Are Hybrids Worth The Money?

Many experts are indicating the extra cost for a hybrid car is not justified by gas savings.

Many four cylinder vehicles get great gas mileage like the Saturn.

However, Toyota is planning to lower the cost of their hybrid which is known as the Prius.



http://www.toyota.com/prius/

http://money.cnn.com/2005/01/12/pf/autos/autoshow_hybrids/

 

Do they really need to? The Prius has strong sales and if you can find one for the actual MSRP (which is possible in certain parts of the country), you get a deal compared to a similarly equipped/sized car.

 

What worries me is that great big heavy battery.

How many charge/discharge cycles is that thing really good for?

What's it going to cost to replace it? How will we dispose of the old one?

 

Orchids, if you have an assistant named Archie. For automobiles, only if you like being ahead of an undiscovered curve.

 

Hybrids not for everyone

Hybrids work best for urban dwellers as conversely they get better city than highway mileage. Even then you have to put on a lot of miles to make up the difference. If you are a low mileage driver you may never make it up. They are a waste of time for people like me. A diesel makes far more sense for the person who puts on a lot of highway miles....

 

And the great big heavy amperage.

 

Subsidies. Therein rubs the lie.

 

Dodge Charger Hybrid

"The Charger Hybrid- It BURNS Gas AND Rubber."

 

Re: Hybrids not for everyone

CNN had an article about that this morning. The criteria used in the article for comparing a hybrid -vs- gas version of a particular car was 15,000 miles of annual driving for a period of five years.

http://money.cnn.com/2005/09/23/Autos/hybrid_alternatives/index.htm

 

My wife and I bought a 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid and so far we love it. Compared to other SUVs, the gas mileage is better. We average 34 on the highway and 29 in the city. For some reason, we dont get the mileage the EPA says we will. I do realize that those are estimates. So far, so good.

 

Consumers Digest

Consumers Digest did a study and found very few cars get the mileage claimed. However, the hybrid's actual really stank when compared to claimed mileage. The reason given by CD was that the test used to establish the stated mileage bore no relationship ti how the average driver drives. In the case of the hybrids the bench test was even less realistic when compared to real driving.

One point, many of the new SUV and luxury hybrids are losing some of the perks traditionally given by some states to owners of hybrids (tax breaks and access HO lanes for example). The reason given is that their mileage is easily beaten by a compact car so their is now real benefit to them........

 

Efficient, small diesels are also worth checking out. Volkswagen is about the only option in the US right now.

 

21 in the city and 26 on the highway and 21,000 dollars for the SUV. Oh well. It will be paid for in 3 years, soooo.

 

Saw news report recently that claimed gas mileage was inflated by all auto companies.

 

I get what was reported.

I actually get what my manufacturer reports.

I have a Chevy Cavalier that gets 33 miles to the gallon highway.

My girlfriend drives a Saturn a she gets higher than reported gas mileage at 40 miles to the gallon highway. However, she drives very slow and doesn't have a lead foot.
Report

 

It is difficult to make a financial argument in favor of hybrids. The cost savings due to lower fuel usage (relative to other cars in their respective classes) hardly comes close to the higher costs. Also, we still don't know the long-term implications of battery life and replacement. Finally, as noted so eloquently above, there are other alternatives like diesel.

I think a stronger argument (though not strong enough) can be made for the kinds of hybrids found in the Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, and Honda Civic. In these vehicles, the electric motor is the lead driver, while the gas engine kicks in to assist. Thus, they have great mileage, especially in the city. But other hybrids, like the Honda Accord, are based mostly on the gasoline engine; the electric motor kicks in to add horsepower. As such, their mileage isn't much better than their traditional counterparts.

One significant incentive in the Northern Virginia area is the right for drivers of hybrids to drive in HOV lanes alone. This is a huge advantage in a very congested area. But not all hybrids qualify. Honda Civics and Insights (and Toyota Priuses) yes, Honda Accords, Lexus, and Ford Escapes no--for the reasons above.

I'm thrilled with the attempts at alternative fuels--biodiesel and the like. And I'm glad some (not all) hybrids are real attempts at fuel savings. But I'm still not convinced, so I bought a 2006 BMW 330i, enjoying the better-than-most-in-its-class MPG (20/30). Oh, and it's a cool car, too.

 

Or.... we can all do what my somewhat idealistic new age nephew did and convert an old diesel pickup truck to run on waste cooking oil grease. He did it, and ran it from Vermont to New Mexico, stopping at various restaurants and McDonalds along the way to "gas up". I can imagine the reaction he got with his shoulder length hair, piercings, and birkenstock attitude when he approached those redneck town restaurant owners. Priceless. That's what it is... PRICELESS.

 

BTW, I just got back from 2 weeks in Holland and The Netherlands, where gas is more than 7 dollars per gallon. Diesels (and turbo diesels) are extremely common. So are bicycles!