Reply #19: I want to make clear that the highlander and even the escape hybrids [View All]

[still_one]

are NOT necessarily cost effective because the MSRP is too high, and it would take too long to justify the fuel savings cost, unless of course gas went up to above four dollars a gallon, so your brother is somewhat correct with the high end hybrids, the cost of the car does not justify the savings

In addition, the Prius hybrids first came around 1998 in Japan, and are still going strong. If the hybrid battery needed to be fully replaced it would cost around 5000 dollars, but since it is designed in units, they probably would NOT have to replace the whole battery, which would cost less. The hybrid components are covered up to 100000 miles on the Prius. A concern will eventually be how to dispose of the batteries. I do NOT know what the Honda waranty is.

The electric/gas hybrids are only an intermediate step anyway. What will really revolutionize our independence is with hydrogen fuel cells, which will initially be fuel cell/gas hybrid.

Hopefully hybrids will be the same price as conventional engines, just like VCRs initially cost 1000 dollars

I should not have implied that their was a conflict of interest, and I appologize