Back to the Future with new gas-electric automobiles
by Jason Holt, Reporter

    (Part 2 in a series on hybrid cars.)
    Of all the cars in the world today, nothing screams, "The future is here!" like the new hybrid gas-electric cars by Honda and Toyota.
    Currently, three hybrid cars are on the market: the Honda Civic Hybrid, the Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius.
    The Honda Civic Hybrid is not just another Civic. It is the last car to have a hybrid engine. Of course this car does not replace the original Civic, yet.
    This car comes standard with dual side and front airbags, CD player and power everything. It comes in manual or automatic transmission and has the coolest blue instrument panel. This car also has Honda's three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty, and the nickel-metal battery pack comes with an eight-year/80,000-mile limited warranty. This amazing car can run for approximately 650 miles to the tank.
     Prices for the Honda Civic Hybrid start at $20,000 for the standard transmission and $21,000 for the automatic transmission.
     The Toyota Prius is not based on any previous Toyota but is a completely new design.
    This may be a turn off for some, but once they take a look at it, they will realize how cool this little demon is. The Prius has a compact sporty look on the outside but has plenty of legroom on the inside.
     The Prius comes standard with a six-disc in-dash CD changer, power everything, front air bags and multi-informational display panel.
     Also available is a touch-screen DVD navigation system. This car gets approximately 566 miles per tank. More than 100,000 vehicles are on the road already, according to the Toyota Prius information booklet.
     "Prius' Toyota Hybrid System (THS) has advanced features that help produce lower emissions and better EPA-estimated city gas mileage than the Civic Hybrid," according to an Internet article.
     "THS allows the Prius to operate in electric-only mode from startup and at low speeds. By comparison, the Civic hybrid's gasoline engine always drives the car, with the electric motor providing additional power as needed," the article said.
     The prices for the Prius start at $21,000 for the standard transmission.
     Mo Khalaf, a car dealer from Freeman Toyota, offered his evaluation of the Prius.
     "It's a great car with excellent gas mileage," he said.
     Although the Prius and Civic may be better known, the Honda Insight was the first hybrid developed.
     This sporty new two door comes with an AM/FM cassette audio system, power everything, easy-to-read electronic gauges, remote entry system and 16.3 cubic feet of cargo space.
     Also available is the automatic climate control, featuring an air-filtration system.
     While it may seem stripped down compared to the Civic and Prius, the mileage is amazing.
     This baby can get approximately 700 miles to the tank.
     That mileage is almost 150 more than the Prius and 50 more than the Civic. Prices for the Insight start at $20,000 for the automatic transmission and $19,500 for the standard.
     There are only a few of each type of hybrids in stock in the area.
     According to the local dealerships, most of the time they will only have two or three on the lot because they don't sell as many as their regular vehicles.
     One advantage these cars have over other economy type vehicles is their super ultra low emissions. The low emissions results in minimal pollution to the atmosphere.
     Another advantage to other economy type cars is that you end up spending less on gas. With gas prices at their current level, a high miles per gallon rating is a big advantage.
     Other companies such as Ford, GM and Chrysler also are starting to develop hybrids. Toyota, Ford and Honda have started developing hybrid SUVs as well.
     "HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) technology is already in automobiles like the Honda Insight, a $20,000 two-seat hybrid coupe," Jim Walczak said in an Internet article.
     "Honda will also have hybrid power as an option on its Civic and the CR-V SUV. In '03, Ford's Escape will feature a hybrid electric engine that will double the fuel mileage and greatly reduce emissions," he said.
     Those who would really like to have a hybrid SUV won't have to wait much longer.
     According to a statement by Ford, "The Escape SUV HEV will be available in 2003 and will meet the very stringent super ultra low emission vehicle standard set by the California Air Resources Board."