Hybrid Vehicles
Have you pulled your car up to the gas pump lately and been shocked by the high price of gasoline? As the pump clicked past $20, $30, $40 or even $50, maybe you thought about trading in your car for something that gets better mileage. Or maybe you're worried that your car is contributing to the greenhouse effect. The auto industry has the technology to address these concerns. It's the hybrid car. There are a lot of models on the market these days, and most automobile manufacturers have announced plans to manufacture their own versions.
Toyota Camry Hybrid  |
 |
Price (MSRP) $25,900 |
Toyota Camry  |
 |
Price (MSRP) $18,270 |
Hybrid Emissions and Benefits
When buying a hybrid car you are doing several good things at once. Today's hybrid technology is marketed by several important benefits. One of these benefits is increased fuel economy. Hybrid cars save their owners hundreds of dollars each yeah in gas money! Not only that, but hybrid cars produce about 80% less harmful pollutants and greenhouse gases when compared to standard vehicles. All of this comes out to saving you gas money, helping out mother nature to take care of your generations to come as well as easing your country's dependency on foreign oil.
Honda Civic |
Honda Insight |
Toyota Prius |
|
| City MPG | 48 |
57 |
60 |
| Highway MPG | 47 |
56 |
51 |
| Emissions | 4.1 tons |
3.5 tons |
3.5 tons |
Honda Accord |
Nissan Altima |
Toyota Camry |
|
| City MPG | 48 |
57 |
60 |
| Highway MPG | 47 |
56 |
51 |
| Emissions | 4.1 tons |
3.5 tons |
3.5 tons |
So do hybrids REALLY save money?
Well, this is a good question. With rising gas prices and hefty tax credits a lot of consumers feel that they are making the right decision to buy a hybrid car to save money, right? Well, this is not entirely true.From the financial point of view, there are only a few hybrid vehicles that will save you money in the end. What do I mean by saying in the end? It will take you, in the best case, at least two years to start saving money with a hybrid vehicle. And this is not just any hybrid, but certain models of hybrids. Also, a lot of hybrid vehicles come with many bells and whistles that are not available on the stock same model cars. If you were to up these options on the stock vehicles, the price difference of the hybrid and a non-hybrid will be reduced even further.
Information below was taken from www.edmunds.com and it shows you some comparisons between different hybrid models. For a more detailed explanation please click here.
| Year/Make/Model | Years to Break Even | |
|
15,000 miles/year | 25,000 miles/year |
| 2007 Saturn Vue vs. 2007 Saturn Vue Greenline |
5.7 | 3.4 |
| 2007 Ford Escape XLT vs. 2007 Ford Escape Hybrid |
2.9 | 1.7 |
| 2007 Mercury Mariner vs. 2007 Mercury Mariner Hybrid |
7.8 | 4.7 |
| 2006 Honda Civic EX vs. 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid |
6.1 | 3.7 |
| 2006 Honda Accord EX V6 vs. 2006 Honda Accord Hybrid |
11.3 | 6.8 |
| 2006 Toyota Corolla LE vs. 2006 Toyota Prius |
13.6 | 8.2 |
| 2007 Toyota Camry LE vs. 2006 Toyota Prius |
2.1 | 1.2 |
| 2007 Toyota Camry XLE vs. 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid |
5.8 | 3.5 |
| 2007 Toyota Camry LE V6 vs. 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid |
8.2 | 4.9 |
| 2006 Toyota Highlander Limited vs. 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited |
15.5 | 9.3 |
| 2007 Lexus RX 350 vs. 2006 Lexus RX 400h |
13.6 | 8.2 |
| 2006 Lexus GS 430 vs. 2007 Lexus GS 450h |
15.1 | 9.1 |
