Are Hybrid Cars Right for You – The Advantages of Owning One

Many people today now think that it is impractical to own a car. With the rising gasoline prices coupled with a poorly performing economy, you too would think twice before purchasing a car. You’d rather get a bike or just use the public transportation system to get around the city. However, have you ever considered that there are cars today that are very fuel
efficient? These cars are called hybrid cars.

So, just what exactly is a hybrid car?

First and foremost, a hybrid car is just like your ordinary car. However, instead of having only one motor to propel the car, it will have two motors. One is a gasoline motor that you will normally find in all conventional cars, and the other is an electric motor.

By combining these two motors, this particular car will have better gas mileage. It will also have batteries installed that power the electric motor. In the past, these batteries were charged by plugging it in your conventional home electric outlet. However, later models were developed where more advanced batteries were installed and is charged using the car’s wasted energy. The energy used is from the gasoline engine and also the energy that would normally be lost during braking or decelerating.

Depending on certain factors, the car will use either the gasoline or the electric engine. Factors include the speed the car is currently running. Sometimes, the car will even use both systems to provide extra boost to the car without using too much extra fuel.

The result would be better gas mileage and less carbon dioxide emissions compared to conventional cars that is only powered by a conventional gasoline engine. For example, the 2006 Honda Civic gets about 50 miles to the gallon on the highway. When compared to the 2003 Honda Civic model, the 2006 model is 14 miles to the gallon better. So, in every 12,000 miles, you will be able to save 69 gallons of gasoline as well as 258 pounds of carbon dioxide in a year.

If you are the type of person who is concerned about the environment and you also want to save money on gasoline, then hybrid cars is for you. With this car, you will be able to enjoy better gas mileage, which will allow you to save a lot of money on gasoline.
Also, you will be doing the environment a favor as you will have a car that emits lower levels of carbon dioxide which contributes to global warming.

However, you have to keep in mind that hybrid cars today can cost about 5 thousand dollars more than a conventional car of the same type or weight class.

Although this may seem heavy for some people, you have to remember that in the long run, getting a hybrid vehicle can be a lot cheaper.

Not only will you enjoy better gas mileage, but you will also see that the government is providing huge tax breaks for people who own hybrid cars.

Many people fear that hybrid cars are very costly to maintain or repair. Also, they fear that the insurance cost will be a lot higher than in conventional cars. However, research has shown that the maintenance cost for hybrid vehicles are no higher than conventional cars. And, because hybrid car owners are less likely to be involved in vehicular accidents, insurance companies today are now offering discounts to owners of hybrid cars.

So, if you are ever on the market for a car, you might want to consider hybrid cars. With this, you will not only enjoy huge savings on gasoline and tax breaks, but you will also contribute a lot on the environment. Remember these things and you will be able to know if hybrid cars are definitely for you.