Why doesn't everyone switch to Hybrid cars? What are the pros and cons?

Answer 1

Valerie, Let's visit about a specific car for a moment. The Toyota Camry Hybrid costs $5.000 more than a non battery Camry. Doing quick math it would take a minimum of 55,000 miles of driving under ideal conditions to pay for the added cost of the Hybrid. At the end of that period of time 4 - 6 years you get hit with battery replacement @$1,200.00. OUCH!

I realize people in the USA don't care about this but the folks in Canada who mine the nickel for the batteries create more pollution in producing replacements than people who drive a gasoline only Camry.

It's a nice gesture and thought but all things considered there is a better way.

Japanese Toyota's in taxi fleets run on LP gas. Its cheaper, with nearly zero pollution and LP is less expensive there than in the USA. Gasoline costs 20% more there. I can't answer what the general population uses for fuel in Japan but my info and car inspections a month ago proves these facts to be true.

Answer 2

Hybrids work really well under certain conditions, but not for all driving patterns and styles. The major savings with a hybrid comes when you are in stop and go city traffic, and not running the AC or heat. The engine shuts off when you are stopped (in traffic or at a signal light) and there is a large fuel savings. At highway speeds, there is very little savings compared to a similar non hybrid.

You also have the additional cost of a hybrid. There are very few on the used car market, so you most likely would have to buy new. You would most likely pay more for the hybrid, and it would take several years to recoup the addition costs in fuel savings!

Most (and this is changing) hybrids available now are smaller vehicles. Many people need more room for passengers and cargo! There is also the fact than most people keep cars 3-7 years. Even if all new cars were magically made into hybrids tomorrow, it would take 15-20 years for the older cars to be phased out!!

Answer 3

Huge upfront costs. That's the biggest reason. If it costs you $2000-3000 more for a hybrid it would take years and years to get back this money in lowered fuel costs. Plus Hybrids are not great at towing. They are not always as big as full size cars (I know the Camry is now available as a hybrid and that helps). Most of the time they have reduced performance (the exception being Honda's Accord which is faster than the V6 model but at a cost of less mileage than the Camry Hybrid).

As more and more manufacturers make them we will see reduced costs. The big breakthrough will be when they make a light, cheap battery. Once that is created Hybrids will be a lot less to manufacture and you will see a lot more of them sold and on the road.

Answer 4

They are expensive for one. For two, unless you're driving is in a city with a lot of stop and go driving there isn't much point to one. When the vehicle is above 25-30 MPH the car runs on gas just like a conventional car so if you are commuting long distance on the freeway your benefits gained won't exceed the cost. Most of them run the engine when ever the AC is on also so if you live in a hot climate the engine runs all the time, if you live in a cold climate you need the engine for heat and the AC compressor runs with the defrost system to dry the windows so the engine will run then also. Everything taken into account they seem to be a trinket for the car makers to use to get their CAFE rating up and the tree huggers to drive to Starbucks to tell everyone how much they care.

Answer 5

Diesels are capable of better fuel economy than hybrids (particularly small diesels). Small gasoline powered cars can approach it, too. (They aren't weighed down by batteries.)

Hybrids cost more to make (though the difference is coming down)

Hybrids have proven EXTREMELY reliable, but battery failure is inevitable. By 200,000 miles you WILL need new batteries, or else you're just going to be running a small gas engine with most of the hybrid functionality gone. (They're still pretty efficient in that situation, though) Battery replacement costs thousands of dollars.

There's debate over whether the environmental costs of those batteries outweigh the 10-20 percent improvement you'd get over a comparable non-hybrid gasoline engine. It's indisputable that a used economy car is more environmentally friendly, though.

Not everyone can afford to buy a new car, and used hybrids are still not cheap. Also a used hybrid is usually nearing the end of its battery life.

Europe and Asia are busy developing efficient diesels and non-hybrid gasoline engines. (While the US automakers are busy fighting tooth and nail to avoid having to get more efficient. History repeats itself...just like when emissions standards came to be, Honda rose to the challenge, GM, Ford and Chrysler shrank from it)

Answer 6

Hybrids are more expensive and just because it gets a little better fuel mileage does not offset my cost. Alot of people think hybrids are the cure all right now and its not realistic. many vehicles have different tasks. you cant expect a hybrid to yank a 15,000 lb load down the road or do many other tasks. they are commuter vehicels for cities at best. It does not apply to everyone only in a dream world.

Answer 7

they are expensive , don't work well, have 0 performance,
the list goes on and on..
i wouldn't want one if it were free !

Answer 8

ummm I got a idea, you go buy one and we will race for pinks.