My 11 year old Honda Civic gets good gas mileage (about 30-35 mpg), is reliable, and still looks nice. However, I know sometime in the next several years I will probably need to replace it. Or a company will sell a vehicle that makes the environmental and cost advantages of buying a new vehicle too irresistible.
I admit I have been sorely tempted by the third generation Toyota Prius, but I’m hoping by holding off a few years I can get something better.
And here is what I want:
– A plug-in hybrid vehicle that can drive 20-60 miles on electric power alone (I prefer an all-electric range of 45-60 miles). Uses a standard (120-volt) home electrical outlet to receive charge.
– At least an Advanced Technology Partial zero-emissions vehicle (AT-PZEV) vehicle.
– An attractive hatchback with seating for four people, where storage space can be expanded by folding the rear seating. (I like the Prius styling and functionality).
– Very reliable, in the same range as my Honda Civic.
And bonus features I’d like to have:
– An optional garage-installable accessory that would automatically make the charging connection when I parked the car in my garage.
– The ability to use the car as a generator in case the grid electricity goes out (or in emergencies if a house is off grid and the solar or wind power fails). Hybrids already produce and store electricity so it already has most of the hardware needed.
If you haven’t guessed already, Lisa and I recently watched Who Killed the Electric Car? though we already wanted a vehicle matching the above description before watching the movie.
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