![]() ![]() One of the biggest downsides of all-electric vehicles is “range anxiety,” or the fear that you won’t have a high enough charge to make the distance from one charging station to another, heightened by the lack of electric car charging stations in some areas. Admittedly, maintenance costs can vary depending on the type of hybrid car you have, so make sure to do a bit of research on the specific make and model! You won’t experience “range anxiety” with a hybrid car This often means less need for oil or coolant, and fewer routine maintenance costs than cars that rely solely on combustion fuel engines. (Author’s note: have you seen the episode of The Office where Andy pins Dwight up between the fence and his car? He’s able to sneak up and catch him off guard because, as Oscar points out, a Toyota Prius remains completely silent when driven under five miles per hour.) Hybrid cars often require less maintenanceīecause hybrid cars have two sources of power (the gas engine and the electric motor), there is less regular wear and tear on the car’s engine. had to pass laws to require both hybrids and electric vehicles to make audible sounds when traveling at certain speeds because of safety concerns. ![]() Hybrid cars are much quieter than traditional gasoline-powered vehicles thanks to their electric motors. Before you purchase a hybrid car, also check to see if there are any state or local incentives available to help decrease your costs even further. (Note: regular hybrids are not eligible for this incentive). Depending on your tax status and the type of car you choose, you can save as much as $7,500 with this incentive. In addition to savings on gasoline, the federal government currently offers a favorable tax credit if you purchase a plug-in hybrid vehicle. For some numbers, take a look at Edmund’s “Gas Guzzler” calculator: this can help estimate how much you can save on gas by switching to a hybrid based on your state, the car, and how many miles you drive. However, it can be difficult to estimate just how much you can save since savings depend heavily on your own driving habits, your reliance on gas for power, your area, and more. ![]() With a hybrid vehicle, you can avoid making frequent trips to the gas station and paying high charges to fill up your tank thanks to efficient engines and the option to switch to electricity for fuel. If you’re curious about what this means for you, check out this tool from the Department of Energy (DOE): they have an interactive tool that displays the annual emissions per vehicle based on a state’s electricity mix. your electricity mix) impacts your overall transportation emissions, known as well-to-wheel emissions. That said, how environmentally friendly your commute is in a hybrid car will vary depending on where your electricity comes from: while more and more of our electricity comes from renewables each year, fossil fuels continue to generate the majority of electricity throughout the country. When doing so, you will have no direct tailpipe emissions. However, if you buy a hybrid, it’s pretty likely that you’ll also use electricity to run your car, especially if you buy a plug-in hybrid. If you run your hybrid car solely on gasoline, you’ll still emit greenhouse gases from your tailpipe, but less so than you would with gasoline-only counterparts because they’re more fuel-efficient–some hybrids allow for more than 50 miles per gallon! This means you’ll use less gas to travel the same distance, and therefore emit less pollution. With hybrid cars, you have two options for fuel: gasoline or electricity. Even before the gasoline hits your engine, extracting the fuel to use as energy has a number of environmental costs to consider as well. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a typical passenger vehicle emits 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, plus other pollutants like methane and nitrous oxide – all greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Over time, this can have a large impact on the environment: according to the U.S. There are many negative environmental impacts of using gasoline-powered vehicles: for one, these cars emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases straight from their tailpipes. Pros of hybrid cars Hybrid cars are environmentally friendly (compared to gasoline-powered cars) Read on to see each of these points broken down in detail. They still produce fossil fuel emissions.Maintenance can be expensive (when it’s needed).Some of the drawbacks to owning a hybrid car include: Some of the benefits to owning a hybrid car include: However, hybrid cars are not the best solution for everyone’s commute here are some pros and cons to consider when deciding whether a hybrid car is right for you. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are becoming more popular each day, and for good reason: drivers that switch to cars like this have a number of both environmental and financial advantages to look forward to. ![]()
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