hybrid vans

Is there any hybrid vans in the works?

Yes!

Toyota, of course, is planning to sell the Previa hybrid in 2006. They're already running around in Japan and getting fantastic reviews. Currently there are two models, one has been around longer but is smaller than a current Previa, the other is basically a current Previa w/hybrid drivetrain. The latter is what is expected to be imported to the U.S. I read a review of this vehicle by an American living in Japan and his bottom line was, "this is the best vehicle I have ever owned."

Can't wait!

Daimler will sell a limited number of hybrid Sprinter vans. Some of them will be plug-in hybrids, with the possibility to drive about 20 miles on electricity onlly.

Renault sells its small hybrid Kangoo vans. In fact they are electric cars with a generator on board. For now, they are only for sale in France.

From: Maureen Caldwell-Meurer
[email protected]


Please make sure the van height inside the car high enough for a person 6'5", and it is an AWD or 4X4, over 270 hp. Otherwise it won't be very usefull to many people who travel to the snow/desert, etc.

Sincerely,
mcmeurer

I am excited about the possiblity of hybrid vans. I own a toyota prius and would love to have a hybrid van for my wife. She currently drives a Honda Odyessy and loves it. Maybe Honda could build the Odyessy Van as a hybrid! SOLD!!

I would love to drive a hybrid but haven't seen one I can drive. I'm disabled and drive from a wheelchair.

Has anyone seen an accessible van?

Can't wait. Need the space of the van. Am short & love being able to sit above the "normal" traffic.

Seating is very important. 9 seats is preferred, 8 seats would be great, 7 seats sufficient but anything less is unacceptable. Can't wait for those hybrid vans to hit the dealerships. I'll need a new car soon but may be forced to buy a non-hybrid van if they don't hurry!

Get a sprinter diesel. I think they can hold upto 12 people, but certainly the 8-9 you need.

I'm not overly fond of the Sienna.There's nothing distinguishable about its looks. The Previa was an outstanding looking vehicle in my opinion, but it had horrible crash ratings, which ultimately prevented me from geting one. I still drool every time I see one. Yes, drool... Does anybody know how the current Estimas and Previas are in this regard? I think it would be fantastic if we could get either of these vehicles as a hybrid here in the U.S., but I'm not overly optimistic. Our government doesn't want to accept how many drivers want a hybrid vehicle becuase they want to keep pushing oil at us and destroying the planet. Maybe they'll come to see hybrids as the wave of the future and get on the bandwagon soon. In the meantime I think we should bombard Toyota with emails and such and let them know what we want. It certainly can't hurt.

"Please make sure the van height inside the car high enough for a person 6'5", and it is an AWD or 4X4, over 270 hp. Otherwise it won't be very usefull to many people who travel to the snow/desert, etc."

Huh??? A 270 hp 4x4 anything, hybrid or not, won't have good fuel consumption figures. You may go from 18 mpg to 22 mpg by hybridizing it. Hardly worth the cost of the drivetrain for most people.

As for needing 270 hp 4x4 in the snow...double huh??? I live in Quebec, notorious for harsh winters (snow, sleet, ice, slush, deep cold, etc). I drive a 134 hp diesel with stability control. I've driven past lots of 4x4 in the ditch...

Plus I get 42+ mpg on the highway; my wife with her 100 hp diesel station wagon (no stability control unfortunately, so it may be replaced soon with another one WITH stability control), easily can get 50 mpg on the highway.

If we're going to make a serious dent in our fuel dependancy, we're going to have to seriously re-examine our "needs". I respectfully suggest that NOBODY needs a 270 hp 4x4. I can see a need for a van for large families, but ideally, a 150 hp diesel with about 250 lb-ft of torque, and stability control instead of AWD, would suit the needs of 99% of us. It would get FAR better mileage than even a hybrid with 270 hp and 4x4. In fact you can get such vans in Europe that pull in around 45 mpg.

I am a beverage distributor and need a 1 ton capacity. Does anyone have any knowledge of an extended cab vehicle that can haul a 1 ton capcity efficiency?

Alex

Scottsdale, AZ

The 1-ton pickups with diesel seem like good choices. They are available with extended cabs and can use biodiesel (with no modifications to the truck) or wvo (with a greasecar or similar kit).

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Doesn't diesel pollute just as bad as gas. They sure smell like they're pollutting.

The fact that there is diesel in bio-diesel, certainly does not mean that it pollutes as much as diesel.
But, since we are talking about vans, why don't peapole check out Modec Vans, from UK. You might have seen their model in the movie "Breaking and Entering" with Jude Law (he drives one of their earlier models). They have released the new model and it looks quite good - besides being quite efficient in reducing pollution (zero emissions - it's electric).

The only other question remains: how is the electricity used for this van being produced? - hopefully not from coal or some other fossil fuel.

I am a little late on resposne but I agree tremendously!! I just completed a 2k mile trip in my Odyessy & am even more interested in a hybrid. Any info would be genuinely appreciated.

As far as diesel is concerned - according to the American Lung Association, diesel exhaust contains "100 times more sooty particles than gasoline". Such solid particles are exceptionally bad for one's health, and joggers who exercise along busy roads may actually be doing themselves more harm than good.

As far as eco-friendly vans, there are some van-shaped vehicles in the works that actually run on compressed air. An example of this would be MDI's CAT (Compressed Air Technology) car, which looks very much like a van.

I tried a hybrid van from Toyota, but it wasn't as I expected. Instead I drove a lot of Conversion Vans while I was working and I liked how they work. When I will have the chance I will buy one for my big family. Is more comfortable for a family and for the long distance (I want to make a lot of trips now that I am not working).