2009 Hybrid Vans
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The car manufacturers have finally caught hybrid fever and it certainly has been a long time coming. We have had a few cars that have been hybrids, but now we are starting to see whole fleets becoming hybrids. The recent gas prices may have helped with this, but whatever the reason you should get ready to have available any type of vehicle that you need in hybrid form. The trend today is to have the larger vehicles like trucks, SUV’s and vans come in hybrids. This is great news for families that really rely on mini vans.
If you are looking for hybrid minivans you may have to wait a while longer. The minivans have seen a downturn in the last few years. The reputation that they are a “soccer mom” vehicle helped with the decline and the fuel consumption didn’t help either. However, the minivan isn’t dead yet although some will be discontinued soon. We hope that if that happens they will come back as hybrid minivans.
The word from Toyota is that is may be introducing a hybrid minivan, however there is no release date as of this writing. If Toyota does go ahead with the Toyota Sienna as a hybrid van they will have a head start. They would use the Japanese version of the Estima that has been on the market since the late 1990’s. The Toyota Sienna is a very popular minivan as it stands today. It holds up to eight people and can accommodate a large amount of luggage as well. The seats fold down and give you excellent cargo space and it seems that the Toyota hybrid van would keep the same specifications. It is thought that the hybrid system currently used by the Toyota Highlander might be the basis for the Toyota Sienna’s engine. The Sienna should keep the same aerodynamic look that it has now and most of the same features such as comfortable seating and safety features. Fuel consumption on the Estima is about 40 mile per gallon and the Toyota Sienna is expected to have the about the same.
Chrysler has announced that it may be launching a hybrid minivan as soon as 2010. If they do it will be called the Grand Caravan. As you may know this is the name of their gasoline powered model. The Chrysler minivan has been a staple for the company since the 1980’s, and although there has been a decline in sales with the recent gas prices there is still demand for this type of vehicle. There is some debate on which type of hybrid system to use and Chrysler continues to search for a reasonably priced version. They are also considering a diesel powered minivan; however this would hardly help with the concerns of the public to reduce emissions.
If hybrid minivans can be produced successfully, and there is no reason to think that they can’t be, you should see resurgence in the market. After all, we still have children that need to go to soccer practice and cargo to be hauled. There has been no pricing available for these hybrid minivans listed above.
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