Via Outside the Beltway comes this article about hybrids getting up to 250 MPG. In carfully reading the article one will note that the the article's title is a bit misleading in that most of the cars described do not get the vaunted 250 MPG. But there...

I am sure not going to get excited about any car getting good mileage. Before any vehicle gets into production, the oil companies will do all they can to keep their “Cash Cow” going including paying off politicians to out and out skulduggery to see such a vehicle is not offered to the public.

Bwahahahahaha.

I don't think he is going to get anywhere near enough from Solar Power, solar powered homes still need a connection to the Electric Company for backup, but nuclear power is a viable solution, if we can get past the environmental lawyers fighting the ...

Say it with me: You don't make more money by selling less product.

What's going on here is massive new demand in developing countries. Period.

Reading the details of the article, you can see that the 250 mpg figure is an absolute extreme, achieved rarely in vehicles with huge, cost prohibitive modifications and only under certain driving conditions. But that doesn't take away from the fact ...

I have heard the same stories also.

But, the oil companies are reaping tremendous profits with the oil prices so high. I hope for one minute you don't think that the oil companies are not controlling the price of oil.

And, I hope that you don't think that the almighty dollar is not manipulated by those who stand to make even more money.

The oil companies don't care one bit about you and I, they only think about money and that alone is what high oil prices is all about.

If you think differently, then you are foolish.

So did James Joyner over at Outside the Beltway who pierced this faux story like the puss it is.

BTW: Twenty five cents buys about 2 horsepower hours of electricity. How are you going to drive at 40 miles per hour for one-half hour (20 miles) with only 2 horsepower? Or: How much of an assist can 2 horsepower give you?

Bithead: The physics of it all say that we may be wise to have two vehicles. A smaller hybrid to commute with, and shop with, and a larger hybrid for the family car. Expensive gasoline makes for cheaper hybrids. Hybrids offer almost no advantage on long highway trips, but long highway trips are the exception and maybe we can't buy for the exception anymore.

You're correct in saying this won't work for the family vacation. So are we now required to buy and maintain two seperate vehicle types? One of the reasons SUV's and for that matter, mini-vans, are fairly popular is because of their flexability.

Personally, when they can come up with something that will tow 6000 lbs, for 700-plus miles per day, without a safety issue, as my current vehicle does, and yet will haul me back and forth to my job sites, I'll admit they've got something. A plug-in doesn't cut it.