7 Slides That Give You The Skinny on Owning a Hybrid
To hybrid, or not to hybrid?
1. You'll Save More Gas
Owning a hybrid can fill you with a sense of good. Good that you are lessening your carbon footprint. Good that you will be joining a group of people who care about things and entering a community of automotive do-gooders. But, the biggest sense of good you will be filled with is the satisfaction of a vast increase in your gas mileage. Hybrid cars can increase the mileage over their gas counterparts as much as 40 to 50 mpg in some cases.
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2. Resale Value
Another bonus of owning a hybrid that doesn't get enough attention is the fact that they are wonderful at holding their value. That great value will go a long way now that more of the world has come around to hybrids and electric vehicles. Know that now and in the future, there will be even more people clamoring to shake off their gasoline shackles in favor of a more environmentally friendly vehicle.
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3. Slower performance
Unfortunately, there is a trade-off with owning the entry level hybrid vehicles due to the slightly anemic pickup you'll find when you press the throttle. A good number of people know that there is a compromise going into owning one of these as the alternative to the amazing gas mileage they'll get. This should start to melt away as the auto industry expands the range of subsets of hybrid vehicles so that those who wish to own a peppier hybrid can do so.
For those with a larger spending budget, there is the LS 600h L that does 0-60 in 5.6 seconds which is nothing to sneeze at for a sedan of its size. Remember that compromise I spoke about earlier? To get those numbers, the LS 600h L has an NA V8 engine and gets a combined 20 mpg.
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4. Battery Replacement
If you plan on owning your hybrid for the long haul or want to skip the depreciation by buying slightly used, then you should think about how to handle the battery when the lifespan is over. Thanks to the lifespan of the Prius, there is a strong amount of information for owners to draw upon for reference. However, the collective automotive history for hybrid battery reliability is still limited and it is pretty difficult to see how various battery systems will do in the far off future. Consumer Reports note that Toyota sells replacement batteries for $2,300 to $2,600 if and when you do need to buy a new unit.
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5. Less Maintenance
Another thing that most people don't really think about when pondering a hybrid is that the gas portion of the engine ranges between not running at all to running slowly. Therefore, there is far less wear and tear on the engine and you only need to change the oil around every 5,000 miles. Engine aside, the brakes will last longer since the regenerative braking system in a hybrid will be used instead of a standard braking system. That is, if you don't have to brake suddenly.
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6. Not All Hybrids Were Created Equal
In the world of hybrids, there are full and mid models as they have to do with the gasoline engine's activity. In a mid hybrid, the gasoline engine will shut off when the car has come to a stop and the car is unable to run solely on its electric motor. If you are looking at hybrids across platforms, be sure to find out as much as you can before getting serious with a particular model. For instance, on the Honda Insight, the heat and A/C won't come on when the gasoline engine is stopped. If you live in a colder climate, then take a moment to imagine a life where you cannot stay warm every time you come to a full stop.
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7. Cold Weather Caveats
The EPA states that experiencing a 31-34% loss in efficiency is not uncommon for cold weather driving. This means that if you are used to getting around 41 miles per gallon you can see that number drop down to a range of 26-29 if you are traveling in 20-degree weather. If you'd like to use the heater, defroster, or heated seats just remember that those will also decrease your MPG range. To combat the negative aspects of driving during the winter months, there are a few things you will have to do. Drive less, park in a garage whenever possible, don't let the car idle to "warm" it up overly long, and remove any racks or exterior attachments.
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For information on maintenance and repairs, visit our How-to section here.