[Oeva-list] EV Awareness Day vehicles

[Todd at realeyz]

On Aug 12, 2005, at 3:29 PM, <java at xprt.net> wrote:
> I do know what the EV world needs is more people saying Hybrids are  
> nice but
> what I want is an ELECTRIC CAR. Unfortunately the general public  
> isn't well
> informed about what makes a hybrid car vs. an electric car.  
> Bringing an
> Hybrid into an EV awareness program would do just what Toyota,  
> Honda and the
> rest of the up and coming hybrid manufacturers want, to convince  
> the public
> a hybrid is an electric car and even better than an electric car  
> since you
> don't have to plug it in!!

Where is the EV industry that Honda and Toyota are competing against  
in this marketing campaign you speak of?  Don't forget that the  
American mentality is still one of addictive motoring freedom.  EV  
keep them tied down to anywhere they can plug their vehicle in which  
limits their vehicle to local based use.  Americans hate that.   
Hybrids give them the freedom they still have in their heads so yes,  
hybrids ARE better than EVs in that respect.  Again it's a start in  
the right direction - people aren't going to go directly to EV  
without the hybrid route first unless 2 things happen - charging your  
batteries takes the same amount of time as filling your tank and  
being able to charge your car anywhere you go.

> Hybrid owners have been misled and misinformed, unfortunately there  
> is no
> mass marketed alternative yet

I'm a hybrid owner and I have not been misled.  I know full well how  
my vehicle works and how an EV vehicle works. Sure many hybrid owners  
may not fully understand, but they have taken steps to educate  
themselves and make a difference.

> Perhaps we could get together another larger group of owners of  
> alternative
> powered automobiles, I for one would be glad to show my car to the  
> city of
> Portland (its been on FOX 12 and News 8 ) and together we can let  
> people
> know Petroleum has its uses but not necessarily in your car.
>
> I for one strongly discourage anything other than  purely electric  
> vehicles
> at electric vehicle awareness day.

I don't think you give the public quite enough credit - most anyone  
who is interested enough to ask questions about EV and Hybrid  
vehicles can grasp the differences and make informed choices about  
them.  It's not quite rocket science.  I fail to see how hybrid  
vehicles will confuse the issue unless someone doesn't take the time  
to ask questions - In fact I would be willing to get that anyone  
inquiring about EV will want to know how hybrid fit into the equation  
regardless of whether they are present or not.  By making them  
invisible you are essentially saying they are the wrong choice in a  
world where currently they are the only real practical choice.

Now I would be willing to bet that the more people who buy and own  
hybrids will want to explore the EV component even further and  
eventually trade up for one should the industry finally see they are  
viable.

- todd