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State Agencies Switching To Hybrid Vehicles May 2005You're seeing more hybrid vehicles out on the roads these days. They are the one of the latest ways people are looking out for the environment and trying to save money on gas.Thursday, several state agencies announced they're also going hybrid. That's because hybrid no longer means small. The new players in the market are bigger and better than ever. The state of Texas is taking full advantage. "It takes a little training and a little getting used to," Van Kim, who is test driving a hybrid, said. The Toyota Prius is one of the hottest cars out on the road. That's because thousands of drivers like Van Kim are looking for a hybrid. "These vehicles get unbelievable high gas mileage," Larry Soward with the TCEQ said. "Some of these vehicles get 55 miles to the gallon. In today's gas prices of over two dollars a gallon, you can imagine how much savings would flow from that." Soward says they're also better for the environment. That's why the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality and TxDOT say they're trading in for a hybrid fleet. They won't be limited to the Honda Civic or Toyota Prius. Chevy Silverado is a truck you definitely wouldn't expect to be a hybrid. But, it's just one of many new SUV's and trucks out on the road taking the hybrid name and technology to a whole new level. Lexus, Ford and Chevrolet all have hybrid trucks and SUV's now. The Chevy Silverado will become the city's newest pickup. There are concerns about hybrid technology. It's so new, no one knows how it will perform in the long run. "The track record so far is that there's been absolutely no significant problem at all with maintenance and upkeep. It fact, I'm told, one of the biggest issues is about the battery system," Soward said. The truth is the upkeep costs associated with hybrid vehicles until a few years from now when the warrantees start running out. Soward says all of the car manufacturers who make hybrids are offering eight to 10 year warranties to cover potential problems with this first wave of hybrid drivers. Van Kim and other test drivers News 36 talked to say they liked the vehicles, but wouldn't buy one right now because the hybrids still cost a pretty penny. SOURCE: KXAN | ||
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