Hybrids - Fact and Fiction

You hear a lot of buzz about hybrids these days and it seems there are varying opinions on their performance. The following is intended to help you sort out the facts from the fiction.

Hybrids must be plugged in at night - Fiction
Just because hybrid vehicles use electric power does not mean you have to plug them in. Today's hybrids employ a technology called regenerative braking which captures the energy lost as a vehicle slows or stops and stores it in the vehicle's rechargeable battery system.

Hybrids get great gas mileage - Fact
Of course, individual driving habits will affect the results, but the latest numbers show that there are several vehicles that get better than 50 miles per gallon and the best is close to 70 miles per gallon.

Hybrid batteries require frequent replacement - Fiction
Battery technology has come a long way and the durability of nickel metal hydride batteries has never been better. Engineers discovered that maintaining a battery's charge in the forty to sixty percent range, rather than fully charging and fully expending the charge, greatly lengthens the life of the battery.

The only reason to buy a hybrid is to save on gas money - Fiction
There are many other motivations to purchase a hybrid vehicle. Many ecologically responsible people are embracing hybrid vehicles to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Politically sensitive folks endorse any measure which can reduce our addiction to oil. Some hybrid owners just like to possess the latest technology as a status symbol. Besides, the major criticism of hybrid vehicles is that the additional cost in the price tag often is not offset by fuel savings. Get your next car loan for a hybrid vehicle online.


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