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The difference between a conventionally powered car that gets ~40mpg and a hybrid that does so? About $7000. And no $3000 battery packs to replace in a few years.
I'm not big in hybrids myself but if the majority of your driving is done in stop and go traffic (traffic jams, city stop signs and stop lights) the hybrid will return superior mileage versus a conventional drive train.
Gosh, I don't even know how to calculate my average MPH. Speed limit is 65 on the highway (In my state), and its 30 on most residential streets but if I'm stuck in traffic it can be much less. I suppose it depends on whether I'm stuck in town or on a long highway drive.
Uhhh, what was the question again?
The cars computer typically keeps track of average mph for you. Mine is surprisingly low since I only commute 2 miles in traffic to the train station.
The difference between a conventionally powered car that gets ~40mpg and a hybrid that does so? About $7000. And no $3000 battery packs to replace in a few years.
You don't have to replace batteries in a few years. That's a myth. With the prius, for example, almost all the batteries that needed replacing were due to manufacturer defects and within warranty. Good batteries show very little to no wear in 10 years based on tests measuring the performance of the car.
Hybrids used to make more sense when the IRS was paying the difference. Now it's a hit or miss depending on which one you buy.
Is there still a federal tax credit for hybrid vehicles? Maybe that will make up for the difference and then some. I know if you buy a Nissan Leaf (100% elec) you get something like $7,000 tax credit.
They original federal tax credits expired in 2010. There are some for plugins now.
First, one has to decide which is more important--city fuel economy or highway fuel economy. There are some current model non-hybrid vehicles that will get or exceed 40 mpg on the highway, but none that will achieve that in city driving. In warm weather, a hybrid like a Prius will achieve 40 mpg or more in city driving and may approach 50 mpg in highway driving. In colder weather, the gasoline engine in a hybrid must run much more to warm up, and, as a result, a hybrid's fuel economy will usually be considerably less in winter. Of course, that latter point is also usually true for a non-hybrid vehicle.
Second, one has to analyze cost and reliability. Hybrids universally have a higher initial cost than a similar non-hybrid vehicle. One has to analyze the initial cost difference carefully, however. For example, a Prius may cost $7K more than, say, a Yaris or Corolla, but the Prius has numerous standard features and amenities in addition to its hybrid powertrain that would be optional on a Yaris or Corolla. Compare apples to apples in features, and the hybrid price difference may be around $3K. As to reliability, the Prius, for one, has an exemplary reliability record with few failures related to the battery pack. While replacing a battery pack is expensive, a couple of out-of-warranty electronic systems failures on a non-hybrid model can cost as much to repair as a new battery pack would cost.
Third, one can evaluate a diesel option rather than a hybrid. Unfortunately, the only diesel vehicles sold in the US that offer fuel economy that equals or approaches that of a hybrid are Volkswagen's TDI models. While it is true that VW's diesel technology has been around for a long time and is well-proven, the overall reliability record of the rest of the vehicle has been less than stellar over the years. Fuel economy of a diesel is also a little different. A diesel engine will get generally better fuel economy than a comparable gas engine vehicle in city driving, but generally a little worse than a comparable hybrid. On the highway, a diesel vehicle can get as good or better fuel economy than a comparable hybrid. The rub is that diesel fuel currently costs about 20% more than gasoline and that must be taken into account in cost per mile calculations. Also, while a diesel engine will generally cost less than a hybrid in initial cost, it will usually have around a $2K-$4K initial cost premium over comparable non-hybrid gasoline vehicle. I personally prefers diesels, but VW's less than stellar repair records and what, for me, has been unsatisfactory dealings with several of their dealers causes me not to recommend them. Chevrolet may come out with a diesel version of the Cruze (I say "may" because GM has had a nasty habit for several years of saying they will sell various diesel models in the US and then never doing it) and Mazda says they will market a diesel version of the their Mazda 3--the Mazda looking like a pretty intriguing diesel model, based upon what I've read about it.
Very good info so far. My wife has had 2 hybrids and even though I like the sonata it's not exactly worth the extra cost over the non hybrid. If you don't mind the looks of a Prius then that's the way to go money wise over any high mpg non hybrid car.
I have a 2007 Elantra which I purchased brand new for $4,500 under sticker here in LA, and I'm very happy with it.
I also love the Sonata, but the price differential makes no sense to me if I were going to buy a new one, since I only drive 11,000-12,000 miles a year.
Check out the new Elantra; a fully loaded one including Bluetooth stickers for just under $19K, and the hwy MPG estimate is 40 MPG.
Is there still a federal tax credit for hybrid vehicles? Maybe that will make up for the difference and then some. I know if you buy a Nissan Leaf (100% elec) you get something like $7,000 tax credit.
AFAIK the only hybrid that qualifies as the Volt, and only because it meets the technical definition of an electric car (16kwh battery capacity). What's more, it's a nonrefundable credit, meaning you won't get money back over and above your total income tax liabiity. Since few households have an income tax bill of $7,500 or more, few buyers will actually get to take full advantage of the tax credit.
The difference between a conventionally powered car that gets ~40mpg and a hybrid that does so? About $7000. And no $3000 battery packs to replace in a few years.
I agree, only differences i see are price and a car full of batteries.
Go check out some of the 40mpg cars and see what you think.
A lot of driving economy comes down to your driving style, most cars can get better fuel economy by smoother and slower driving styles..
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