You would probably be surprised to know that hybrid cars have been with us since the very earliest days of automotive history, but you will not be astonished to be told that the technology has come on in leaps and bounds for the last ten years. In fact, the technology in hybrid cars has reached the degree where fuel consumption in a hybrid can be half that of in a conventional internal combustion engine only car.
Half or even less than half under some circumstances like driving in town, especially in heavy traffic. In fact, when a hybrid is either cruising on electric or stopping and starting in heavy traffic, there will be no consumption of petrol or diesel whatsoever, which means that you are travelling 'without cost'.
I put without cost in parentheses because a hybrid vehicle is still substantially dearer than a car with a traditional engine. However, even given the added price of a hybrid vehicle, you can save that excess cost during the average life time of the vehicle because of the saving on fuel. Of course, the higher the cost of fuel, the sooner you will recover your extra initial outlay on the cost of the hybrid.
Maybe you are thinking that hybrid vehicle manufacturers are profiteering on the backs of car drivers who want to do their bit for the environment. Well, you would not be alone in thinking that, yet the cost of developing hybrid technology was and still is expensive and someone has to account it.
That means you and me, the end-users. Well, that is normal, but in some countries, the government has stepped in to subsidize individuals who purchase a hybrid vehicle, because governments all over the world are under an obligation to reduce their country's carbon footprint.
That means that now is as good a time as any to buy a hybrid vehicle.
There are other reasons why a hybrid is expensive though. The hybrid really has two engines. A hybrid has a traditional engine run on traditional fuels, but it also has an electric engine which runs off expensive batteries. It is not that you have to replace the batteries as with a radio. The batteries are expensive because they are very heavy duty rechargeable units.
The technology for recharging these batteries is also ground-breaking. The car uses traditional alternators to recharge them but it also employs braking power to recharge them as well. Not just that but the car's on board computer alternates between the two motors automatically, depending on the amount of power that is needed by the driver.
Keep an eye on the hybrid car market because prices are falling and coupled with subsidies, the time to buy a hybrid car may come sooner than you imagine.
Half or even less than half under some circumstances like driving in town, especially in heavy traffic. In fact, when a hybrid is either cruising on electric or stopping and starting in heavy traffic, there will be no consumption of petrol or diesel whatsoever, which means that you are travelling 'without cost'.
I put without cost in parentheses because a hybrid vehicle is still substantially dearer than a car with a traditional engine. However, even given the added price of a hybrid vehicle, you can save that excess cost during the average life time of the vehicle because of the saving on fuel. Of course, the higher the cost of fuel, the sooner you will recover your extra initial outlay on the cost of the hybrid.
Maybe you are thinking that hybrid vehicle manufacturers are profiteering on the backs of car drivers who want to do their bit for the environment. Well, you would not be alone in thinking that, yet the cost of developing hybrid technology was and still is expensive and someone has to account it.
That means you and me, the end-users. Well, that is normal, but in some countries, the government has stepped in to subsidize individuals who purchase a hybrid vehicle, because governments all over the world are under an obligation to reduce their country's carbon footprint.
That means that now is as good a time as any to buy a hybrid vehicle.
There are other reasons why a hybrid is expensive though. The hybrid really has two engines. A hybrid has a traditional engine run on traditional fuels, but it also has an electric engine which runs off expensive batteries. It is not that you have to replace the batteries as with a radio. The batteries are expensive because they are very heavy duty rechargeable units.
The technology for recharging these batteries is also ground-breaking. The car uses traditional alternators to recharge them but it also employs braking power to recharge them as well. Not just that but the car's on board computer alternates between the two motors automatically, depending on the amount of power that is needed by the driver.
Keep an eye on the hybrid car market because prices are falling and coupled with subsidies, the time to buy a hybrid car may come sooner than you imagine.
About the Author:
Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on a number of topics, but is now involved with how to compare tyre prices. If you would like to know more, please visit our website at Car Tyres For Sale.
