Most mothers will tell you that size does matter. In
fact, size is so important to me, that I have continued to stay in a mediocre
relationship, rather than follow my heart and make the love connection that has
consumed me for years – a hybrid.
Toyota released its redesigned Estima Hybrid minivan almost one year ago. This sleekly
shaped van boasts fuel efficiency and emissions equivalent to a compact size
vehicle. This makes my knees buckle. The fact that it seats eight makes me as
giddy as a schoolgirl at an Osmond Brothers concert.
The heartbreaking reality is that the Estima Hybrid is
not available outside of Japan.
Thankfully, the forward thinking folks at the Union of Concerned Scientists have
taken matters into their own hands. They have launched a petition drive in
hopes of securing more than 14,000 signatures to demand that Toyota bring the Estima Hybrid to the United States. Making the Estima available to U.S. drivers
would be a step in the right direction.
While many of us strive to be good stewards of the
environment, it is difficult to balance the every day needs of our children
with the long term goal of saving the world for them. The idea of whizzing past
freeway traffic in an in-line seated pod sounds terrific in theory! But what do
I do when my husband has to unexpectedly work late and I need to pick up the
kids for cello practice? I don’t even want to think about carpooling, field
trips, or the numerous excursions I have to make to deliver kids and caboodle
from point A to point B.
I have only been at Automotive X Prize for a short time,
but I have spoken with many potential participants and noted numerous guideline
comments. Some ideas are attainable, others, I am afraid, we may never see.
But, to me, the most appealing thing about the AXP is its real world
application. There is an actuality that we can have it all --fuel efficiency,
low emissions, and room for Fido -- and we won’t have to wait a decade to sit
in the driver’s seat. Mom’s of the world are waiting!
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