Hybrid DaimlerChrsysler, BMW Cars in 3 Years

[Ian David]

We all knew BMW and DaimlerChrysler had engineers working on alternative fuel models. But what is interesting about their alliance announced today of plans to co-develop hybrid cars is that they have committed to commercialize hybrids within three years.

When I spoke with BMW's engineers in Berlin recently during the company's test drive of its hydrogen series car--shown here--they showed diagrams of their hybrid motor development. But like Mercedes, BMW did not commit to a hybrid car launch date.

I also assume the alliance announced today will only involve Mercedes, and not Smart--which already has an electric car and is in deep trouble financially--nor Chrysler, which is also in trouble and is expected to be sold off. So far, Mercedes has not called me back yet about any of this.
Posted by Bruce Gain 8:33:01 AM

More:
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2007/03/hybrid_daimlerc.html

[AX10]

1. And Toyota has there hybrid out for 5 years now.

[hatrack]

2. Wow, and it only took 13 years after the first production Prius in Japan!

I'm getting all tingly just thinking about it.

[longship]

3. That'll be only 13 years after Toyota had them on the street.

And the Prius is more or less a regularly priced automobile, only a little more than their standard fare. I already know that the Beemer hybrid is going to be an expensive luxury car. I can imagine what Chrysler is going to do, especially with their association with Daimler. We're probably going to see more luxury hybrid(s) from them.

When is somebody going to start directly competing with Toyota? This world doesn't need more luxury cars. It needs a volkswagen (in the generic sense), a car for the people which normal people (read that middle class) can afford.

On top of that, while the Prius gets ~55 MPG, the luxury/SUV hybrids still get MPG in the 20's, pretty shitty, if you ask me. The Prius emits half the amount of greenhouse gas than one of those SUV/hybrids, seats four comfortably, and has proven itself by a decade on the road in Japan and USA.

Hybrid technology isn't for expensive toys for the wealthy. It's for everybody. I'll predict that by the time US car manufacturers have a Prius-like hybrid, Toyota and/or Honda will have the hybrid volks-car.

Hell, the Toyota Camry hybrid, a pretty big car, gets 40 MPG!!

When is somebody going to wake up?

[Javaman]

4. And just how much will one of these hybrids cost?

I'm sure the average lower middle class person who is being squeezed out by the ultra wealthy will be able to easily afford one of these babies.

heavy heavy :sarcasm:

[ryanmuegge]

5. Too little, too late.