HybridForums » Articles

New Chevy Volt - From Concept to Production

admin — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:33:02 +0000

Is it a disappointment? Is GM betting the company on it ? You be the judge.

First, photos of the original concept car and the production version which was just unveiled yesterday.

Well, does anything really need to be said. How about, what happenned? Only GM could dumb the design down further.

For the market, the volt is still a step forward from the Prius. Even this boring design is better. The new and I think correct approach to hybrid design of using the battery and electric drive train as the primary source of power, which is then supported by a gas engine to recharge the batteries, is a major step forward.

I think the production version will still have wide appeal, it just would have been seen as a bit more revolutionary for GM if it had been closer to the original concept.

For some feedback and more photos read http://gm-volt.com/2008/09/16/the-day-the-volt-was-reborn/

Dr. Lyle Dennis has been following the VOLT for quite awhile.

Should I wait for my Hybrid ?

sahail — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 13:43:58 +0000

There are some people out there who are not yet making the big leap forward. They’ve thought about it, have looked at all the options, read the brochures and seen the TV ads. But they still won’t make the decision to buy a hybrid vehicle. They just won’t do it.
There are a number of reasons for this. Some of them are quite obvious. No one wants to spend money if they don’t really have to, for example. I have a car; I don’t need to save the planet. But there are other reasons for not buying which, when looked at rationally, can be exposed as artificial, created reasons. If you are in a position to buy a new vehicle then you have choices. If that list of choices does not include a hybrid vehicle then that is pretty much your decision. Isn’t it?
Here are just two of the myths about hybrids that cause people to throw their hands up and state, with a panicky expression on their faces, that they are not going to buy ‘one of those’, at least not yet anyway.
I’m waiting for the really, really big savings.
There are some people out there who believe that, at some point in the distant future, having a hybrid car will pay off in a much bigger way than it does currently. And it is all to do with mileage. These naysayers believe that the way hybrids are actually run will go through significant changes over the next say, ten years, and this will lead to even more efficient cars. That is when these people will buy the hybrids.
Unfortunately for them, this is not going to happen. Hybrids are more economic to run, but that is because they are just different to conventional engine vehicles. They avoid fuel over burn, and cut down on energy usage when the car isn’t running at full pelt. But they just don’t have the weight that conventional engine cars do. This is because conventionals have a lot more stuff on them.
There are a number of comforts that they have that hybrids don’t, and all of these add up. Hybrids can only really develop up rather than down, which means that as they get more comfortable and improve acceleration, then their efficiency will be reduced.
So the answer to all those people who think that there is going to be some magical leap forward when it comes to the technology that drives the hybrids is very simple: there isn’t. Hybrids are lighter, and they use technology to spot fuel wastage and deal with it. This is not going to change much from now on. Basically, these late adopters of the technology are asking for something that has been around for a lot longer than the car sitting in their drive. What they want is a bicycle.

Compressed What?
Compressed air. That’s right, compressed air. The stuff you breathe. Apparently they will build a car that runs on the air that surrounds us sometime in the next few years. This is of course total hogwash.
There are developments when it comes to electricity and hydrogen of course, but having these vehicles on the road and ready (not to mention affordable) is at least five years away. Electric is nearer to full market accessibility than any other new technology, and the conservatives (and pro hybrid) see the things on the road at around 2015. So all that talk about waiting for something better than the hybrid cars that we have here and now is basically ill informed.
Next post we will look at three more common excuses for waiting to buy that hybrid.

Stop Crying Detroit !

sahail — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:02:21 +0000

More woes for the American market then, with many manufacturers complaining that companies from the East are much more capable when it comes to making electric car batteries.
At a recent gathering in Michigan, the story was the same across the board, with most of the representatives of US car makers just throwing their hands up and, and complaining that the mounting cost of making electric batteries was prohibiting them from entering the electric market.
The upshot is that in a few years time the industry will lead the US companies behind. The executives from the US car makers made it very clear at the meeting at Traverse City, Michigan, that the losses they would make in manufacturing batteries for electric cars effectively priced them out of the market. The feeling was that the US government would need to provide some kind of incentive for home-grown carmakers, so that the expensive parts for the new generation of cars could be made cost effective.
And they pulled no punches when identifying who had the better deal, either. “For electric vehicles, nearly all major components come from Asia. We don’t want to create another cartel for renewable energy, sustainable mobility,” said MaryAnn Wright, who runs the hybrid business of Johnson Controls Inc.
It is true that Asian companies have the edge when it comes to car making. But they always have. Well, not always, but in recent times whenever a new piece of technology is developed, or a new car that can be mass produced and appeals to families is made, you can bet your bottom (weak) dollar that the guys from the East are responsible.
Now, for a country that pretty much dominated the car world in the past, the United States could, or should, be doing a lot more to get a hold on this new market we are all seeing develop. In the next ten years environmentally friendly cars are going to become more widespread. The new Honda Insight, for example, is sure to retail for less than $20,000, which makes it the first real affordable hybrid.
I know this is not really traditional hybrid related, but the fact that the big carmakers in the US are now crying about having no money for research and not being able to keep up with the Asian manufacturers just starts to smack of early protectionism. By having subsidies slapped on them by the government, these carmakers will be making the biggest kind of mistake.
Why? Well, simple really. Competition breeds excellence. Has been the case for centuries, will always be the case. If you sit there and say that kid is better at Maths than you are and you do nothing about it, what is going to happen? The kid’s going to beat you at algebra every day. Period.
What the US carmakers ought to be doing is getting back on the horse. Many of them made a straight loss over the last five years. We’re talking millions. At the same time, their Asian competitors made huge profits. Why? Well, we know why. US carmakers kept on thinking bigger is better all the time. And when the market became more about zippy city cars rather than huge SUVs, they got toasted.
I guess the whole point of this article is just to ask the US carmakers to sit up and once and for all take control of the situation. If you let the other guys win, that is exactly what they will do.
We know they will get the grants and the subsides, and that the government will even introduce tariffs if necessary. There is nothing wrong, essentially, with looking after our own. But the hybrid issue (or electric issue) is a serious one. To not take action and think about how you could rescue yourself and make a clear impact on the future of the planet because you don’t have the money, isn’t that just a little bit sad?

Sssh, Hybrid approaching.

sahail — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 05:31:07 +0000

Relaxing in your garden is what the weekends were made for. The stress and strain of a week and the work involved in it can be washed away by a few hours in the serenity and calm of your garden. Birds tweeting and the wind rustling through the tress, it really doesn’t get much better than this…

And then a car drives by. In many parts of the developed world cars are becoming more common, no matter where you live. This means that even if you live in a prestigious gated community you can still be sitting there on a Sunday morning, on your sun lounge, slow-baking in the sun, when some guy across the street decides that is the perfect time to test the revs on his weekend sports car.

The noises from cars are not limited to the daylight hours. Have you ever gotten ready for bed extra early because you need to put in the hours, and, just as you turn the lights out and begin to drift the sound of a car pulling into a drive jolts you awake? This is a common occurrence nowadays. Forgetting city dwellers (who have to live with transport noise), the modern world on the whole has become a place filled with engine noise.

And then there is the worsening problem of highly modified or ‘jazzed-up’ vehicles. In some neighbourhoods the poor residents are subjected to the growl of these beasts throughout the day. Some poor souls even live nearby the big roads that the (invariably young) drivers of these vehicles choose to adopt as their drag strips.

Engine noise has become worse in the last decade or so. But then the hybrid car came along, with its promise of quieter motoring happily delivered, and the portion of the world that wished for a more relaxed life breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Hybrid motoring has indeed offered hope for the future when it comes to motoring noise. Compared to conventional engines there really is no contest, with the sleek drive of a hybrid producing a vastly reduced sound than its noisier cousin.

But this near silence has become, alas, a major talking point, and not in a good way. Recently, blind people have been voicing their concerns about the lack of noise hybrids make. This, they say, compromises their safety on the street.

The National Federation of the Blind’s Committee on Automotive and Pedestrian Safety undertook a test of the technology and its sound levels. The results were not so hot. While the test was not as scientific as it could have been (the blind subjects basically stood around in car parks and on sidewalks listening out for car noise) it certainly threw up clear concerns about the safety of this particular group of citizens.

The group couldn’t hear the hybrid cars as they passed. Some members of the group even asked if the test had started after a vehicle had driven by.

With hybrid cars increasing in popularity, and the technology that drives the machines undergoing almost weekly developments, the issue clearly needs addressing. In addition to the blind, for example, there is at least one other vulnerable group when it comes to road safety.

Children are of course, a vulnerable section of the population when it comes to road safety. Watch a group of these playing near a road and listening out for cars is the last thing on their mind, never mind watching out for a virtually silent vehicle.

So what to do? Well, some people think that the hybrid car should announce itself. What this means is that rather than be virtually silent, the cars that carry this technology should have a sound all of their own. This way people will know they are approaching and can act accordingly. Now, this is an interesting subject. Watch any futuristic movie and cars talk, play music, sound out warning signals, offer a host of options, in fact, to warn pedestrians that they are coming.

I think that this could be handled much better than that. But I am not sure how. Maybe it is one for future discussion, but there must be some way to alert people that a hybrid is approaching with a unique, non-obtrusive, sophisticated, and non-grating sound. Not a tall order for the industry, surely?

Yes, Gore-Tex Your Car

sahail — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:45:52 +0000

Gore-Tex is going to make every car driver a hybrid car driver. Well, at least that is what a bunch of scientists hope…
Scientists in Australia are helping to make fuel cell vehicles something that everyone can afford due to a brand-new, ground-breaking breakthrough in design. They reckon they have found a way to cut the need to use platinum in fuel cell catalysts. This is exciting because platinum is expensive, and adds a lot to the cost of fuel cell vehicles.

The team that made the breakthrough at Victoria-based Monash University, are heralding the discovery as having the potential to make FCVs a lot more cost effective to manufacture. And guess what it is all about? Gore-Tex.
Yes, that’s right. The preserve of countless outdoor types and hikers, or weekend hill-jockeys, Gore-Tex is now just about ready to enter the world of hybrid motoring. It seems the water-resistant capability that Gore-Tex clothing has is the key to making fuel cells less expensive to make.
A statement from the university team assures us that the kind of impact that Gore-Tex has had on the outdoor clothing industry could very easily be replicated in the automotive industry, if the technology were to be adopted. So the moment when you open up your vehicle to find the Gore-Tex logo emblazoned on the metal could be sooner than you think.
So what is the Big Idea? Well, it is all about something called an air-electrode. This bit is a little complicated.
A special fabric is coated with an extremely thin layer of highly conductive plastic. This thin layer of plastic, by the way, is only 0.4 microns thick, about 100 times thinner than human hair. This new kind of electrode acts as both the fuel-cell electrode and the catalyst.
When your Gore-Tex clad hiker walks up a particularly draining hill, waste water vapour is sucked out of the material to make the hiker more comfortable. This also makes them less prone to hypothermia.
In your car, if it is fitted with this new technology, the new material ‘breathes’ oxygen into the fuel cell and into contact with the hyper conductive plastic.
Obviously, the university is very excited about this breakthrough. They are hailing it as the most important development in fuel-cell technology in the last twenty years. This is principally because it will save car makers a mountain of money. Platinum is incredibly expensive. But because it acts as the catalyst with fuel cells, it is currently indispensible. If the new technology takes well, the repercussions when it comes to manufacturing costs are huge.
Platinum effectively restricts the rest of the world (i.e. the non-hybrid world) from getting on the hybrid bus. The cost, in fact, of the platinum in a small fuel cell based car with a 134-hp electric engine is, staggeringly, more than the cost of a complete 134-hp gasoline engine.
And when you look at the bigger picture, the worldwide production of the precious metal is currently only capable of sustaining a fuel-cell fleet that is a fraction of the size of the worlds’ current output of vehicles. Completely unsustainable, in other words.
The tests at the university have been rigorous, to say the least. The new fuel cell has been put through its paces, with over 1,500 hours of tests. The good news is that there has been no been no visible signs of wear and tear.
So next time you are down at the outdoor shop, or within close proximity, spare a thought for your kindred spirits browsing through the jackets and the boots. They are more like you than you think.

Beware the Myths About Hybrids

Amy — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:10:54 +0000

Hybrids are possibly the most misunderstood technology that has ever approached the mainstream. There are many myths that surround the vehicles, and quite a few of the rumors are unsubstantiated. Misconceptions can keep people from understanding the true value of a hybrid car.

Hybrids are a Fad

Many people believe that hybrid vehicles are nothing more than a fad. They believe that hybrids have just started appearing in the automotive world, when in fact that could not be further from the truth. The birth of the hybrid car was in 1899, when Ferdinand Porsche revealed Mixte, his hybrid creation.

Upkeep is Expensive

Rumors have swirled about the cost of replacement batteries. Are hybrid batteries expensive to replace? Yes. Will you have to replace the batteries in your hybrid during its lifetime? No, you will probably not have to do that.

Hybrid batteries are made to last. Most come with a warranty that covers them for 80,000 to 100,000 miles. Owners can expect the batteries to last even longer than the warranty.

Consider this: After you get 100,000 miles on a standard vehicle, you usually have to have a lot of maintenance done on it. That maintenance can be expensive. It is not likely that you will have to spend more money on maintaining your hybrid than you would have to spend on a standard vehicle.

Hybrids Don’t Accelerate Well
This is a blanketed statement that does not fit all hybrids. It is basically the same as saying all fuel powered cars do accelerate well. That is simply not true.

Actually, hybrid vehicles have the ability to accelerate as well as gas powered cars, and in some cases, can even accelerate better. Why? An electric motor can be incredibly powerful and can lead to strong and smooth acceleration.
Mechanics Don’t Know How to Fix Hybrids

There has been a certain amount of fear that auto mechanics cannot service hybrid vehicles. That rumor stems from the advanced system that hybrid vehicles use.

Again, this is only a myth. Currently, even gas powered vehicles run on a highly advanced computerized system. Auto mechanics have to be schooled on advanced systems in order to make a living.

Hybrids are Small

At one time, it seemed that hybrid vehicles were all going to have small interiors. Battery packs take up a lot of room, and that caused auto manufacturers to have to get creative. Now, though, there are many offerings of roomy hybrids, and consumers have a lot of choices. They can get roomy cars, trucks and SUVs that are hybrids.

There are Safety Concerns with Hybrids

Hybrid detractors have gossiped about safety concerns in regard to hybrid vehicles. In fact, hybrids are just like any other vehicle on the road. It is important to check safety ratings before making a purchase. There are numerous hybrids that rank very high in regards to safety.

All Hybrids Get Amazing Gas Mileage

It depends on what kind of a hybrid you purchase. Some hybrid SUVs still have very poor mileage ratings, although they are emitting fewer pollutants. There are also hybrid cars on the road that run on gasoline most of the time, and occasionally use an electric assist. Those vehicles do not get stellar gas mileage either.

Hybrids differ, and in the future, it is expected for their fuel efficiency to improve. With the coming surge of electric and fuel cell vehicles, there is a good chance that many hybrids on the road will get over forty miles per gallon.

By understanding the myths associated with hybrid vehicles, you can make a better informed decision about purchasing one. Hybrids have a lot to offer consumers, from helping decrease the dependence on foreign oil to easing pollutants that come from tailpipe emissions.

The Five Types of Hybrid Cars

Amy — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:06:40 +0000

Many people expect the same performance out of every hybrid on the road, when in fact there are many different kinds of hybrids. Each type of hybrid offers unique performance, and it is important to get the type that meets your demands and expectations. While many vehicles are simply marketing as a hybrid, it is necessary to do the additional research in order to find out what kind of hybrid each vehicle actually is.

Full Hybrid

Hybrid vehicles that can drive for a distance at a low speed without consuming any gasoline are considered to be full hybrids. These types of vehicles are able to use an electric motor to power them for a short period of time, which is an amazing gas saver.

Typically, full hybrids are the vehicles that are going to get the type of gas mileage that auto manufacturers brag about. These vehicles might get mileage in the forty to fifty miles per gallon range.

Mild Hybrid

Mild hybrids are the most common hybrids on the road today. They cannot move forward with the electric motor alone. Instead, the electric motor is used as an assist to the gasoline engine.

Mild hybrids use other fuel saving techniques, along with the electric assist. For example, many mild hybrids have an engine that automatically shuts off when idling, and then the engine restarts when the driver presses the gas pedal. Since idling wastes a lot of fuel, this is incredibly beneficial.

Some mild hybrids also use very powerful electric motors. This causes less fuel to be burned when using the electric assist.

Micro Hybrid

There has been a surge in the creation of the micro hybrid, and it can be very confusing to consumers. People assume they are getting the full benefits of a hybrid when they purchase this vehicle, but that is not true. In fact a micro hybrid does not save nearly as much in fuel as other hybrids.

The micro hybrid only has an increased fuel efficiency of 5-15% because the electric motor does not actually help to propel the vehicle. However, the motor does help with things like regenerative breaking and some auxiliary power, which is why the vehicle is able to save some fuel.

Serial Hybrid

Fuel cell vehicles are the most popular of the serial hybrids. These vehicles use a fuel source to create electricity to power the motor. They are advanced technology, and have few emissions and can get amazing mileage.

Currently, serial hybrids have gotten a lot of attention thanks to the promise of the hydrogen powered vehicles. Hydrogen powered vehicles have the ability to produce zero emissions and they also get good mileage. Research continues to be done on these types of vehicles, and they are expected to be competitive with plug-in hybrids when they hit the streets.

Plug-in Hybrid

The plug-in hybrid gives drivers more options than any other vehicle. When the car is charged, it can run strictly on electricity. Then, if the vehicle runs out of charge, it can use the fuel that is stored in the car. This allows for people to drive at a much greater range than they would be able to with a strictly electric car, while saving a lot of money on gas bills. These types of vehicles are expected to be readily available by 2010.

When considering a hybrid for purchase, be certain to find out what type of hybrid it is. A micro hybrid can cause disappointment for owners that were expecting a bigger savings, and some mild hybrids do not perform up to the driver’s standards. Make sure you do all of the necessary research in order to avoid disappointment.

What You Need to Know About Alternative Fuels

Amy — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:47:22 +0000

All alternative fuels are not created the same. If you are interested in powering your vehicle with an alternative fuel, it is important to know the characteristics of each fuel. Some fuels are not worth going through a conversion, while others will greatly help your mileage, along with pollution.

Ethanol

Right now, ethanol is the most readily available alternative fuel. In fact, most of us use ethanol to some extent. Vehicles are approved to operate on up to 10% ethanol, so many gas stations use a blend that consists of mostly gasoline, with a small amount of ethanol.

There has been a push for E85. E85 consists of 85% ethanol, and 15% gasoline. Right now, there are conversion kits available for $400 that allows owners to convert their vehicles to run on E85.

However, there are a lot of drawbacks to using E85. First of all, it gets much lower mileage. Motorists who operate their vehicles on E85 can experience up to a 30% decline in fuel efficiency.

E85 is not the alternative fuel of choice if you want to save money on fuel. In the end, you will end up spending quite a bit more on fuel if you use E85, even though the energy source helps the environment.

Natural Gas

While natural gas is not as popular as E85, there are many reasons to choose this alternative fuel over ethanol. Like ethanol, natural gas can be produced domestically, which of course is a solution to many of the economic problems related to fuel.

Unfortunately, natural gas also gets fewer miles to the gallon than regular fuel. Like ethanol, natural gas is a solution to the pollution problem, but it is not a solution that will save drivers money. While drivers can convert their vehicles to run on natural gas, they should only do this if they are more concerned with pollution than saving cash at the pump.

Propane

Propane is very similar to ethanol and natural gas in the sense that it is a cleaner burning fossil fuel, is predominately produced domestically, and gets fewer miles to the gallon. Propane is not a viable alternative to the current fuel crisis, as it is also not as readily available as other options. In fact, there have not been any propane fueled vehicles produced since 2004. However, like its competition, vehicles can be converted to run on propane.

Hydrogen

If you are seriously considering operating your vehicle with an alternative fuel, hydrogen is the fuel that you need to look into. Out of all of the options, it makes the most sense. The benefits of hydrogen are far greater than the benefits for the other alternative fuels.

If a vehicle ran solely on hydrogen, it would not produce any emissions. Also, the fuel efficiency would be greater than that of a gasoline powered vehicle.

That is not to say that hydrogen does not come with drawbacks as well. Currently, there are not a lot of hydrogen fueling stations available, and flex fuel vehicles are incredibly expensive. Modern technology cannot store as much hydrogen as it can gasoline, so hydrogen powered vehicles will need refueling after shorter distances than their counterparts.

While a reformer can be used inside of the vehicle to convert hydrogen rich gases into hydrogen, it is the hopes of automakers to use pure hydrogen in order to run vehicles. If that is going to turn into a reality, storage options for hydrogen will have to be explored.

Right now, though, hydrogen is the only alternative fuel that will help both the environment and the wallets of consumers. Hydrogen has the strongest possibility to compete with plug-in vehicles. It is expected that both plug-in vehicles and hydrogen vehicles will run side in the near future.

By The Way, Hybrids Pollute Too

Amy — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:42:24 +0000

When people think about plug-in vehicles, they predominately think of two things. First, they are excited about the increased mileage they will be able to get with a plug-in. Second, there is a consensus that these types of vehicles will be much better for the environment.

Are plug-in vehicles actually better for the environment, or do they simply pollute differently than traditional vehicles? What are the environmental effects of plug-in vehicles from production to driving?

First, it is important to think about what goes into a plug-in vehicle. The batteries are where most of the pollution is going to come from during production. From destructive mining to the disposal of the harmful substances that go into making batteries, battery production takes a toll on the environment.

That is not the only problem when it comes to the production of plug-in vehicles, though. The energy source that charges the batteries must also be considered. Consider, for instance, what energy source a large portion of the population uses in order to get electrical power. Over 49% of the energy in the US is generated through coal.

How does that affect a plug-in vehicle? Consider running a vehicle entirely on coal. That is comparable to what some areas will offer their residents. Areas that run on coal will use that coal to charge up the vehicles, which will in turn pollute the air.

The increased use of coal will lead to more soot, which causes the air to be harder to breathe, and larger amounts of mercury, which is toxic. Unfortunately, the problems do not end there.

Studies have shown that plug-in vehicles pose another environmental threat. They have the possibility of causing more sulfur dioxide to go into the environment. That is not a problem that is specific to coal, either. In fact, even areas that have wind generated power plants could face this problem. Increased sulfur dioxide in the environment could lead to acid rain.

Another problem that those who are creating plug-in vehicles face is increased CO2. CO2 is one of the main components in the breaking down of the ozone layer, so it is a problem that will have be addressed before plug-in vehicles are mass produced.

Currently, plug-in vehicles are actually more damaging to the environment to produce than many of their gas counterparts are. However, that does not mean that there are not advantages to owning a plug-in vehicle.

A decreased dependence on foreign oil is, of course, foremost. If countries can move away from getting oil from foreign sources, they can at last become independent.

Of course, it is not only about the dependence on foreign oil. It can be argued that research and the implementing of alternative energy production sources is equally important. Plug-in vehicles have the opportunity to truly change the way that people not only drive, but the way they use and depend on energy.

There are many ways that energy can be produced that is not as harmful to the environment, and plug-in vehicles could help propel that. While even wind power will still cause some toxins to make it into the environment, sources such as wind, geothermal, and solar power can greatly decrease the problem with pollution. That solution will go far past plug-in vehicles and driving.

Pollution is something that countries are always going to have to struggle with. No matter how great a concept is, there is always a way to improve upon it. Now is the time, when global warming is making national news and fuel prices have increased to unimaginable heights, to not only assess the problem, but to work toward fixing it.

Which Hybrid Car is Right For You?

AmyC — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:30:23 +0000

If you have finally decided to go green with your vehicle and buy a hybrid car, you will soon be faced with a difficult choice. Which model is right for you? Although there isn’t currently an abundant amount of hybrid cars to choose from, you do have some options that could make the difference between a wise investment and buyer’s remorse.

Before you set out to buy the hybrid, you need to determine what your driving habits are and what kind of performance you need from the car. What will you be using this hybrid vehicle for? Will this be strictly for single-person work commutes, weekend trips with the family or do you need something large and rugged? Hybrids are available in a wide range of sizes, from compact sedans to large SUVs. Most models are in the mid-size sedan range, however.

When hybrid vehicles first hit the market, passenger space was limited due to the large battery that powered the car. However, manufacturers have been fine-tuning hybrids over the years and now there are full-size SUVs that can accommodate even the largest families. In fact, both the GMC Yukon and Chevy Tahoe have hybrid versions that seat up to nine people.

Size and performance are major factors in determining which hybrid is right for you, though your first concern may be the price tag. Typically, hybrid vehicles are more expensive than all-gas cars of comparable size. Although this may change in the future as consumer demand increases, the “ideal” hybrid vehicle may not currently fit into your budget. The smaller, economy hybrids run in the low $20K range, while a luxury hybrid can cost six figures.

If you are looking for the most fuel-efficient hybrid vehicle on the market, the two leaders are currently the Toyota Prius (averages 55 MPG) and the Honda Civic Hybrid (averages 50 MPG). The Prius is a mid-size sedan, while the Civic is a smaller compact sedan. Although not large in size, they are big savers in annual fuel costs, as the average driver will spend less than $1,000 a year when driving either model. Both cars are perfect for work commutes.

When choosing the perfect hybrid car for your needs, you must weigh cost concerns against size and performance. Since hybrids have become more mainstream over the past several years, it is now possible to find a pre-owned hybrid vehicle that may fit into your budget a little easier. Research is key to choosing the perfect hybrid and no one knows more about the subject than other hybrid enthusiasts. Online communities like Hybrid Forums, offering both articles and public message boards, are here to help consumers with this choice. Not only is buying a hybrid vehicle a major investment, it is a huge step toward making your community a healthier place to live.