Someday We Will All Be Driving Locomotives

That is, the cars we drive will eventually be diesel-electric hybrids.

Ever since the Ford Reflex concept car I have written to Volvo, Ford, Subaru, Mazda, Honda, and other manufacturers to tell them my family would support any company that is the first to bring a diesel-hybrid station wagon to market. Finally, finally, a major news outlet is covering this topic and it seems we're about to get our wish.

See Newsweek: Not So Dirty

Volvo Is Going To Do It - A Diesel-Electric Hybrid!

This is what I have been waiting for. For an automaker to manufacture a car that is a four-wheel drive plug-in electric hybrid with a biofuel compliant diesel engine all in a station wagon form.

And here it is, via FC: Volvo Offering a Plug-in Diesel Hybrid in 2012

and GCC: Volvo Car Corporation to Introduce Diesel Plug-in Hybrid in Europe in 2012

I just hope the third-row jumper seats are available. It would then be the one car to rule them all.

I have already contacted Volvo in the U.S. to ask that this car be brought stateside.

Female Coyotes + Male Wolves

Via SciAm: Wylie Coywolf: The coyote-wolf hybrid has made its way to the Northeast

Hybrid Hype

The big hype right now is that the Chevy Volt will get 230 mpg in the city!

Wrong.

As calculated at Environmental Economics, the Volt gets 230 mpg if traveling only 51.11 miles, 50 mpg after that.

See: 230 mpg?

And as reported at Edmunds.com: EPA Says It Can't Confirm GM's 230-MPG Fuel Economy Claim for Chevy Volt

For comparison, the new $27k Ford Focus hybrid and the $24k TDI Jetta Sportwagen both get around 42 mpg combined.

Furthermore, Popular Mechanics just tested a BMW diesel against a hybrid Lexus and found the overall mpg differed by 1 mpg; but the diesel was a lot more fun to drive.

See: 2010 Lexus HS250 Hybrid vs. 2010 BMW 335 Diesel 390-Mile Fuel Economy Comparison Test Drive

Is Subaru Planning A Diesel Hybrid?

Wardauto claims they are! If it were a less reputable publication I would be skeptical.

Subaru's Boxer Diesel

...Subaru is linking with Toyota Motor Corp. for the development of a hybrid-electric powertrain for its gasoline and diesel boxer engines.

However, Subaru's iconic all-wheel drive system does not easily adapt to Toyota's front-wheel-drive-based Hybrid Synergy Drive used in the Prius. To counter this, Subaru now is considering utilizing a version of the rear-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain used in the Lexus GS 450h sedan.

A diesel-hybrid Outback should get better mpg than even the 40city/60hwy projected for the 2008 VW Jetta SportWagon.