Re: The True Price of a Hybrid
There's certainly a lot of truth to the hybrid hype. Like any newer technology, they are more expensive now than their competition. But look at the price of a VCR in 1985. Should people never have developed VCRs because they may have been more expensive early on than just buying a film projector and ordering films on celluloid? And who's to say gas won't be $6/gallon in 6 years? It's nearly tripled in price over the previous 6 years at its recent high.
That all said, I considered a hybrid and came to the same conclusion: Over a 6 year life-cycle (I figured I'd get a new car after that), it was more expensive even at higher gas prices than my compact choice which gets 39 mpg.
Unfortunately, too many see this hybrid hype and think it means that their 17 mpg SUV is as good a choice as any. I feel the same pity for them when they pay $50 to fill-up each week as I do for the 2-pack-a-day smoker who complains about the price of a carton.
|