Buy a hybrid car PDF Print E-mail

Background

Hybrid cars run on a mix of electricity and gasoline. For detailed info on how they work, visit “How Stuff Works.” Hybrid cars may seem expensive, but they rapidly pay for themselves in saved gas costs.

  • For example, a hybrid 2006 Toyota Prius driven 15,000 miles a year with a fuel price of $2.87 per gallon would have an annual fuel cost of about $800, while a 2006 Dodge Ram pickup driven the same amount would have an annual fuel cost of about $2900, and a 2006 Honda Accord would have an annual fuel cost of around $1500!
  • Prices of hybrids are around $25,000 for cars, and around $35,000 for SUV’s. Hybrids can get anywhere between 30 and 60 miles per gallon, and are good for the environment, unlike diesel engines.
  • Tax incentives are available for buying hybrid cars in the form of tax credits for between $650 and $3,000, depending upon which car you purchase. (Source: fueleconomy.gov)
  • Hybridcars.com offers a great FAQ page on hybrids, which includes a discussion of hybrid performance in cold weather.

Carbon Savings

5,600 pounds of carbon each year. (Source: globalgreen.org)

  • HOWEVER: Carbon emissions associated with the production of cars are around 14,000 pounds of carbon per vehicle.Purchasing a hybrid car is only environmentally feasible if your current car is old and/or inefficient. Consider the carbon production emissions before buying a car, or anything for that matter

Take Action Now!

Visit the government’s fuel economy website to compare MPG and air pollution for various cars, and to learn more about hybrids. Specifically, this page gives a table of all hybrids on the market that allows you to compare each one’s attributes.

Also consider purchasing or converting your car to an electric vehicle.  Visit the website of the Alaska chapter of the Electric Vehicle Association , or the National Association's page for more info.

  • Hybrids often must be ordered and can take anywhere from 3 weeks to 4 months to arrive, depending upon the length of the wait-list.
  • Locate dealers in Alaska that sell hybrids:
 
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