Hybrid Value and 3 Things to Consider When Buying One
Filed Under: green automotive technology on February 5, 2010
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) has developed a one-size-fits-all Hybrid Scorecard to help consumers decide if a hybrid model they’re considering is right for them. Despite coming from this group of scientists, the Scorecard is not exactly scientific.
Most of the criteria and scoring, actually, is pretty subjective and based on opinion rather than measurable fact. With all that said, it does have some use for some people. If you’re concern is about how “eco-friendly” and “carbon reducing” the car is, then this scorecard is for you. If you’re more about fuel savings, cost savings, and other factors then you will be better off doing your own research.
The big score on the card is the “Environmental Score,” which is a subjective ruling (with a scientific stamp of approval! yay!) giving each car a score based on its ability to “maximize reductions in both global warming and smog-forming emissions.” The score isn’t a comparison of one hybrid model to the next, it’s a comparison of that hybrid model with its closest gasoline counterpart.
Here’s how I score hybrids versus gasoline cars (aka “ICE” or internal combustion engine) when I’m considering whether it would be worth buying. Some of you might find my criteria for comparison a little more practical:
The Union of Concerned Aaron presents:
The Hybrid Vehicle Buying Scorecard
There are three major points to consider when purchasing a new vehicle, whether it be an internal combustion engine-only (ICE) chassis or a gasoline/diesel hybrid-electric chassis (“hybrid”).
1. What is the mileage of the vehicle in both city and highway driving according to the EPA?
The mileage of the vehicle is important because this is a direct representation of potential fuel savings and emissions reduction overall. It should be noted, however, that a TDI diesel engine actually puts out fewer emissions than a gasoline-electric hybrid. In fact, many diesel cars actually get higher mileage numbers than their gasoline and hybrid counterparts. They’re just harder to find in the U.S.
Another consideration is how far you drive and whether that driving is mostly freeway/highway at speed. If, for instance, you live in the suburbs and your commute to work is 20 miles each way (40 miles/day), but most of that commute is on city streets or sub-45mph roads, then the city mileage is what will be most important for you. If you drive 40 miles/day to work and most of that driving is on the highway or freeway at 55mph+, then you are going to be concerned with highway mileage.
In the first scenario, the Toyota Prius shines, but in the second scenario, an all-gasoline Honda Civic or Volkswagen Jetta TDI is actually much better. Why? Because hybrids are generally more efficient at lower speeds and start-stop scenarios than are their gasoline and diesel counterparts.
2. Will the cost of the car be worth the fuel or other savings?
Most hybrids include a lot of premium packaging because, for now, that is how automakers must sell them in order to turn any kind of profit. Hybrids cost much more to produce than their gasoline counterparts, but pricing the car that high above its ICE competition would not sell many hybrids, so the upsell the car by adding a lot of mandatory premium packaging to it.
Diesels, especially hyper-efficient TDIs, are also expensive because they do not generally sell well in America and so they are nearly always imported, at higher cost, rather than made here. In addition, the best TDI vehicles are usually higher-end German vehicles such as Audi or BMW.
If over two years’ time you’re going to potentially save $3,000 in fuel costs by going hybrid, is the extra $8,000 you’ll spend to get one really going to be worth it? Of course, the social benefits might be what you’re after regardless, so you can ignore the real economics of the whole situation if you want.
3. Will next years’ model be better and should you wait?
Hybrid and electric vehicle technologies are advancing quickly and this year’s Prius will not be next year’s model. Do you really need a car right now, or can you hang on with what you’ve got and wait it out? Also, don’t forget the power of the clunker. Buying a used car can often save you a pile of cash and get you where you need to get going without the expense. Many cars made in the late 1990s and early 2000s are extremely fuel efficient.
For instance, in our house, my wife drive’s a Honda Civic that was built in 2000. That car gets 35mpg on the freeway and 27mpg in-city. It’s a no-frills, dependable car that requires only standard maintenance to keep rolling for a lifetime. Why trade that in on a new car payment when most vehicles today still only get about that in mileage?
Another option is conversion. Converting many nearly-dead gasoline vehicles, so long as they’re fuel injected, to compressed natural gas or other options is actually pretty affordable in comparison to the expense of purchasing a whole new car. Many DIY home mechanics save even more by converting their old clunker into a great electric, natural gas, or greasel (diesel engine running on used kitchen grease) that is both eco-friendly and practical.
Whatever you decide, remember that “eco-chic” is not the same as “environmentally-friendly.” Don’t spend money just because you think it will make you look cool. Doing that makes you no better than the jackass that buys the high-dollar Hummer so he can belch fumes around town with his hat on crooked.
