Hybrid Minivans: Soccer Mom's Illusive Dream

Just imagine a car that could seat eight passengers, ample leg room, ample storage space, easy to maneuver (how we hate, or pity, the sight of these moms trying to maneuver into parking spaces in shopping mall’s car parks), consumes less gas and (most of all) less offensive to the environment.  What you are imagining, what these moms are imagining, are hybrid minivans.

HYBRID MINIVANS ARE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND

As early as 2006 (or even way earlier than that) people have been asking around for hybrid minivans.  The demand for this type of fuel efficient, environment friendly vehicle is very obvious but what is confusing is the seemingly lack of interest from the part of the car manufacturers.  Confusing in the sense that you wouldn’t think SUV owners would be more environment and economically conscious than owners of minivans.  One need not be a rocket scientist to figure out that the budget-conscious moms would grab the hybrid minivans faster than any SUV owner in the land.  One starts to question the business sense of these car manufacturers.

Another question that needs to be answered is the seemingly unbalanced promotional perks the United States government is doing to promote the use of hybrid cars in the country.  Perks and incentives such as tax rebates, free parking, and use of car pool lanes are being dangled to would-be hybrid buyers.  However, there seems to be no effort at nudging these car manufacturers (or importers) at making them meet the demand for hybrid minivans.

MOMS WOULD REALLY LOVE TO TRADE IN THEIR SUVS FOR HYBRID MINIVANS

Of all vehicle types, the minivans are generally more useful than sedans or SUVs.  First of all, these are chosen and bought over other cars because of its capacity of carrying more passengers.  More passengers in a single car means less vehicles on the streets as compared to having each person drive his own car—we are talking about car pools.  Soccer moms would love to schedule car pool duties for school better as minivans have much more room, much more comfortable and easier (mom-friendly) to drive than an SUV.  The suspension rides like a car while an SUV rides like a truck (which is what it really is!), and the sliding doors are a gift from heaven for moms with lots of kids.  The word “Hybrid” attached to minivans would further make this a perfect picture.

“HYBRID” MAKES MORE SENSE IN “HYBRID MINIVANS” THAN IN “HYBRID SUVS”  

In prioritizing the “hybridization” of muscle cars like sports utility vehicles over minivans, these car manufacturers appear too boneheaded to figure out the very simple and glaring picture:  SUV owners are do not place the cost of fuel on the first bullet in their list of priorities in buying that kind of vehicle.  It could be image, power (of the vehicle, or of the image it portrays), and the cost of fuel comes later.  If they want to save money, they wouldn’t have bought it in the first place.  They could easily buy a smaller vehicle.

Moms do not buy station wagons or minivans for image, they’d grab hybrid minivans as naturally as how they’d grab disposable diapers in the supermarket for their babies.