Hybrid Cars Pros and Cons
First, the pros of hybrid cars. There are several pros, in comparison to traditional gasoline powered cars. For one, the hybrid cars are seen by many more environmentally friendly to their gasoline using counterparts. According to the Fuel Economy Guide (fueleconomy.gov) from the Environmental Protection Agency, hybrid cars have consistently topped the list of most fuel efficient (and thus least polluting) cars in the country. For example, for the car model year 2009, the four most fuel efficient cars where hybrid cars: 1) Toyota Prius, 2) Honda Civic Hybrid, 3) Nissan Altima Hybrid, and 4) Ford Escape Hybrid FWD; Mazda Tribute Hybrid 2WD; Mercury Mariner Hybrid FWD (three-way tie). In addition, in city conditions with low speeds, it is possible that the car is powered entirely with the electric engine, meaning it emits no pollution at all. Of the hybrid cars pros and cons, another plus for the hybrid cars also comes from their higher mileage per gallon: lower operating costs. The operating costs from gasoline are less than those for the traditional cars in direct proportion to the higher miles per gallon figures. The hybrid cars are also much less noisy. This is an important feature in city conditions, where the motor noise will add to the city noise pollution levels considerably, according to NoiseOFF, a group that raises awareness of noise pollution. In comparison, hybrids make virtually no noise at slower speeds, when they run solely on electric power. Finally, this is a technology that is considered "on the edge", which makes them considered in fashion by many. The early adopters of technology are likely to try these cars out because of their novelty as well. As for the cons, there are some cons as well. The biggest one is the price of the hybrid car on purchase over similar gasoline powered car is still an issue. The benefits over cons in terms of price over the lifetime of the hybrid car will only be realized if the owner drives a certain amount of mileage that covers the difference to the purchase price of the gasoline car. This is also why many taxi drivers, who are among the people who use cars the most in the nation, are among the earliest adopters of this new technology. The government has, through tax incentives, tried to offset the high cost of the hybrid car, and you should consider these incentives when weighting the pros and cons.
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