Just One Out of 16 Hybrids Pays Back In Gas Savings 762
thecarchik writes with this snippet from GreenCarReports:
"One of the criticisms of hybrid cars has historically been that there's no payback, especially given the cheap gasoline prices in the US. The extra money you spend on a hybrid isn't returned in gas savings, say critics. Well, that may be true, especially when regular gasoline is averaging $2.77 a gallon this week. But as we often point out, most people don't buy hybrids for payback — they buy them to make a statement about wanting to drive green. Nevertheless, a Canadian study has now looked at the question of hybrid payback in a country whose gasoline is more expensive than ours (roughly $3.70 per gallon this week), with surprising results. The British Columbia Automobile Association projected the fuel costs of 16 hybrids over five years against their purchase price and financing fees. In a study released in late July, only a single one of the 16 hybrids cost less to buy and run than its gasoline counterpart."
The one car that would save you money, according the study, is the Mercedes S400 Hybrid sedan — and it will only cost you $105,000.
Re:that's why (Score:2, Funny)
But those use a lot of fuel! [wikipedia.org]
Re:Hybirds are half-assed. (Score:5, Funny)
I want a spaceship that runs on my kitchen garbage that can fly to Mars in 3 hours. I want it to cost 500 bucks and generate gold and platinum as waste products.
I figured if we're going to fantasize, I might as well go for broke.
Re:Hybirds are half-assed. (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Well..... (Score:3, Funny)
Your laptop batteries sure are expensive. You should shop around for your next laptop upgrade.
Re:That's how the market is supposed to work. (Score:4, Funny)
Not true, if we followed the teachings of Austrian economics, we would know that it's the academics who try to model economic activity who are to blame for the failure of the free market, which, if left unchecked, would make us all rich.
Re:That's how the market is supposed to work. (Score:2, Funny)
Also, you may find some makers use the U.S. gallon (about 3.7L) and others use the U.K. gallon (about 4.3L), so you have to convert from the L/100km numbers to get comparable fuel economy numbers.
Re:Hybirds are half-assed. (Score:3, Funny)
Oh, please, you need to take a course in fantasy - I want thought-controlled,nanite fusion reactors that are powered by background radiation and can transform dirt into unobtainium while simultaneously doing point-to-point teleportation through transdimensional wormholes to planets inhabited by nude Brazilian supermodels.
Re:That's how the market is supposed to work. (Score:5, Funny)
I bought a 2002 Prius at 1 year of age.
I didn't buy my first car until I was 19.