By CHRISTOPHER KAZARIAN
For many years the hybrid car was seen as a novelty in America, but when gas prices first rose to $4 a gallon about five years ago that started to change.
“When we started to have those seasonal gas hikes people started to take a more serious look at them,” Matt Murphy, owner of Falmouth Toyota in Bourne, said.
And car manufacturers, he said, have responded to that demand by making the vehicles more mainstream, in terms of design and drivability.
As a result, “interest in the car has grown significantly,” he said.
Toyota’s first hybrid was the Prius, which was released in 2001. Now they offer a Camry hybrid as well as a SUV Highlander, although the Prius remains the most popular option.
Over the next year and a half, Mr. Murphy anticipated Toyota to release two additional Prius models, including a plug-in electric that could be charged at one’s house.
Currently, one of the few cars on the market with such capabilities is the Chevrolet Volt, which has an entirely electric powertrain with a small gasoline motor to supplement the battery.
David Easa, a sales consultant with Dick Beard Chevrolet in Hyannis, said demand for the Volt has been high since it was released on the market at the end of last year. “We have a long list of people who want one,” he said. “We even have one in stock for people to come and demo.”
The car can get the equivalent of 93 miles per gallon when run on all-electric mode. “I wouldn’t even consider this a novelty,” he said. “This car will have serious ramifications on the automotive industry across the board.”
The first hybrid to be sold on the American market was the Insight in 1999. Since then Jay Goodwin, owner of Hyannis Honda, said the cars have risen steadily in terms of popularity.
Still he sees hybrids as filling a small niche in terms of overall car sales. “I think the hybrid interest is cyclical with the price of fuel,” he said. “When it is $2 a gallon, there is not as much interest in them as when it is $4 a gallon.”
Honda’s offerings include the Honda Civic Hybrid, the Honda Insight and the Honda CR-Z. Of those, the Civic Hybrid gets the best mileage, with 44 miles per gallon in both the city and on the highway.
Perhaps the only drawnback to purchasing a hybrid, Mr. Goodwin said, is that the initial expense is higher than a typical vehicle. As an example, a Civic Hybrid is $3,500 more than a normal Civic.
Of course, there could be savings on mileage, but Mr. Goodwin admitted that could take several years before that is realized.
GENE M. MARCHAND/ENTERPRISE
Matt and Louise Patrick at their house in Waquoit with their Honda hybrid vehicles.
And with tax credits no longer available, the government has removed the incentive for consumers to buy a hybrid.
Still, Mr. Goodwin said, there are a number of reasons to purchase one. “It is fuel-efficient and obviously offers cleaner emissions,” he said. “And actually they are quieter and provide a smoother ride. They tend to have great power and definitely feel more upscale.”
Maintenance, he said, is the same as with a regular vehicle, and the batteries upon which hybrids run have proven reliable and rarely do they have to be replaced.
Much like Toyota, Mr. Goodwin said, there is talk that Honda may soon release a vehicle that is entirely electric.
While Mr. Goodwin was unsure how large of a dent hybrids and other fuel-efficient vehicles will make in the car market, Mr. Murphy said, “I see a time when hybrids balance out [saleswise] with conventional cars. It wouldn’t surprise me to see close to a 50-50 mix within the next 20 years.”
The reasons people purchase a hybrid range from making a statement by purchasing an environmentally friendly car, he said, to saving money on gas.
If one falls on the environmental side of the equation, Mr. Murphy said, it becomes an easy decision to purchase a fuel-efficient car.
But if gas savings are paramount, then Mr. Murphy urged consumers to do their math and calculate the difference in purchasing a conventional car versus a hybrid, or even an electric car. Those calculations, he said, should take into account how far one drives their car on a daily basis.
The real savings, he said, occur more during city versus highway driving. “If someone does extensive local driving at speeds under those on the highway that is where the car can save some money,” he said. “It depends on a person’s driving habits and how much they drive.”
While this segment of the car market has its devotees, there are still many on the fence about purchasing a hybrid.
Those in this camp, Mr. Murphy said, should not only do their homework, but test-drive the car to see if they are comfortable in it.
“I hope more people make the effort to come in and at least try these cars because they are not the niche or novelty they used to be,” he said. “They are a great ride, are very practical, very comfortable and extremely reliable.”
11 Years Later, Hybrid
Still Going Strong
By CHRISTOPHER KAZARIAN
Shortly after winning his first election in November 2000 for state representative for the Third Barnstable District, Matthew C. Patrick of Waquoit rewarded himself with a new vehicle.
Nearly 11 years after Mr. Patrick made waves by purchasing that Honda Insight—the first gasoline/electric hybrid to be sold in the United States—it is still running strong.
The mileage, 221,171 as of the end of August, is proof of the vehicle’s endurance. “The maintenance has been reasonable, normal stuff,” Mr. Patrick said. “I’ve had no major problems. The battery is still good. It charges up 100 percent… I probably spend about $250 to $500 a year for maintenance.”
At the time he splurged on the car, it came with a $20,000 price tag. Despite that somewhat high cost, Mr. Patrick felt obligated to buy it for both practical reasons—namely, his commute from the Cape to Boston—and environmental ones.
The decision to do so prompted The Boston Herald, Cape Cod Times and, of course, The Falmouth Enterprise to feature Mr. Patrick and his car in their newspapers as fuel-efficient vehicles made their way into the mainstream.
During its lifespan, Mr. Patrick’s Insight has averaged 60.6 miles per gallon. That information is provided by an onboard computer in his car. It is a device that he has pushed to be included in all vehicles. “I once thought about [proposing] legislation—but it would be better if it was federal—that would require that gauge in every car,” he said, explaining that having this data readily accessible has made him a smarter and safer driver.
Instead of the hare, he has opted to be the tortoise, choosing to build up his speed at a deliberately slow and steady pace in order to get better mileage. “When you do those jack rabbit starts you are getting two miles per gallon. Even with a hybrid you get 10 miles per gallon if you do a quick start,” he said. “The meter, which all hybrids have, helps you to become a good driver, although my wife can’t figure it out.”
Throughout the interview Mr. Patrick spoke authoritatively about the vehicle—“If one of my tires is low on air, that costs me 10 percent on [fuel] efficiency,” he said.
It is indicative of his passion not only for the car, but also for promoting the “greening” of America’s highways. “I wanted to set an example for people,” Mr. Patrick said of his initial reasons for purchasing the car. “And because I was making that long commute, it turned out, practically, to be a good thing to do.”
As a result of the success he has had with his vehicle, Mr. Patrick’s wife, Louise, now drives a Honda Civic Hybrid, which is admittedly more of a luxury vehicle, although it, too, has the benefits of good gas mileage.
Mr. Patrick estimates he has saved more than the premium he paid to purchase his first hybrid in 2000. “It certainly has paid for itself in the gas savings,” he said. “I worked it out before and I’ve definitely saved a lot of money.”
It is on the highway where he can see the biggest impact, especially when driving between 55 and 60 miles per hour as those speeds get him the highest fuel efficiency, 80 miles to the gallon.
But the biggest question many have had about his vehicle—a two-door, with an aluminum body—is the safety factor. “People thought it would get blown all over the road, but I can pass trucks,” he said. “It is very stable on the road.”
Because the car is such a novelty—Honda stopped making them a few years after he bought his —Mr. Patrick said he has had people “offer me a lot of money for it.”
He has yet to relent to the pressure. “I usually keep my cars and I think this is really a classic,” he said. “I’ll keep this until I can’t afford to maintain it.”