Hybird cars for SUV

I only recall two hybrid vehicles curently in the market : Honda
Insight/Civic and Toyota Prius.
Questions :
1. Are they ready to make it into bigger version... like an SUV ? It
would be a good advertisement to sell an SUV which has mileage as
efficient as a regular sedan.
2. Is the hybrid technology possible for a larger SUV car ?
3. If the two japanese automakers go it alone... will it impact the
SUV market into their favours?
4. Where are the 3 big automakers position on hybrid, electric or even
alternative hydrogen cell cars nowadays? Will not they be left behind?
Honda and Toyota have already cars in the market.
I saw that electric car by Ford in California, but does it disappear
now ? What happened ? When will the hydrogen fuel cell cars start in
mass production ?

"aniram" > wrote in message
om...
> I only recall two hybrid vehicles curently in the market : Honda
> Insight/Civic and Toyota Prius.
> Questions :
> 1. Are they ready to make it into bigger version... like an SUV ? It
> would be a good advertisement to sell an SUV which has mileage as
> efficient as a regular sedan.
> 2. Is the hybrid technology possible for a larger SUV car ?
> 3. If the two japanese automakers go it alone... will it impact the
> SUV market into their favours?
> 4. Where are the 3 big automakers position on hybrid, electric or even
> alternative hydrogen cell cars nowadays? Will not they be left behind?
> Honda and Toyota have already cars in the market.
> I saw that electric car by Ford in California, but does it disappear
> now ? What happened ? When will the hydrogen fuel cell cars start in
> mass production ?

I think Ford is coming out with an Escape hybrid in 2005.

In article >,
says...
>
> "aniram" > wrote in message
> om...
> > I only recall two hybrid vehicles curently in the market : Honda
> > Insight/Civic and Toyota Prius.
> > Questions :
> > 1. Are they ready to make it into bigger version... like an SUV ? It
> > would be a good advertisement to sell an SUV which has mileage as
> > efficient as a regular sedan.
> > 2. Is the hybrid technology possible for a larger SUV car ?
> > 3. If the two japanese automakers go it alone... will it impact the
> > SUV market into their favours?
> > 4. Where are the 3 big automakers position on hybrid, electric or even
> > alternative hydrogen cell cars nowadays? Will not they be left behind?
> > Honda and Toyota have already cars in the market.
> > I saw that electric car by Ford in California, but does it disappear
> > now ? What happened ? When will the hydrogen fuel cell cars start in
> > mass production ?
>
> I think Ford is coming out with an Escape hybrid in 2005.

Heh - the Escape hybrid was supposed to be available in 2004. Probably
Q4 2004 I'd bet.

Certainly electric drive systems are available for large vehicles -
trains are a perfect example. It is energy storage that happens to be
the next area where a breakthrough is necessary before hybridization of
larger vehicles can take place.

aniram wrote:
>
> I only recall two hybrid vehicles curently in the market : Honda
> Insight/Civic and Toyota Prius.
> Questions :
> 1. Are they ready to make it into bigger version... like an SUV ? It
> would be a good advertisement to sell an SUV which has mileage as
> efficient as a regular sedan.
> 2. Is the hybrid technology possible for a larger SUV car ?
> 3. If the two japanese automakers go it alone... will it impact the
> SUV market into their favours?
> 4. Where are the 3 big automakers position on hybrid, electric or even
> alternative hydrogen cell cars nowadays? Will not they be left behind?
> Honda and Toyota have already cars in the market.
> I saw that electric car by Ford in California, but does it disappear
> now ? What happened ? When will the hydrogen fuel cell cars start in
> mass production ?

2005 Toyota Highlander - 270hp - 27½mpg (but you cannot believe Toyota
and their mileage claims.

Gordon
--
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• •••••
••INVALID ADDRESS ON POSTS - RESEARCHING SPAM ORIGINS••
••••••••••• EMAIL WILL USE ANOTHER PROGRAM ••••••••••••
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• •••••

(aniram) wrote in message . com>...
> I only recall two hybrid vehicles curently in the market : Honda
> Insight/Civic and Toyota Prius.
> Questions :
> 1. Are they ready to make it into bigger version... like an SUV ? It
> would be a good advertisement to sell an SUV which has mileage as
> efficient as a regular sedan.
> 2. Is the hybrid technology possible for a larger SUV car ?
> 3. If the two japanese automakers go it alone... will it impact the
> SUV market into their favours?
> 4. Where are the 3 big automakers position on hybrid, electric or even
> alternative hydrogen cell cars nowadays? Will not they be left behind?
> Honda and Toyota have already cars in the market.
> I saw that electric car by Ford in California, but does it disappear
> now ? What happened ? When will the hydrogen fuel cell cars start in
> mass production ?

Actually, for the US there are 3 hybrids currently available.
Toyota Prius
Honda Insight
Honda Civic Hybrid

(Toyota also has hybrid options available on the Alphard and Estima
minivans
in Japan. They also have the mild-hybrid (autostop-only) Crown large
sedan in Japan. There's also the diesel-electric VW Lupo in Europe
somewhere.)

info for vehicles planned within the next year in the US (all SUVs):

With a flash-enabled browser, go to:
http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/2004/...ite/index.html
http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/future/
http://pressroom.toyota.com/photo_li...l?id=20040104a
for hybrid Toyota Highlander info

For the Lexus RX400H (the RX330 SUV rebadged with a hybrid label):
http://www.lexus-hybrid.com/
http://www.lexus.com/models/hybrid/
http://pressroom.toyota.com/photo_li...d=2004rx400h_r

again with a flash-enabled browser, go to:
http://www.hybridford.com/ for info on the hybrid Ford Escape


also, sometime this year the mild-hybrid (auto-stop only) GMC Sierra
and Chevy Silverado pickup trucks are due out.
http://www.gm.com/automotive/innovat...TruckFlyer.pdf

You can find some of GM's hybrid plans here (and follow the links on
these pages):
http://www.gm.com/company/gmability/...h/300_hybrids/
http://www.gm.com/company/gmability/..._timeline.html
http://www.gm.com/company/gmability/...d_seattle.html


Honda just announced that they plan on hybridizing the Accord, but
like
Honda's previous hybrid announcements they don't usually list a
timeframe, but I'd expect the next model year.

Nissan did license hybrid technology from Toyota, and I've heard of
either the Altima or the Sentra as being their hybrid choice in the
future.

GM has crushed most of the EV-1s; I hear that the Ford Ranger EV is
soon to follow. Toyota stopped selling the Rav4 EV after a year of
retail sale. You
can still get the CNG versions of several cars from various
manufacturers,
but usually only through fleet sales.