic converters and particulate traps on diesels need the clean fuel.


So far tho' the USa and us go to 15ppm on June 1 2006