Hybrid Cars
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About Hybrids
- Hybrids are vehicles propelled by some combination of electric and gasoline-fueled power, as opposed to traditional gas-only models.
- Hybrids save gas.
- Hybrid cars most benefit city cars: The main fuel-saving feature-- switching to electric power at any speed below 30 mph -- is ideal for the normally gas-guzzling stop-and-go commute.
- A fuel-powered vehicle gets from 10-20 miles per gallon in the city; a hybrid easily gets up to 45 mpg.
- Ford and Toyota both perform well on electric reserves at slow speeds. Honda fared better at higher speeds.
- Sticker shock (hybrids tend to be pricier than normal models) is off-set in the long term by gas savings. And the price of hybrids should go down as more models become available.
- Hybrids save gas without sacrificing power or convenience.
- All -electric cars, the costlier clean-energy fad before hybrids, perform poorly vis-a-vis fuel powered vehicles, and require charging in a wall outlet.
- Hybrid cars promote responsible consumerism.
- Fuel-efficient technology helps decrease dependence on foreign oil and cuts down on environmentally harmful energy use.
- As such, the federal government and some states offer great perks to reward driving a hybrid.
Things to Consider
- MPG
- MPG v. Price -- Calculate your average mileage and find a model that will provide the best value for your driving habits.
- City MPG v. Highway MPG -- What's the nature of your commute?
- Real MPG -- Consult this GreenHybrid Guide to mean, median and middle 50% mileage on top models.
- Fuel efficiency v. added performance -- Some manufacturers use the added power of hybrid to improve performance instead of saving fuel.
- Tax incentives -- The federal government is offering tax incentives to consumers who purchase hybrids. Figure out how much you can save.
- States are also giving hybrid owners perks that include free parking permits, free tolls, and inspection exemptions.
- How much hybrid?
- Full or strong hybrids, such as the Prius and Escape hybrids, are mostly electrical cars with computers that shift to gasoline when needed.
- Assist hybrids, such as the Honda hybrids, cannot run on electricity alone, instead using an electric motor to aid the engine in functions that require extra energy.
- Mild hybrids are arguably not hybrids at all. They save energy not by shifting to electric power, but by allowing drivers to shut off the engine when not needed (at red lights, for example) and start up again in no time at all.
External LInks
- Hybrid vehicle (Wikipedia article) -- Mostly mechanical information about the vehicles, with some history and links.
- GreenHybrid.com - A site (now owned by CarDirect.com) that promotes the environmental angle of hybrids; has some nifty comparison charts and useful discussions in the forums.
- How Hybrid Cars Work -- A layman's guide to understanding gas-electric combos.
- Hybrid Comparison Data -- More info on the top models, highlighting MPG and key features.
- Hybrid Cars -- Monitors the progress of hybrids and gas prices, with a special eye on oil politics.
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