Hybrid Car Owners Not Buying Again

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Hybrids and electric vehicles are and will continue to go down in price as production and component parts costs go down.

But really, what's funny is that nobody mentions cost when talking about buying a 70g Cadillac Escalade, not to mention the price they're willing to pay at the gas pump. When it comes to car purchases, consumers buy for value. If they think buying a hybrid gives them value, they'll get it, even if a car of similar size is cheaper. Singling out hybrids because of their cost is silly.

In time the price will go down as battery tech evolves. I read some info a few years back when gas hit $4 gal about hybrids and how long it would take to get a return on the additional investment. I think it was about 10 years at 20K miles per year and you would need a new battery pack by that time. But as gas goes higher and hybrid tech gets cheaper, the gap closes. Also it is probably quite difficult to get an accurate assessment of how much of the savings go against it with the cost of electricity used to charge them and the environmental impact of the power being produced by a fossil fuel plant.

It reminds me of the switch to alcohol as a gasoline additive a few years back when it was speculated that it used more fuel to grow the corn than was saved by using the alcohol. Who knows for sure? Time will tell. One thing is for sure is that sooner or later the dependence on fossil fuel will change. And it will take a decade or two to start down that path. In the meantime fossil fuel get more expensive.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

In time the price will go down as battery tech evolves. I read some info a few years back when gas hit $4 gal about hybrids and how long it would take to get a return on the additional investment. I think it was about 10 years at 20K miles per year and you would need a new battery pack by that time. But as gas goes higher and hybrid tech gets cheaper, the gap closes. Also it is probably quite difficult to get an accurate assessment of how much of the savings go against it with the cost of electricity used to charge them and the environmental impact of the power being produced by a fossil fuel plant.

It reminds me of the switch to alcohol as a gasoline additive a few years back when it was speculated that it used more fuel to grow the corn than was saved by using the alcohol. Who knows for sure? Time will tell. One thing is for sure is that sooner or later the dependence on fossil fuel will change. And it will take a decade or two to start down that path. In the meantime fossil fuel get more expensive.

Yep. Fuel prices do seem to motivate people, but consumer behavior is illogical at times - like those who purchased mammoth SUV's but then have an app on their smartphone to find them the cheapest gas in town.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Battery tech is evolving, but the price per VAh keeps going up. The newer technologies are putting a strain on available resources as the component elements are in greater and greater demand.

[Póg mo 1,749]

I got to say that I really like my Toyota Yaris. It gets decent gas milage 30 in the city and 35 on the highway. I understand that Toyota have a new hybrid Yaris in the UK which gets up to 60mpg coming out soon.

[mawilson 2,133]

But really, what's funny is that nobody mentions cost when talking about buying a 70g Cadillac Escalade, not to mention the price they're willing to pay at the gas pump. When it comes to car purchases, consumers buy for value. If they think buying a hybrid gives them value, they'll get it, even if a car of similar size is cheaper. Singling out hybrids because of their cost is silly.

Behold 2012 Escalade Hybrid

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I got to say that I really like my Toyota Yaris. It gets decent gas milage 30 in the city and 35 on the highway. I understand that Toyota have a new hybrid Yaris in the UK which gets up to 60mpg coming out soon.

Alla loves her little Yaris, drives like a go cart! Parks real easy. She uses about $30 worth of gas every week (at current prices with her Pricechopper discount) so the MOST she could save if she used NO gas would be $120 per month. But even a hybrid uses gas, so assume that she got DOUBLE the mileage (she would not)and saved $60 per month, $720 per year. Doesn't even come close to paying for a Prius, let alone the cost of battery replacement in 5 years and higher insurance. In fact, as I recall the saving in gas just about paid for the increased insurance premiums (in a wreck they almost always have to replace batteries)Even an all electric car will save only $120 minus the electric cost to charge it.

Hybrid vehicle cost may come down in some years, maybe not. They need to increase production which means they need to increase sales but the economics to increase sales are not there yet.

At any rate, WHEN it is a better technology, people will jump all over it. No government incentives needed.