I went for a drive from Fukuoka to Osaka ( Approximately 722km/one-way), though my PRIUS is only 1.5 but it seems to have the capacity of 2.0.Briefly, it is very powerful and it consumes 22.5km/L. Furthermore, I drive to work everyday(Mon-Fri). Compare to highway, PRIUS has a lower performance when running in town area(18~21km/L; In winter:18~19.5km/L;In summer/Autumn: at the average of 20.2km/L)

Gasoline in Japan=125Yen~130Yen(RM3.95~4.4/L).PRIUS really help me a lot in saving $$.If I want to go back to Malaysia, I am sure that I will import a hybrid car (If I am rich enough, I will buy a LEXUS GS or LS instead of an European car)

Buy a Japanese car(Toyota) means you are buying a car for life. Please feel free to contact me if you want to know more about PRIUS.

I have no regret of buying PRIUS now and also in the future : )

This is not something that we haven't seen happen yet. It is happening now already. This is not like IBM. He stated early on that hybrids will not kick off. and he is now proven right. Hybrid sales were very low from the beginning, and they are now slowing down even.

Although he states that it is not the right time yet to invest in them, nissan is still launching a hybrid soon. so it doesnt mean he doesnt believe in them either.

These would lead the users to resist to change. Let's wait for a while(around 5-7 years where all the bugs and weaknesses of hybrid cars are improved in its reliability and of course, user recommendation on these cars are very important and it is not enough for today to convince any new car buyer to try or change their taste.

Nissan might be investing, but they are lying (for some business reasons). As they might be scouting or spying around what have other companies did.

However, to buy a car with 4.0L diesel engine will cost a lot in the form of the price of the car and the road tax here will clean off your bank acccount in no time.

That's why the G should have thought of it, lower down the road tax and excise duty of diesel cars(cheaper cars ) and let the citizen enjoy big cars which is good in fuel efficient.

the electric motor will run at certain time such as constant speed drive, slow drive. If the car senses any acceleration, the petrol engine will start to power the car or both e-motor and p-engine will run together.

hybrid also not help much on fuel saving & to cover up the cost spent to buy the vehicle.

like what Jason said, the fuel companies sure will buy.bribe the technologies that will save fuel for 50% or more. This is a common sense, if too much save on petrol then sure their gold mines would not make much money for them. they rather buy & keep the projects from the world's knowledge.

i saw a 'Urban legend' documentary on ASTRO, a comsumer bought a car from a dealer, after drove for couple hundreds miles, he observed that the petrol indicator still stick at near full. He thought it was faulty meter unable to give correct reading. So, he drove to petrol station to fill up, amazingly, only 1~2 gallons already fill up the tank. he was so surprised & unbelieable. He tried for another times & refilled then gave the same result. He & his wife so happy & satisfy about the car. The busybody wife was writing a 'thank you' letter to the auto company to thanks them for creating such fantastic good fuel saving car.

After few days of sending the letter, 1 morning the husband saw somebody was open his car front bonet & checking on something, he shouted at the man, then the man quickly took out something from the engine area & run away. the husband check & start the car & nothing strange found. But after that the car become normal fuel sucking car.

The legend behind strongly believe that the prototype car had been accidently send out to the market & they came to collect back the 'fuel saving device'. & i am quite sure the fuel companies bought the project & covered it from the world.