Discussion: Why do we not have hybrid minivans in the US?

Sources: Toyota Japan, Honda USA

We recently came to a point in our lives where it just made sense to go out and shop for a new minivan. We have never bought a new vehicle before and were not sure what to expect. In fact, a 10 year old car for us was a "new" car.

Everyone has different needs at different times in life and there's usually a vehicle that fits just about any of those needs across a wide spectrum. One of the first thoughts I had was to look into a hybrid gas/electric vehicle. I mean, hybrid technology has been around for the better part of a decade now, surely this technology would have found it's way into the minivan category. Much to my surprise, however, this is simply not an option in the US at this point.

This raises some questions:
1. Is the technology not there yet to make this feasible?
2. Is the market not asking for it?
3. Are there political reasons as to why this has not occurred?

There is no doubt (at least in my mind), that the EV is here to say and will likely become mainstream. So there has to be some explanation as to why we have not seen the hybrid/electric minivan reach the market.

I then heard from a good friend of mine who was in the same situation as me recently (we both have a wife, three kids, and one on the way) and recounted a much similar story. He then sent me these links:

http://www.alphard.com.hk/index_en.html#hybrid
http://www.toyota.com/esq/pdf/hwt-vehicle-cards.pdf

So, they do exist...in Japan...apparently, and for almost 13 years! Where has the US been?

Let's take a quick look at the specs of the 2014 Toyota Estima which I think is catering more toward the budget-minded according to Toyota.
- Price: $34,190 (¥3,918,437)
- Fuel Economy: 40-42 MPG (17-18 KM/L)

I need to do more research, but there's got to be a perfectly reasonable explanation for this. I mean, this is roughly how much we spent on the 2015 Honda Odyssey EX which specs like this.
- Price: $32,275
- Fuel Economy: 19-28 MPG

If I had the option between the two vehicles mentioned above, I would have chosen the 2014 Toyota Estima for sure, simply due to the savings in fuel.

I want to hear all of your thoughts and what you may know about the state of hybrid/electric minivans in the US (or lack thereof) and if you would buy one if you had the chance. Sound off below!

News and Upcoming Content and Changes!

Okay, I have let this this site sit for too long and I want to keep it alive and active. I have already changed the look a little bit with hopes of better navigation and content discovery. Life has been crazy as usual, but that is no excuse, especially with all the gear I have been able to get my hands on. So here's what I envision:

1. Minimum one post per week.
2. Minimum one review per month.
3. Minimum one video review via my YouTube Channel (which is embarrassingly empty).
4. Comment and user interaction.

Still trying to decide how I want to organize everything, but I would like to be able to have a review section, a discussion on technology section, and whatever relevant section I can come up with. I will be experimenting with different layouts and am always open to suggestions.

I have bought some gear for myself recently and may just start from there to help those looking for technology that can help in their day-to-day lives. I have also been looking at up-and-coming technologies and what they could possibly mean to us. Let's just say I have been doing a lot of research EV (Electric Vehicles).

Thanks for reading and I look forward to sharing more technology with each of you!