A Free Hybrid!
It’s no secret that times are tight, and you being the stalwart environmentalist you are probably wish you had the extra cash to invest in a slick piece of green technology. Well, have no fear because I have compiled a list of contests where you can win a hybrid SUV or car. Because what’s better than driving a hybrid? Driving a hybrid for free! Register for your chance to win now, as some of these end shortly.
Just two months after they began selling their first hybrids, the Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango, it appears the hybrid SUV party will end early for Chrysler, LLC.
From a press release issued today, “In response to the continuing global economic slowdown and auto industry contraction, as well as the market’s continuing movement toward smaller vehicles, Chrysler LLC is announcing…the pull-ahead of the closure of the Newark (Delaware) Assembly Plant.
Soon to be a hybrid: Hyundai Santa Fe
At the Paris Auto Show, Hyundai has rolled out their newest small SUV: a hybrid version of the popular Santa Fe. The Korean auto giant plans to release the car first in Korea in the summer of 2009, with a possible U.S. release later on. There hasn’t been an official word on that just yet.
In the meantime, there is plenty that we do know about the car, and so far, so good! The hybrid Santa Fe will boast a 2.4 liter gas engine coupled with a 40 horsepower electric motor that can produce up to 151 pounds of torque. The six-speed automatic transmission will deliver the power from the motor and engine to the wheels.
A recent study by Consumer Reports found that hybrid versions of popular SUVs, such as the Chevy Tahoe, Saturn Vue and Ford Escape can be more economical over the long haul than many standard fuel vehicles and even some smaller hybrids. The study looked at how long it takes a driver to start seeing a savings without factoring in tax credits. Since most hybrids prices do include a premium charge for the technology, the amount of time it takes for a driver to see real savings can really change the way a buyer looks at their purchase decision.
