And some areas have cleaner electric power generation than others. Some have more services available within electric cars' short range and more favorable electric rates. Different regions of the country are also better suited to using electric cars. The selection is limited, and many electric cars are sold only in certain regions of the country, so where you live may well determine what type of electric car you buy. Electric vehicles (EVs) today cost thousands more than conventional cars, although much of that expense is offset by federal and state tax rebates, and automaker incentives. Note that diesel-powered Volkswagens are under investigation by the EPA for not complying with emissions regulations.Įlectric cars: Electric cars are very efficient, but can travel only short distances before their battery has to be recharged, a process that can take several hours. Hybrids' main competition comes from diesel, which gets similar mileage improvements at a similar cost, albeit often with costlier fuel. If you pay more than about $5,000 above the cost of an equivalent conventional vehicle, it will be hard to save enough fuel to recoup the extra costs, even at high gas prices. With a very efficient car like the Prius, and one in high demand on the resale market, you can come out ahead financially over a short ownership period.īut some other hybrids come with lots of extra luxury features and sometimes a fancy nameplate that don't contribute to fuel economy, but do add significantly to the price. For the space and features it offers, it costs about $3,000 more than an average compact sedan. The Toyota Prius, for example, starts at about $25,000. Hybrids usually cost more than comparable conventional cars, although the cost difference is often not prohibitive and in many cases the expenditure is offset by energy savings. Our data show that full-hybrids (those capable of driving on electric power alone for at least short distances) yield the biggest improvements in fuel economy.Īll that technology comes at a price, though. Hybrids: Hybrid technology comes in many forms, and not all hybrids are ultra efficient. The federal government, California, and some other states also offer additional incentives to electric car buyers, such as direct rebates or tax credits. There, most electricity comes from relatively clean natural gas. Most electric cars today are sold in California, a state that gives automakers incentives to sell them. And that electricity is produced from domestic sources, reducing our national dependence on foreign oil. We've found the Nissan Leaf, the first mass-produced all-electric car on the market, costs as little as 3.5 cents a mile to run at national average electric rates. If you want to avoid using gasoline at all, electric cars can dramatically reduce running costs. Since larger vehicles burn more gas, the 30-percent reduction in fuel consumption we've seen from some hybrid SUVs amounts to many more gallons than you could save by buying a small hybrid over a conventional economy car. Hybrid SUVs can maintain good towing and hauling capacity, and can be particularly good choices for saving fuel. Most hybrids cost a little more, but many can make up the difference in fuel savings in just a few years, depending on gasoline prices. That can give hybrids about 30 percent better gas mileage than equivalent conventional cars. So by combining a gasoline engine, electric motor, and battery pack, hybrids can use electricity when it's most efficient without giving up the practicality of gas engines. But gasoline contains much more energy in a given volume, and much more cheaply than batteries or other electric storage solutions. Electric motors are about three times as efficient as gasoline engines “ that is, they use 1/3 as much energy to do the same work.
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