Hybrid Cars - Hydrogen car information

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Hybrid Cars.

Hybrid Cars is an article that will talk about hybrid cars, hybrid cars pros and cons, and our recommendations to the best hybrid cars.

Hybrid Cars

How to Choose the Right Hybrid Car for You

With fuel prices spiralling, deciding on purchasing hybrid cars has become a major discussion point. However, although the term may indicate what a ‘hybrid car’ is, not many persons know enough about hybrids. This article will however serve to explain what they are and the advantages and disadvantages of going hybrid.

What are Hybrid cars?

As the name suggests hybrid cars use a combination of different power sources to get a vehicle moving. The most popular types of hybrid cars use both a gasoline and an electric engine. Some hybrids utilize a combination of electricity and diesel, such as the 2009 Volvo C30. Most hybrids use the gasoline engine to start and stop while the actual driving is done using the electric engine.

What are the advantages of hybrid cars?

The main advantage of hybrid cars as noted above is reduced fuel costs. Other benefits of hybrid cars are:

They emit less carbon dioxide into the air. Research has shown that some hybrids have up to 50 percent fewer emissions.
Hybrids offer better gas mileage
In some states, hybrid car owners qualify for tax-free incentives, although this will end in 2010.
Hybrids employ a technology known as ‘regenerative braking’, which means that energy which is lost during stopping is saved in a storage battery for later use.
The tires on hybrids are specially built to increase efficiency and conserve energy.

What are the disadvantages of hybrid cars?

It should be noted that the consensus is that the disadvantages are far outweighed by the advantages.

Cost – in general, hybrids are much more expensive that regular cars, many running from $2000 - $7000 more, but the belief is that they make up for this difference over time with the amount saved on gas.
Hybrids have less acceleration power, which can be problematic in situations where quick acceleration is necessary.
Because of the intricate makeup of hybrid vehicles they can only be worked on by mechanics with specialized training, incurring additional costs.
Spare parts are more expensive and sometimes harder to source.
More electrical wiring means that there is greater risk of coming in contact with high-voltage electricity in case of an accident.

Types of Hybrid cars

One of the most popular types of hybrid cars is the Toyota Prius. Toyota also offers the Camry and the Highlander SUV.

Honda has a number of hybrids including the Insight, Civic and Accord. These are also big sellers on the hybrid car market.

Lexus has also gone into the hybrid car market with its GS 450h.

How to choose the right hybrid for you

For someone seeking a hybrid motorcar that is fuel-efficient, the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight are your best bets. The popular Prius gives 50 miles to the gallon, while the Insight gives around 68 miles per gallon. However, the Honda Insight will no longer be made as of September 2008 due to poor sales.

SUV lovers can have their pick from the following line up of hybrid SUVs:

Ford Escape
Lexus RX 400h
Mercury Mariner
Toyota Highlander
Saturn Vue

Other SUV hybrids currently being developed are the Acura RD-X and the BMW X5 hybrid model.

Those who want not only a hybrid, but one that is luxurious as well, will find something among the three top offerings at this time. The Lexus GS 450h lives up to the Lexus brand name where luxury is concerned, going for over $50 thousand. Ford’s Mercury Mariner also falls into the luxury category, while Toyota offers the Highlander to round out the luxury options in the hybrid family. Lexus also has the LS 600HL, a 2008 model which is going for in excess of $104,000.

When price is a primary factor, and you want a hybrid for under $30,000, options include the Honda Civic, Honda Insight, Saturn Vue, Ford Escape, Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius, Mercury Mariner and the Honda Accord (at the upper end, this car may be a tad over $30,000).

On the basis of popularity, nothing compares to the Toyota Prius and Camry. Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Larry David and a number of other celebrities own the Toyota Prius and other hybrids.

Of course, whether you will be doing mostly city or highway driving will also impact your choice. City vs. highway gas mileage use is an important indicator of fuel efficiency. The Toyota Prius is generally said by Toyota to have an EPA rating of 60 for city driving and 51 for highway. However, owners of the cars say it is lower on both sides.

There are a wider variety and types of hybrids currently on the market that were not included in the article. With plans for the production of even more by most major car manufacturers, choosing the right hybrid car will become even more important.

So now you have all the information you need to choose your ideal hybrid car.

Thank you to Jessica McCurdy Crooks for this "Hybrid Cars" article.

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