Is There A Future For Performance Hybrids?

By: Peter Johnson

Some products are too good to be true; an oven that can cook a
turkey in 3 hours but is the size of a microwave. A pill that
promises to burn weight faster than you can pack it on. Many of
these products fall victim to their own folly. Consumers are
savvy bunch. At least we like to think so. However sometimes a
product actually does deliver the goods.

Lexus plans to introduce several models over the next few years
that showcase hybrids as more than just fuel misers, but rather
as solid performance vehicles. An example of this is the 2007
Lexus LS 600h. With an all-new 5.0L V8 and a high output
electric motor, the All-Wheel-Drive LS 600h will produce 430hp
when it hits showrooms in the spring of 2007. It should also
qualify for a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) rating,
which means it'll be about 70% cleaner than the next closest
competitor. Are consumers ready to accept a hybrid as a viable
performance option?

The initial answer is absolutely. Upon further examination that
may not be the case...yet. Look at the Honda Accord Hybrid. With
253hp (SAE Net), it's capable of doing 0-60mph in 7 seconds.
It's the most powerful Accord ever but sales have been slow. In
fact, Honda may have to reduce production. At the same time,
4-cylinder hybrids such as the Honda Civic and Toyota Prius have
far less power but sales have increased. Sure this is not an
apples-to-apples comparison. The Civic and Accord are in
different segments, but it's surprising nonetheless. Perhaps
Honda should have produced the Accord hybrid with the 4-cylinder
engine instead of the V6. This would've reduced performance but
it would have increased fuel efficiency. It's a strategy that
Toyota is following with the 2007 Camry Hybrid.

Perhaps hybrid buyers are willing to shed some horsepower for
the absolute best fuel economy. Surely this is a small group but
it'll get larger as fuel prices increase. As long as a car has
respectable performance it seems that consumers want
technological advances to go into finding more ways to save fuel
than increase horsepower. Or perhaps customers are just
skeptical of anything that promises the best of both worlds. But
why wouldn't someone want great fuel efficiency and a lot of
power? Today, most hybrid owners aren't concerned with having
class leading horsepower. They want class leading fuel mileage.

Should Lexus be worried? I don't think so. Unlike the Accord
hybrid, Lexus won't have any immediate hybrid competitors.
Secondly, luxury car buyers put a lot emphasis on performance.
The new Lexus LS 600h may be looked upon as a performance sedan
that just happens to be a hybrid, instead of the other way
around.

As hybrids continue to evolve beyond a novelty, it's clear that
North American buyers continue to focus on the numbers. We just
don't know for sure what numbers they'll find more important.
Are North American car buyers ready to have it all?

About the author:
Peter Johnson is the chief writer for all-about-car-selection.com

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