Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, why do all these car manufacturers still pumping out hybrids even though no one's buying them and their supposedly good mpg numbers were all exposed in real life driving. i don't get it, is it because just so they can say they have hybrids in their lineup?

 

Probably because of the CAFE standard.

 

Because eventually economies of scale will make it very profitable. Toyota saw this way back in the late 90s and look at them now.

 

+1, if they do it the RIGHT way - like Toyota - they can be very profitable.

 

Because hybrids are cool

 

1. Because of CAFE (and other similar legislation) that require automakers to lower fleet fuel consumption.

2. Hybrids are a relatively easy way right now to offer higher fuel economy vehicles. Nissan used to licence Toyota's hybrid system for the previous-generation Altima but when that agreement ended, they developed and are selling their own, simple (1-motor) hybrid system.

3. Because other automakers are doing it. Hyunda/Kia want to seen as a major automaker and a force to be reckoned with; they cannot if they do not sell a full line of vehicles, including all-important hybrids.

4. Because there are loyalists who will buy it. Would Kia or Hyundai not want to keep the very few hybrid shoppers in house rather than give them away to Toyota?

5, It is research and development. Why not get paid to conduct R&D by selling the research projects (or getting money from home governments to do so)? They are a stepping stone on the way to truly viable battery-electric vehicles and autonomous vehicles.

 

But the price of that LaFerrari is mind-boggling.

 

Hyundai/KIA have good opportunity to expand their new hybrid powertrain... not sure what is Nissan doing, they dont like spending R&D anyway.

To me, Germans are way more perplexing... they offer all these hybrids but in really they barely sell any.

 

Lexus should have a hybrid sports car by now to compete with those since Toyota is supposed to be way ahead with hybrids, but sadly they don't ......

 

Toyota is only ahead in seamless hybrid powertrain integration or refinement, in everything else competition has caught up with them and in terms of technology some even surpassed them. Toyota didn't do much after previous gen Prius to the point that they are completely stalled today. Plug in attempt was a joke, li-ion battery implementation was just a one off and so on. Right now they are banking on FC for some reason. I remember some VW like PRs ten years ago how by today all of Toyota's vehicles will have a hybrid counterpart and so on, they are saying the same thing right now except the date is 2020.

 

Agreed. The first to pioneer Luxury and Hybrids, 8-Speed Auto's and Hybrid AWD + V8, yet seemingly last to the party

This 'LC500h' needs to hurry up already!

 

500h won't do, at least a 7 to 800h is needed to compete with those

 

Oh you said 'hybrid sports car' not 'hyper hybrid sports car'

LC is supposed to be a 6-Series, SL competitor iirc

So maybe the return of the SC could be a hyper hybrid

 

PR, give the engineers some creative time, maybe learn something, and a nice big tax write off.

 

i'm not a hybrid fan AT ALL. but if i do need one, i'd buy a Toyota as they're proven in this area for last two decades. the other brands have no chance competing against Toyota in this area, so why not concentrate on other areas such as diesels, more compact turbo 4.