The hottest craze in hybrid technology is “plug in hybrids”. If you’re not already familiar with hybrid vehicles, they basically require gas to power a generator. This generator in turn will charge batteries, that then power an electric motor. It’s this electric motor that is what actually drives the vehicle. Although hybrids require gas, they require considerably less gas than regular cars, because the gas is only burned when the batteries require recharging. This means a hybrid vehicle isn’t constantly running it’s engine.
Now, we’re seeing what is known as a “plug in hybrid”. The electric motor needs power from somewhere, and with plug in hybrids, you actually utilize electricity from your home to charge the batteries.
So despite the fact that electricity prices have risen lately along with gasoline, it’s still much cheaper to leverage the electricity in your home to power your car. You can even get up to four times the fuel efficiency, depending on how much distance you have to drive in between charging. Can you believe getting up to four times what your current vehicle allows? That’s just like getting one hundred miles to the gallon!
Plug in hybrids sound great, but unfortunately they have yet to enter general production. That stage is fast approaching though. It’s predicted that models will be available in a year or two, and affordable enough to remain practical.
You might love the idea about saving gas by driving a hybrid. On the other hand, you might not necessarily want to give up your current vehicle. Is your only choice to save gas and help reduce pollution come down to buying a car you won’t really enjoy driving? Don’t lose hope yet. After market kits are becoming more readily available, and many already exist that can convert any vehicle into a hybrid.
A number of specialty companies currently make these kits available. It may be hard to believe, but virtually any car can become a hybrid. It doesn’t come at a cheap price though. Purchasing and installing these kits can run you up about ten thousand dollars.
Is this huge expense worth it? It really depends on you. Do you enjoy driving the same car year after year, or would you rather have a new car from time to time? Do you drive a lot of long distances, or mostly just hop around town? These are things you need to consider before purchasing a hybrid, or paying the large expense to convert your car. The expense needs to be able to pay for itself. In other words, you need to be able to leverage the benefits of a hybrid in order to save money on gas.
If your priority is to contribute to saving our environment and reducing pollution, then the decision is easy. Hybrids are very popular with many folks who cherish and protect our environment.
As with all technologies, the prices will continue to drop in time. While people are waiting for hybrids to drop in price though, gas prices are still rising. Now with the promise of plug in hybrids just around the corner, you’d be hard pressed to ignore the cost saving benefits. If you’re considering getting a new vehicle any time soon, think about waiting it out awhile. You never know, you may soon be the proud owner of a plug in hybrid.
