Cost of making Hybrids

A recent article in Assemby Magazine details the problems with making the current crop of Hybrid cars. This is a relatively technical article and not for the faint of heart:

http://tinyurl.com/qutqv

We take our cars for granted, especially the complexity and the amazing value we get for our dollar. Consider that a car can be purchased for as little as 10-$12,000 new - about 4x the price of a 200 lb Pellet Stove. When you look at the weight, content, number of parts and spec of each part the miracle becomes apparent. Mass production and decades of R&D have made the standard car reliable and cheap.

Now they have added vast complexity with the hybrid. Until millions of these are produced, the cost of the technology and the assembly will stay high. Kudos to Toyota and Honda for starting on the long journey.