Porsche is Delaying Hybrid Models Until 2010
Porsche has postponed plans for future hybrid models as top managers express doubts about sales. With Porsche forecasts showing no more the 5 percent market share, the Cayenne Hybrid introduction has been pushed back until 2010. As a result, Porsche sales expectations for the US market are now incorrect. Despite the Cayenne Hybrid Concept being introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2007, Porsche has not given a market debut date for hybrid models.
The hybrid technology is jointly developed with Volkswagen and will be on Audi Q7 hybrid in 2008. The Cayenne, Q7 and VW Touareg are built on the same platform.
Depending on analysis, Porsche will also delay the Panamera Hybrid until 2011 at the earliest and possibly as late as 2013. The base model is coming in 2009.
And the Prius is no more fuel efficeint than a similar-sized Diesel fueled car, plus has a greater environmental impact in production and overall total lifecycle. Don't believe for a second that the Prius is anything other than a marketing exercise. Toyota sells a mimscule amount compared to its other ranges, but the rub-off is huge.
This will destroy the lexus, all them movie stars are going to trade them in and get one of these.
enough with the hybrid propaganda. why won't anyone mention how much pollution is created from building these vehicles? how many trips on cargo ships and how many different countries are needed to make those toxic batteries? how much diesel fuel is used to get the batteries to market? people will buy whatever the government tells them helps the planet. sad state of affairs.
Basically batteries for hybrids or electric cars aren't very toxic. Old NiMH or lead-acid batteries were much more dangerous. Newer Li-Ion-Batteries can be build with minimum of environmental impact and they need a clean construction atmosphere. It is possible to recycle everything in a new Li-Ion Battery. You always have a trade-off of environmental variables:
-Fuel-cell-based cars have a lot of toxic metals in the fuel cell. -Diesels create a lot of NOx and CO2 -Hybrids have toxic chemicals in the batteries -Biofuels are made from food plants
Transportation of car elements is a problem with all cars. Nearly every car needs electronics from Taiwan, European injection systems and steel from all over the world to be build. 100 pounds of batteries are not a major problem.
Hybrid could have some major advantages: -easy transition to purely electric cars becomes possible -very good mileage increasing for big cars (25% for the Audi Q7)
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we need more hybrid now, those high fuel consumption engines have to go, we need more "friendly " engine, it is getting stupid to drive a car with nasty fuel consumption,just try your luck porsche. toyota had done it with their prius, became the first and succeed with it.. God save hybrid car