[albed]

Bullshit multi. Greater efficiency helps any economy.



As usual, the media refuses to report the downside of hybrids, just like with hydrogen. You have to replace their big expensive batteries every 5-7 years, the charge/discharge cycle is only about 80% efficient so you lose 20% of the energy that could have gone into driving the vehicle by using them, plus you're lugging all their extra weight around with you.

A regular engine fuel efficient vehicle would be better than a hybrid but since it's not "fashionable" you just don't hear that from the media.



The turbodiesel is the most fuel efficient engine practical for automobiles, beating comparable gasoline engines by at least 20%. In the U.S. the switch to low sulfur diesel by 2007 means catalytic converters can be put on diesels making their pollution output comparable to gasoline engines and they'll also be getting a big federal tax credit when people buy one. And since diesel fuel can be made from vegetable oil and coal as well as petroleum, shortages and price spikes should be rare.



So all americans have to do to get 60mpg is squeeze their fat asses and big egos into a small, lightweight, aerodynamic car with a turbodiesel.