With concerns of a sagging economy, it may be hard to convince people to spend the extra money for a hybrid car, even if people are concerned about the environment.
But the price difference between hybrids and standards is getting smaller every year, said John-Paul Farag, an advanced technology and powertrain consultant for Toyota.
“When you think about it, the initial investment is not all that much, especially when you look at the potential for savings down the road especially when it comes to fuel consumption,” said Farag.
Farag is not overly concerned about the cars being a tough sell.
“Fuel prices have come down recently, but most Canadians understand that this is a short term thing,” he said.
With several members of Parliament and members of Natural Resources Canada on hand, Toyota Canada unveiled new hybrid models here Monday.
“These are vehicles that need opinion leaders behind them to really demonstrate that the technology is ready for prime time and that they represent the future of policy direction for the automobile,” said Stephen Beatty, managing director of Toyota Canada. “With the Obama administration in the U.S. pledging new fuel economy standards for 2011, it’ll be cars like these that will be important to meeting those standards.”
