Hybrid thoughts

[ghini]

I did some quick math replying to Marthas journal. thought you might find it interesting:

If you go to http://www.fueleconomy.gov you can compare a regular civic with a hybrid civic.

A regular plain-vanilla Civic costs about $13,500 and has an estimated $908 a year in fuel costs. A hybrid civic costs $19,000 and has $658 in fuel costs. Both these are based on driving 15,000 miles a year.

The difference in cost is $5500. The difference in yearly gas costs is $312. At that rate, you would have to drive the Hybrid for 17.5 years before the money you save in gas is greater than they extra money you paid for a hybrid. If you drive less than 15,000 miles a year, then it's even longer. Even if gas prices double, it's still 8.75 years driving the same car. There are a lot of 9 year old Civics on the road. No one is sure if a Hybrid will last that long.

I'm sure in 20 years almost all new cars will be hybrids, or something similar. Right now they are like computers and digital cameras. Give them 3 years or so and there will probably be something new and better.

Comments

[fuzbal.livejournal.com]

dont forget you usually get a tax break on having such a car as well.

[uglor.livejournal.com]

It varies wildly by state. California has a tax break for hybrids, but only if they get over a certain MPG. I think it is 30, but I'm not sure. Ford is mad because they are coming out with a hybrid Explorer which gets double the gas mileage, but is just under the mpg limit. So in Cali, even with a hybrid that gets double the mileage of a regular model, no tax break.

[leezechka.livejournal.com]

thats because it is a truck, and stills gets worse mileage than regular sedans.

out here, the hybrids also get HOV access with single drivers

[plantyhamchuk.livejournal.com]

nice, only zero emission vehicles get the HOV lane here.

[leezechka.livejournal.com]

i find it sad that you have to bribe people that way, but if it works, I am for it. Like Uglor, i am giving it a couple more years, i want them to get a little better and stop looking all funky.