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Home > Oil Gas News > Are Hybrid Cars the Solution to Rising Gas Prices?
Are Hybrid Cars the Solution to Rising Gas Prices?
Gas prices are reaching all-time highs and drivers are infuriated. Are hybrid cars the answer to this economic crisis?
(PRWEB) September 23, 2005 -- “Consumers are buying hybrid cars,” reports NBC news correspondent, Anne Thompson. “Some because of high gas prices, others because hybrids are kinder to the environment. Either way, Americans are getting into hybrids.”
With gas prices setting all-time records and rapidly approaching $3/gallon in many US cities, motorists are outraged and looking for some relief. Though reluctant to embrace hybrid cars because of their higher price and relative short time on the market, these new breed of autos may be the best solution to the surging gas prices dilemma.
However, are they all they are proposed to be? Are they getting better mileage than conventional cars? How do they work and do they need to be recharged? These and many other questions are still on the minds of those who are hesitant to take the plunge and venture into territory unknown.
Andy Grant and Taylor Reid, authors of the eBook, All About Hybrid Cars: Maximum Performance/Minimum Impact, saw the compelling need for education on hybrid cars, so they wrote the book and launched the companion Website: AllAboutHybridCars.com.
“We ran a study and saw there was a tremendous demand for information on hybrid cars, but very little out there to educate consumers,” said Reid, an Internet marketing consultant. So she partnered with Grant, a professional writer and award-winning author. “I had to do a lot of research, because there was no one place that had all the facts,” Grant said. “We wanted to provide clear, current information that anyone who was curious about hybrid cars could understand.”
In their eBook, they explain that increased fuel economy is one of the primary benefits of purchasing a hybrid car. With continually escalating gas prices, hybrid cars seem like a sure antidote. “Along with better mileage and lower gasoline costs comes another savings in the form of tax rebates,” Reid said.
The new federal energy bill recently signed into law by President Bush encourages the use of fuel-efficient, low-emission vehicles and offers substantial tax breaks. A report by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy indicates that the bill states that high-efficiency vehicles, either hybrid or diesel, will receive credits on a sliding scale based on efficiency; the maximum credit for light-duty vehicles is expected to be about $3,400 for Prius-level performance.
“We put a calculator on our Website,” said Grant, “so potential hybrid car owners could estimate the total savings if they bought an [hybrid-electric vehicle] HEV, since the car costs more, but the savings in gas is substantial.”
“I don’t think there’s any other chart like this available,” Reid said. “Any time a new hybrid car comes on the market, we add it to the mix. This way, Website visitors can quickly compare one model to the other.”
Although the initial cost of buying a hybrid car over a traditional one is higher, the long-term savings will depend on how long the consumer keeps the car and what kind of actual mileage is achieved.
Phil Reed, consumer advice editor at Edmunds.com suggests, “Anyone shopping for a car now should make the question of fuel economy a big issue, because the availability of oil in the future is uncertain. Don’t buy a car thinking it's acceptable today; one day it could be your hedge against high fuel costs.”
For an introduction to the basic facts about hybrid cars, Reid and Grant offer the free report: “7 Critical Facts Everyone Should Know Before Buying a Hybrid Car.”
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