Electric and Hybrid Cars

There is a lot of selection for someone looking for electric and hybrid cars.  Companies such as Honda, Toyota, and Lexus all have introduced hybrid sedans that look nearly identical to their gasoline-only counterparts, yet have an significantly better range and fuel consumption rating.  When it comes to two door hybrids, however, the market becomes much smaller.

There was, of course, the Honda Insight.  The Insight featured an incredibly odd appearance (a tear drop on wheels) and was extremely sophisticated.  It had an ultra-light weight body and an extremely efficient four cylinder engine, resulting in fuel economy exceeding 70 miles per gallon.  When many people think of a hybrid car, the Insight is usually the image that comes to mind.  Honda stopped producing in the Insight in 2006, however, as sales began to decline and rumors began to emerge about the introduction of a Honda Fit hybrid in 2009.  If you are looking for a Honda hybrid, you can still get the excellent Civic hybrid as a sedan.

So, for the time being, there are no hybrid coupes available to purchase.  With the retirement of the Insight, the only vehicles that remain are the sedans and SUV's.  However, rumor has it that Hyundai, Toyota, Honda, and Ford will all be releasing new hybrid models within the next couple of years.  Hyundai, as well as its subsidiary Kia, will be launching the Accent and Rio hybrids, respectively.   

The Hyundai Accent, as it currently stands, is available as either a two door hatchback or a four door sedan.  Though there are many speculations for both power and economy, you can expect power to be around 100 horsepower and economy to north of 45 miles per gallon.  Hyundai is developing its hybrid power train in house, and with the many different variations available (Prius, Vue Green Line, etc.) we can expect a system that incorporates the best of everything.

The demand for two door hybrids has remained surprisingly small, considering that they can be made smaller and more efficient.  But, if you look at a hybrid vehicle as an appliance, you can perhaps understand why many people see a four door hybrid as a more ideal solution.  That doesn't mean that there will no longer be any two doors released, as there are many companies which are working on hybrid or completely electric sports and economical cars.  What that does mean is that there will be less of them.

Consider the typical buyer for a hybrid: a new graduate, or a small family.  Though the graduate may find use for a two door coupe, those with a family (or the intentions to ever have to transport more than one person) may find a coupe too restrictive, despite its benefits.

Cars like the Tesla, however, offer a ray of hope for the individual looking for a sports car experience with economy car consumption.  Look for a series of sport hybrids to be released in the next few years.