Hybrid market slowly captures drivers’ imagination
Lexus GS450h, Hyundai Verna Hybrid, Honda Civic Hybrid
The word “hybrid” sounds futuristic, at least it does for me. Although hundreds of hybrid vehicles are already running on Korean roads, the new breed of cars still seems more at home in science fiction movies like “Back to the Future.”
Despite their rare presence and lack of popularity, hybrid cars hit the limelight recently. President Lee Myung-bak announced in the middle of last month that the government plans to subsidize hybrid car developers in its pursuit of “green growth.”
Spurred on by gasoline costs surpassing the 2,000 won ($1.80) per liter barrier, drivers are thinking of better ways to save on fuel. One of the options is using a hybrid vehicle, but only a small portion of the general public can probably describe with confidence how hybrid vehicles work.
A hybrid is so named because it combines a conventional gasoline engine with extra power sources, such as an electric motor, to improve fuel efficiency and reduce harmful emission.
A green “auto stop” sign appears on the dashboard of the Civic Hybrid at zero speed, a feature that helps to save energy.
In Korea, only four vehicles are available for private drivers - all imported models from Japan, the country that invented hybrids.
These models are the 1.4-liter Honda Civic Hybrid and three models from Lexus: the RX400h, LS600hL and GS450h.
Hyundai Motor and its sister Kia Motors have developed hybrids - the 1.4-liter Verna and Pride - but they are only sold to government institutions at present. (They are too expensive for the open market.)
These compacts boast a fuel efficiency of 19.8 kilometers per hour. In comparison, the 1.6-liter gasoline Avante subcompact manages 13.8 kilometers per liter.
The problem lies in the prices. The Korean hybrids are almost double their gasoline counterparts.
The Honda Civic Hybrid, which costs 33.9 million won and has a fuel efficiency of 23.2 kilometers per liter, is nearly 8 million won more expensive than its 1.8-liter gasoline model, which can run 13.3 kilometers per liter.
The cheapest Lexus hybrid costs 80 million won, with the priciest model LS600hL carrying the eye-popping price tag of almost 200 million won.
Given the situation, prospective hybrid drivers might wonder if it’s worth it. The money they might save on fuel costs will be offset by the hefty cost of buying the actual vehicle.
According to Lee Jun-taek, assistant marketing manager at Honda Korea, the Civic Hybrid’s higher fuel efficiency helps save around 1 million won a year on fuel costs when compared with 1.8- and 2-liter Civics.
“How much you can save depends on your driving habits,” he added, since excessive braking, accelerating and driving fast use up a lot of gas.
There are other cost benefits as well. Auto taxes imposed on compact models with engines smaller than 1.6 liters are up to 300,000 won cheaper a year than those in the upper size segments. Hybrid drivers are also exempt from toll fees.
These merits have propelled Civic Hybrid sales since it was launched in February last year. During the February-December period last year, the model sold 163 units compared with 185 in the first seven months of this year, according to the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association. Dealers sell an average of 50 to 100 imported hybrids a month.
Contrary to what you might think, soaring oil costs haven’t hit sales of high-end Lexus hybrids. “Even when the cost of crude hit a record high, sales weren’t really affected,” said Park Byoung-jun, public relations manager of Lexus Korea. Lexus hybrids are mostly driven by celebrities who aren’t fussed about the price tag, he added.
Environment and price-conscious drivers can anticipate a silver lining in the latter part of next year, though.
Hyundai Motor will mass produce 1.6-liter Avante hybrids that use cheap liquefied propane gas around July next year.
In addition, Toyota is bringing in the world-famous Prius hybrid model in the second half. Nissan will launch the Altima Hybrid around that time, which could cost around 30 million won or less.
The Korean government plans to lure more drivers into buying hybrids by offering discounts of 50 percent on acquisition and registration taxes next year.
Good vibes and a sensitive touch
The car was so silent, I had to check if I’d properly started the engine. There weren’t the usual vibrations you associate with a running motor.
It was the same old scenario each time I test drove the 1.4-liter Civic Hybrid last week.
I slowly accelerated, feeling the power of the car, but still only felt minor vibrations.
I noticed that when I took my foot of the pedal, the car slowed down quicker than a regular gasoline model.
So you have to keep your foot down the whole journey, until you want to slow down or stop.
The car uses a 1.3-liter four-cylinder gas engine but the power feels like a 1.8-liter gasoline sister thanks to the electric motor, according to Honda. Its engine has 94 horsepower at 6,000 revolutions a minute.
Another advantage of the Civic Hybrid is it doesn’t need plugging into a power source for a recharge. The electric motor provides additional power and recharges the battery.
The moment I braked, there was complete silence. This is the “idle stop” feature unique to the hybrid version of Honda’s best-selling small sedan. The engine shuts off at a stop and refires it when the brake pedal is released.
This feature is a major fuel-saving device, especially for drivers in urban areas where traffic congestion is a major headache.
For me, the trouble was parking. I had to press the accelerator each time I wanted to adjust the space because the engine stopped when the car wasn’t moving. I had to be very wary of smashing into another parked car as I edged my way into a gap.
Hill starts were also tricky.
By Seo Ji-eun Staff Reporter [spring@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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