Re: What's the verdict on the Prius?

Do you believe that your Prius will last for 300K miles? It might, but it will likely require certain items that the Hummer will not. Replacement batteries, for example. The unknown technology makes the Prius a wild card in many respects. Hopefully, however, your acting as a test market will provide better information and technologies for the future.

The Hummer uses a technology that is well understood with respect to longevity. I wonder if they take into account the little things that have a tendency to break on this type of vehicle that companies like Honda and Toyota have traditionally made more reliable (window switches, for example).

The most commonly sited reason for purchasing a Prius, however, is to make a statement. (see http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/04/business/04hybrid.html as one of many examples, I can not find a reference to a poll that I read once).

In the end, you can claim that you do create a talking point and make a statement. Even if you do not use less energy now, it is likely that mass production and greater demand will provide for a better footprint in the future. Finally, this may lead to (or allow) better ways to power the cars in the future.

If the report is correct, so what if you waste more energy now... As long as you are not using a huge amount more with no chance of improvement/recovery in the future.