UCS Petitions for U.S. Hybrid Minivan Release

Most mothers will tell you that size does matter. In fact, size is so important to me, that I have continued to stay in a mediocre relationship, rather than follow my heart and make the love connection that has consumed me for years – a hybrid.

Toyota released its redesigned Estima Hybrid minivan almost one year ago. This sleekly shaped van boasts fuel efficiency and emissions equivalent to a compact size vehicle. This makes my knees buckle. The fact that it seats eight makes me as giddy as a schoolgirl at an Osmond Brothers concert.

The heartbreaking reality is that the Estima Hybrid is not available outside of Japan. Thankfully, the forward thinking folks at the Union of Concerned Scientists have taken matters into their own hands. They have launched a petition drive in hopes of securing more than 14,000 signatures to demand that Toyota bring the Estima Hybrid to the United States. Making the Estima available to U.S. drivers would be a step in the right direction.

While many of us strive to be good stewards of the environment, it is difficult to balance the every day needs of our children with the long term goal of saving the world for them. The idea of whizzing past freeway traffic in an in-line seated pod sounds terrific in theory! But what do I do when my husband has to unexpectedly work late and I need to pick up the kids for cello practice? I don’t even want to think about carpooling, field trips, or the numerous excursions I have to make to deliver kids and caboodle from point A to point B.

I have only been at Automotive X Prize for a short time, but I have spoken with many potential participants and noted numerous guideline comments. Some ideas are attainable, others, I am afraid, we may never see. But, to me, the most appealing thing about the AXP is its real world application. There is an actuality that we can have it all --fuel efficiency, low emissions, and room for Fido -- and we won’t have to wait a decade to sit in the driver’s seat. Mom’s of the world are waiting!

Comments

[Ollie Ernst]

How about hybrid (Aluminum-ceramic) microturbine elektro vehicle, probably need sponsorship from Capstone build a new Chrysler camper utility minivan.

[ecoangel]

A friend of mine has one of 5 such cars in the UK brought in as a trial. They are not in fact any better than diesel powered SuVs and actually put out more CO2 than the equivalent VW Touran TDI. How about you US folk change your fuel from gasoline to low sulphur diesel or Bio Diesel. Today just 1% of your cars run on diesel. If that changed to 30% you would not need any oil from Saudi Arabia!

[richie swenson]

The irrefutable facts are, overpopulation is the root cause of sprawl, congestion, and pressure on natural resources (not to mention the non-human inhabitants of this world).

"Moms" are the primary ones that need to acknowledge this and act accordingly.

[Charlie]

It really eats at me that "hybrid SUV" is even a legitimate term. An SUV is all about thumbing your nose at efficiency; with big tires, cartoonish air-dam[n]ing hoods; and with a terrible interior room to external size ratio.

It is HIGH time for hybrid minivans.

[mobil bekas]

Next generation is hybrid generation. I hope manufacturers will perform serious research to produce high quality hybrid car at reasonable price, especially for developing country