Hybrid Electric Cars Are Here
These new cars are going to change people’s thinking about what they need in a car. The hybrids combine a gas engine with a huge battery and an electric motor. This combination really boosts gas mileage. In most of them such as the Toyota Prius, the electric motor powers the care at low speed and the gas engine kicks in at high speed. This gives them a mileage rating in the mid 30 range which is a heck of an improvement compared to the 15 mph I get with my 12 year old SUV. The Chevy Volt improves on its mileage even more by only using the electric motor for all trips under 40 miles. Over 40 miles the Volt’s gas engine starts and keeps the batteries charged on longer trips. It has not been rated by the EPA yet but I have seen estimates of over 150 mpg for short trips when the gas motor is not used. For longer trips it should come down to the mid 30’s. Since most people drive less than 40 miles a day, this sounds great. The Nissan Leaf is different still. It is an all electric car that has a range of about 78 miles between 7 hour charges. This would be great for most people, especially if they had two cars in the family and could have a longer range car as their second car.
Another benefit of driving hybrid electric cars and SUVs is that they are environmentally friendly. These vehicles do not produce the same amount of carbon dioxide emissions or noise pollution as their gasoline-only counterparts, which of course reduces their negative impact on the environment. The green movement is very popular in society today, as well it should be. Now there’s a way for all of us to drive without having to feel guilty about what we’re doing to air quality. I don’t know about you, but I definitely prefer driving to depending on inconsistent bus or train service!
The government is really promoting these gas saving cars. They usually qualify for federal and state tax credits that make the purchase of a new car much more practical. A Mercury Milan or a Ford Fusion result in $3,400 worth of tax credits and a Mazda Tribute or Ford Escape qualify for about $3,000. Check the Internet or better yet with a new car dealer to see what the current tax credits are. They might not even be available by the time you read this.
OK, I have just about convinced myself. I have some concerns because this is very new automotive technology and the prices are a little high. A lot of that is easy to over come because of the tax incentives and great long term warranties most of these cars have. Also, I can expect to save a lot money I normally spend for gas. I also expect the maintenance costs to be lower than they are for a conventional car. Now I just have to choose which hybrid electric car I want.
For more information about gas mileage go to GasMlileageResearch.com.
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