Sustainable Building Forum

are hybrid cars really worth all of the extra money and hype?  i know they run greener, but i think i'll just stick with my veggie-oil diesel conversion.

The art would be to first buy the solar panels so you have free energy electricity at home. Then you can charge your hybrid car for free, with the energy from the sun. In that case you would save a lot of dollars on gas.

(You'd also need deep pockets, a big house in a very sunny country, and a car that didn't go very far.)

Although seen as a sustainable, renewable energy source, the photo voltaic cells wear out because of the energy from the sun. This means they have a short, and hence, expensive life.

The batteries on hybrid cars are huge, and they too wear out and have to be replaced.

The Total Cost Of Ownership should be calculated for any such venture.

As always, do the math.

I don't think hybrids are cost effective when replacing a perfectly good car. They are a great savings and a should be a serious consideration when you need to get a new car. They don't cost much more and will save you a lot of money, especially as the cost of gas rises. But I'm all in favor of running working cars into the ground. A lot of energy went into the production of that vehicle and it should not be recycled until it's no longer usable.

We actually ended up purchasing a Toyota Highlander Hybrid in early 06.  We need a large vehicle for the work we do.  With the full tax credit that was available at the time we were able to essentially upgrade to the hybrid for free.  However, according to my numbers we would need $4/gal gas to break even had there been no tax credit. 

Those hybrid cars are really disgustingly ugly at times, Its a shame they can't put them in a nicer package,  And where are all the bio-diesel hybrids.... That would be ideal....

I think Hybrid cars provide a great option of using our resources optimally and in a cost effective way. Since half of the energy source is in the form of gasoline, we could always save on the other half through solar/fuel cell power.

I read that you can only go for forty miles before you have to recharge in an electric car. If that’s the case, if it’s a hybrid car does that mean that it will switch to petrol after forty miles? So if you make a longer journey you won’t make much of a difference to the environment?

i think they're worth it, if you're going to lease. i think they need to be further developed in order to make a real impact on the planet, but they are quieter and they do save you money on gas. i'd wait a few years to buy one just yet.

I would say it is worth the wait until auto industry gets pressured into creating better-than hybrid cars that do not rely on gasoline at all.  Meanwhile, I will stick with the energy-efficient compact cars.   

Thanks for the information on hybrids. I don't know anyone who owns one yet so it's nice to hear opinions on them.

I understand the premium pricing to cover learning curve/new to market costs...BUT given the state of things...dependence on middle east for oil etc...couldn't our own government push this ahead with giving manufacturers incentives to get these to market cheap..and in the long run become a stronger more independent nation again rather than giving incentives to other third world countries to make them world powers and leaders while we focus on...what was it we're focused on again,     :)?
msberrymj