Pros & Cons Of Owning A Hybrid
With the advent of the new Hyundai hybrid version of the popular 2011 Sonata arriving in the new-car marketplace, it bears repeating that choosing a hybrid motor vehicle over a conventional gasoline-powered motor vehicle is not a simple matter. Hybrids boast advantages over conventional vehicles in a number of respects, but there are also disadvantages to be considered when buying a hybrid. Compact hybrid vehicles have been on American roads since the introduction of the first-generation Honda Insight and Toyota Prius models in the early 2000s.
Over time, these automakers refined hybrid technology and introduced it into more compact and midsized models, such as the Honda Hybrid Civic and the Toyota Hybrid Camry, even as other automakers, such as Nissan, Ford, and General Motors, were introducing a number of hybrid vehicles of their own — in some cases, “greening” large sport-utility vehicles with enough power to haul a trailer or a hybrid camper.
Thus, today one can find hybrid models at almost anywhere on the price and size spectrum, from a compact 2010 Honda Insight at an average price of around $20,000, to a hybrid GM Cadillac Escalade SUV at an average price about $75,000, to a Lexus LS luxury sedan at a suggested retail price of $110,000. What is good about owning a hybrid?
First, depending on the make and model, one can potentially claim a federal income-tax credit after acquiring a hybrid vehicle, although this perk is limited to those who buy models offered by automakers who are relatively new to the American hybrid market, such as General Motors and Nissan; current Toyota and Honda models do not qualify for such tax incentives.
Second, hybrid vehicles are entitled to occupy high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lanes of major highways in some cities and states regardless of how many passengers are being carried, which can cut minutes off one’s commute. Also, hybrid vehicles, as a rule, produce less noise and emit fewer greenhouse gases and pollutants than similar conventional motor vehicles, and almost inevitably use less gasoline than comparable standard vehicle models. That difference can yield a sense of pride in hybrid owners, who may chuckle when they pass gas-guzzling vehicles parked at service-station pumps, in the throes of being refueled yet again.
Yet buying a hybrid, and owning one thereafter, is not always a bed of roses. There is not much of an external difference between a 2010 Honda Civic hybrid version and a 2010 Honda Civic conventional version apart from labeling, but at an average price of $27,750 for a trim including a navigation system and leather interior, the hybrid version represents at least a $3,000 cost increase before leaving the lot. And after leaving the lot, a hybrid vehicle may require expensive repairs over the course of its lifetime — repairs that conventional automobile mechanics often are reluctant to perform, necessitating often costly dealer service.
For example, a Nissan Altima hybrid owner who transports her vehicle from, say, California to a state with more relaxed emission standards than those in which such vehicles are typically sold (say, Tennessee) may have to travel hundreds of miles just to obtain service. What is more, hybrid automobiles typically require special parts when systems fail, which are often not made in sufficient bulk quantities by multiple suppliers to make their prices competitive, leading to potential sticker shock after one’s new hybrid’s vehicle warranties have expired.
Finally, the same quiet engines that hybrid-car manufacturers tout can be dangerous, even deadly, when children or blind persons who may be unaware of such a vehicle’s approach and who unwittingly cross its path. Hybrid vehicles, once absent from American highways and byways, are increasingly prevalent as more motorists succumb to the attraction of owning one. However, as in many things, the Latin maxim caveat emptor — “let the buyer beware” — certainly applies.
Deciding to buy any motor vehicle, including a hybrid, should never be undertaken lightly, and one would do well to consider the pluses and minuses of hybrid-automobile ownership before making a final decision to purchase one.
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Hybrid Trucks: Are They For You?
With hybrid vehicles becoming more and more common, the trend has eventually caught onto trucks produced by the automotive industry. For the purposes of fuel saving, emission reduction, and even enhanced power delivery the hybrid serves as an excellent platform for trucks to be built around. With the improved horsepower delivered by some hybrid drive-trains, it is a sensible choice to pick a hybrid vehicle for trucks, especially when expecting to move loads.
When shopping for hybrid trucks, there are considerations to be made such as the make, model, and year. However, the market is mainly focused around the GMC and Cadillac makes such as the Yukon and Escalade. Both of these makes have been excellent sellers, and have been proven to be solid and dependable vehicles which are able to move loads, and be perfectly capable of every day transportation usage. Along with the GMC and Cadillac models, Chevrolet produces a number of their own models such as the Tahoe, which also perform very well.
Regardless of the make and model, people shopping for a hybrid truck should focus on the engineering behind the name. GMC/Chevrolet models rely upon a mild hybrid drive-train, which still focuses on the gas powered engine for the purpose of primary power, this results in fuel economy not being much better than that of a conventional diesel powered truck. Designs produced by Cadillac however have an active assist which reduces the fuel required for general operation of the vehicle.
Choosing a hybrid vehicle should rely upon the internal workings of the vehicle, and the workings will play a major role in the economy delivered by the vehicle. Overall, when choosing hybrid trucks, it should be noted by the driver if the truck will fit their needs, if the miles per gallon delivered by the given truck surpass that delivered by a conventional gas or diesel design, and if the design of the truck is efficient to begin with.
If a hybrid truck is purchased which is poorly designed, the truck may produce just as much or more pollution than another conventional truck, or it could simply be a waste of money for the consumer, considering that the price-tag on hybrid vehicles is much higher than that of a conventional vehicle. When those factors are accounted for, that is when a hybrid truck can truly be considered an excellent purchase which would benefit both the driver’s finances, and the world’s ecology. Remember, design, price, efficiency, and purpose make for a good choice.
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