Another criticism of hybrid cars? They are too expensive to offer a real savings, but one study is showing that 5 models make environmental AND economical sense. The following five cars provide a return on their investment before being sold (given an average of 15,000 miles per year):

1. Toyota Camry Hybrid
2. Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid
3. Nissan Altima Hybrid
4. Toyota Prius
5. Honda Civic Hybrid

The study by NADAguides.com also provided the number of miles each model would have to drive before breaking even, broken down by metropolitan area (and current gas prices).

Los Angeles ($4.59 per gallon)

Camry hybrid vs. Camry XLE - 18,292 miles
Malibu hybrid vs. Malibu LT - 32,206 miles
Altima hybrid vs. Altima 2.5 S - 37,580 miles
Prius vs. Camry LE - 41,626 miles
Civic hybrid vs. Civic LX - 57,216 miles

Source: PRNewsWire, NADAguides.com

Demand for all hybrids, not just the Prius, have gone through the roof over the past month. Experts say it’s the switch from $3.– to $4.– a gallon that’s finally changed people’s mindsets, but waiting lists in some areas are hitting the 6 month point.

Where can you get a hybrid today … right now?

Short-term Lease/ Lease Transfers

Swap-a-Lease has just SIX hybrids available today. Right now. Payments range from $319 a month for an ‘07 Prius to $621 a month for an ‘07 Camry. Leasetrader also has a number of green vehicles available.

When you go through a lease trading company, you don’t have to pay a down payment so initially it can be cheaper. Just like anything though, pay attention to the rules of the leasing company. Do your due diligence and make sure you get a 3rd party inspection so you aren’t hit with any “excessive wear and tear” charges later.

Remember, too, that LeaseCompare.com can help you finance several different models.

Online Auctions

eBay has a number of hybrids listed, but if you go this route, pay particular attention to someone’s seller history! Hybrids are in high demand right now, and online auctions are rife with fraud, so I’m not sure I would be comfortable going this route right now unless a seller had great reviews And was comfortable giving me referrals.

Used Lots

One of our friends bought a used ‘99 Prius a few months ago, and about a week later he was having major problems. Be wary that used hybrids are just like any other car and can have problems. Have them thoroughly checked out by a trusted mechanic who knows hybrids. Our friend was stuck driving a loaner for months until he could afford to get repairs done.

The rise in gas prices may be pushing people toward hybrid alternatives but these aren’t the only cars that can get good gas mileage. If you find yourself without a car, or the time to wait/search for the model you would love to have, look to my Most Efficient & Most Affordable Non-hybrid Autos.

[Image: Toyota]

Yesterday I posted about the Los Angeles City Council repealing an ordinance giving hybrid drivers the right to park for free through 2011 just days after voting on it. Why? That kind of move is so frustrating. Here’s a little insight on the matter from the Daily News:

In this new version, only those vehicles with the stickers - which are no longer available - can park for free.And that’s what changed this from a marginally good idea to one that has no social benefit other than to reward a small subset of drivers.

Moreover, it’s in direct conflict with the original purpose of the free meters ordinance.

It can’t possibly encourage people to buy hybrids, since it only applies to cars that sport stickers that are no longer available. It’s a perk for a few people who already benefit by saving money in gas bills, restrictionless car-pool driving and bragging rights.

The outcry brought the issue back to the council this week for reconsideration, but the council members backed away from taking action and are simply “studying” the issue.

I was under the impression that it was pulled back because some people didn’t want any parking benefits, not that others wanted more.

Still, it doesn’t change my opinion very much, if at all. If the city was using free parking as an incentive, they should honor that for a reasonable amount of time.

I wonder what effect this will have on the policies in other cities? Is free parking an incentive to buy hybrids in other areas?  And should we stop providing incentives because a small portion of the vehicles on the road have gone hybrid? Where’s the tipping point?

I disagree with the Daily News in that I don’t believe a study is useless. They may find the benefits for hybrid drivers are still justified by the impact on air quality, etc.

[img src Public Domain Clipart]

We’re making some headway when it comes to enforcing safer standards for hybrid cars.

From the Baltimore Sun:

 The Senate voted today to give preliminary approval to a bill calling for study of how to deal with hybrid vehicles, which run very quietly.

Maryland Senate Bill 276, Maryland Quiet Vehicles and Pedestrian Safety Task Force, forges ahead with a plan to make tomorrow’s roads safe for all pedestrians. It’s paired with House Bill 1160, of the same name.

What will the task force study? Obviously, their number one concern, is figuring out the levels of “quiet” that promote accidents. Other than that, the bill instructs them to look at ALL AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY that could improve safety, look over related studies and interview experts and consumer groups, and make recommendations regarding appropriate solutions to the problem.

The Ford Escape hybrid with FWD has the best fuel efficiency, currently, of any SUV on the market, but there isn’t a factory option for third row seating. That prevents some of us from taking it too seriously. One couple came up with a solution.

Little Seats makes DIY kits for installing a variety of third-row seats. All of which are removable, and which comply with federal safety standards. They even have a buy-back option so they can offer used kits to families who really need something affordable.

New, you’ll drop anywhere from $700 to $1200 for most. Used start around $500.

Wackadoo! Is it possible Daimler beat GM to the punch? With the Chevy Volt supposedly coming out in 2010, General Motors certainly seemed like they were the cutting edge, but they’re efforts are being sniped by none other than … Mercedes-Benz.

The company has solved the overheating problems involved with using lithium ion batteries using an intricate cooling system, and expects their S400 BlueHYBRID to hit US markets late next year. Fitted with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, it’s 299 hp come with low emissions and an estimated 30 mpg.

This will be quickly followed by the release of a diesel-hybrid version of the S300. A sale date has not been announced, but specs indicate the 2.2-liter, 4-cylinder “twin-turbocharged” diesel engine will garner 44 mpg.

Sources:

Daimler, GM Juice up Hybrid Plans

AutoWeek

I can’t honestly say I’m going to be talking about Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles every Friday. I just though it was a catchy title. I do want to review them with you though because they’re a simple option for people who want the low emissions of an electric car without the (current) distance limitations.

As I said earlier, PHEV stands for what? Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. Why? Because all of the PHEVs today started out as regular ole’ hybrids, like the Prius or Escape. In fact, most are Priuses or Escapes. Honda’s hybrid system makes conversions more difficult, but there are a few out there (getting tremendous gas mileage, btw).

An additional benefit to PHEVs (pronounced “fev” and yes, I did have to ask, and it was such a pathetic question that nobody answered, but I did find out eventually) is that they fill up at night while most energy demands are low, and can theoretically feed energy back into the grid during times of greater use. They do raise a lot of interesting issues though, and hopefully we can get into them here.

There’s a ton of information online about PHEVs, including an initiative by Google.org to get more on the road, and several organizations set up to promote development of conversion kits or just to share the joys of driving electric with the world. I could list all of them for you, but that doesn’t give you much incentive to visit any of the sites, really, so please just go to the sites I’m going to be covering in related posts, and I’ll try to link to them here. Okay? Good.

If you come by in the future and want to check out the latest on plug-ins, feel free to click either PHEV or Plug-in at the menu on the right side of the screen. People tend to use the terms interchangeably. Hey, you might even check back next Friday to see if we’re talking about plug-ins again … but I’m not promising anything. ;)

RechargeIT.org (by Google)

Hmm. This recent article in Mother Earth News passes on information that contradicts what I’ve heard from several sources. What do those of you “in the know” think about it?

“Contrary to what we were taught in driver’s education, when you’re accelerating up to cruising speed in a hybrid, do so briskly,” says [Amory Lovins, senior author of Winning the Oil Endgame and chief executive officer of Rocky Mountain Institute, an independent, nonprofit think tank devoted to energy and resource efficiency] who owns a Honda Insight that gets 63 mpg. ‘The engine is most efficient at high speed and torque, so you’ll use less fuel accelerating aggressively for a short time than accelerating slowly for a long time.”

I’m off vacation. I’m in a mood, and to read this article this morning just made me allll frustrated. Apparently, the Society of Automotive Engineers is studying available options for warning pedestrians of oncoming cars, but feel the National Federation of the Blind is trying to circumvent their opinions. The wording of a bill recently introduced to Maryland lawmakers would establish a committee to study effective “noise-generating technology”. Automakers say the solutions that show the most benefit at this point fall outside that definition. To me, it looks as though they’re splitting hairs.

I understand why companies don’t want more government control over their operations, but they’ve had the chance to handle this problem and have seemingly ignored it … to the point that advocacy groups have had to get the government involved. I’d have to side with the NFB on this one, folks. You can’t just ignore a problem, and then throw a fit when someone else tries to solve it.

Can’t we all just work together?

Maryland looks like it will be the first state to pass quiet car legislation, though only to set up a committee to study possible solutions. It may take many years before regulations are put in place to protect pedestrians from distracted drivers — so for now, just make sure you’re paying attention. ;)

This is an important article to read. Not only because it highlights yet another area into which ecologically-friendly autos are traveling, but because of the ingenuity and dedication of the people involved. If you ever though the problem was too big for you to make a difference, look at folks like Bill Meeson and Paul Andrews. The long-time friends built what may seem like a quirky addition to the hybrid car family, but they’re proving the technology can stand up to the roughest real-use standards available.

“It came to the point that if we didn’t do it then it wouldn’t happen.” Said Andrews, according to an article in the Independent.  The two researched and went after top government funding. They built a motor with improved design, and when the idea wasn’t taking hold, they looked at why and found a way to tweak it for today’s world. For them, one of the answers was creating a hybrid and it’s making an impact.

It is hoped that having endured the “high-stress” environment of competitive motorsport, the work can be adapted into more mainstream areas. They can also bask in the glory of having won the attention of some of motorsport’s top brass. Peter Wright, who works as a technical consultant for the FIA, the governing body for motorsport worldwide, emphasises that Formula One is soon to follow suit, by employing energy-saving technology. The sport is to introduce brake energy recovery – where cars store energy normally lost during braking for reuse for powering the vehicle – in 2009.

Given chances at big funding, these guys have turned out some amazing results. I only hope that investors are paying attention, and will be willing to put their green where it’s needed most … in autosports. :)