NO one would have ever dreamt a few years back that hybrid cars would become one of the most popular vehicles in Fiji.
Hybrid cars have become the common mode of transportation, particularly as public service vehicles, such as taxis, and also being highly liked for personal use.
The main reason behind their success is that hybrid vehicles are not only fuel efficient but also environmentally-friendly and help reduce climate change effects.
A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is the combination of conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) propulsion system with an electric propulsion system (hybrid vehicle drivetrain).
Hybrid cars have become popular cars in Fiji, so much so that some enthusiastic car lovers have become the “hybrid gang” who specialise in offering advice and servicing of hybrid cars.
Facts about hybrid cars
These vehicles were developed to progress towards sustainable transportation. Amy Raskin and Saurin Shah’s research The Emergence of Hybrid Vehicles: Ending Oil’s Stranglehold on Transportation and the Economy (June 2006) concluded that “hybrid vehicles will significantly reduce transportation-related oil demand. It will make cars faster, cleaner and safer, as well as more fuel efficient. The next step of hybrid vehicles will be plug-ins. With plug-ins, electricity rather than oil will be the primary energy source for transportation; technology and utility companies will gain the most and oil-related firms will lose the most. Leadership in hybrids will be the key to success in the auto industry”.
This research shows, “the world is on the cusp of major transition to hybrid power vehicles, that use highly efficient electric motors to boost the fuel efficiency of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. It is promising technology that increases energy efficiency substantially, make a broad range of fuels available for powering vehicles, and meaningfully reduce demand for oil from the transportation sector”.
Furthermore, the research explains the demand for hybrid vehicles will increase in the future because of the superiority of these vehicles as they offer faster acceleration, lower CO2 emissions (low level of nitrogen oxides released) and can easily integrate vary of desire safety and luxury electronic systems.
Losalini Vuki’s article in The Fiji Times titled “Hybrid cars” stated “on a flat road, these cars travel by battery (electric) alone with speeds up to 60km per hour. The petrol engine only assists when the car is climbing up the hill and when there is sudden acceleration”.
A hybrid car’s carbon emission is very little in comparison with normal petrol or diesel vehicles.
This helps to reduce the use of fossil fuel in the transportation sector to save the environment and reduces the burden on the nation’s oil importation.
Toyota claims that for “20 years we’ve been part of a quiet revolution” and have as many as 10 million users of hybrid.
Their history with hybrid cars began in 1997 with their pioneering model of Prius, which attracted buyers to use this environment friendly and fuel efficient car.
Toyota hybrid cars save fuel, reduce emissions and even recharge their batteries without being plugged.
They have doubled the power and response as it has two engines: petrol and electric, who work in tandem to produce smooth power and responsive torque.
Toyota claims, “when the hybrid battery runs low, the petrol engine charges it back up again.
And when you brake or coast, that energy is recycled and used to charge the battery. Meaning your car’s battery is always ready and charged!
They provide a smooth and seamless transition between electric and power engine, that makes driving quite relaxing, rewarding and cost-efficient”.
Toyota Motors are the frontrunners in using hybrid technology but other automakers such as Honda also provide hybrid options for the consumers.
Drawbacks of hybrid cars
But not all hybrids are equal. The website, Itstillruns.com, highlights the hybrid drawback in its complex design, making routine maintenance more inconvenient and expensive; secondly, new hybrid cars come with a hefty price tag; the car operates quietly, raising safety issues as it can be a danger for visually impaired pedestrians.
Routine maintenance is required in hybrid cars as similar to gas engine cars, with the change in air filters and oil.
Mostly, an oil change is required between 5000 and 10,000 miles. But hybrid cars have more maintenance issues with the hybrid battery.
The hybrid battery is not always reliable and has very high replacement costs.
Hybrid cars in Fiji
Japan has strict motor-vehicle inspection and high depreciation, making the vehicles’ worth very little after five years and strict environmental-protection regulations and stringent vehicle emission test, led to exportation of Japanese-used vehicles.
These Japanese-used cars are mostly sold via auto auctions by car owners as well as dealers. Fiji is one of the biggest consumers of Japanese-used vehicles.
Despite modest duty on second-hand hybrid vehicles imposed on Fiji from January 1, 2017, the demand of these environment-friendly vehicles has increased manyfolds. The duty was imposed on the basis of engine capacity.
For the benefit of the customers, FRCS has revealed the landing cost of all new and used cars with their chassis, stat value, import duty, import excise duty, luxury vehicle levy, VAT, total duty and CIF total landing cost, applicable on the basis of used or brand new car.
This is a major step to bring transparency and accountability for the benefit of the customers.
Sometimes, the real benefit is not being transferred to the customers because it is difficult to negotiate with the automobile dealers, irrespective of knowing the landing cost.
Mostly, the vehicle name plates in Fiji are made with their number and Fiji written, but sometimes commercial branding is done by automobile dealers by writing their brand tagline.
After looking at all aspects, customers are judicious enough to decide for themselves to buy which vehicle.
* Dr Sakul Kundra and Dr Mumtaz Alam are assistant professors in history at FNU. Views expressed are theirs and not of this newspaper or their employer. For comments or suggestions, email dr.sakulkundra@gmail.com.
