[Haku]

Believe me when I say that I completely agree about concerns about the environment, not just money (although they are all important to me).

My case is simply that, if subcompacts are getting MPGs that are almost as good as hybrids, why go hybrids then? Hybrids, besides have a much more complex engine, also operate on rechargeable batteries. All rechargeable batteries will eventually lose their "memory capacity", and like any other rechargeable batteries, they will have to be replaced eventually, perhaps a few times over the course of the its lifetime. While I do not have exact figures on hand, I have heard it mentioned that such batteries run to the tune of thousands. Disposal of such batteries still remain has a hazardous material.

Contrast that to a subcompact where, depending on the driving environment, may not generate any more green house emissions than hybrids.

The only exception to that, as stated before, is the Honda Insight.

Yes, I agree with everyone about the concerns to reduce green house emissions, dependence on foreign oil, and all the while save more money. At the risk of being stubborn, I honestly do not believe hybrids are the answer. That's all.

On a related note, it's also worth mentioning that President Bush has made a speech in the recent past promoting a plant that makes Lithium Ion polymer batteries (currently the type with the highest memory capacity proportionate to its size) as a supplemental source of energy for vehicles. Unfortunately, the unit is also at a tune of thousands, on top of cost for the original vehicle, all the while hauling this heavy set of batteries in your trunk (and thus reducing the vehicle's overall storage capacity and fuel efficiency). A sad stopgap measure at best, but at least it's not fuel cells.