It’s no secret that hybrid and electric cars tend to be more expensive than their gas-powered counterparts, but are they worth the extra cash? The team at Sun Devil Auto has weighed in on the benefits versus the cost of these popular automobiles, and it may just depend on what you need from a car. Check out the following scenarios to determine if an electric or hybrid car is right for you and your wallet.
The City Versus the Highway Driving Scenarios
The average brand-new, hybrid sedan typically ranges between $23,000 to $35,000, whereas the regular gas-powered economy car averages between $13,000 to $20,000. The added features may vary slightly in the vehicles, but this is a fairly close comparison. Can your fuel savings make up the additional $7,000 or more, for the hybrid car? Let’s look at the facts about city driving and why it makes better sense with a hybrid:
- Characteristically, city driving allows for about 45 miles per gallon in hybrids.
- City driving gives you about 26 miles per gallon for the average Fuel-Efficient, gas-powered sedan.
- Especially when gas prices can reach around $3.50 per gallon, the hybrid can be a better value once the vehicle approaches close to 100,000 miles.
Highway driving actually lowers the difference in miles per gallon. If you are still considering a hybrid, they average about 48 miles per gallon on the freeway, whereas fuel-economy cars get about 42 MPG. You would be close to 500,000 miles before you reached the point where a hybrid paid off the alternative.
Electric Cars
What about electric cars? How many miles do you need to drive on those to make it worth the extra cost? While electric car prices can vary drastically, the typical sedan starts around $30,000. Its similar gas-powered opponent starts around $24,000 to $26,000. How hard is it to make up the cost difference? Actually, it’s not hard at all because the electric vehicles require no fuel at all to run. On average, in less than 60,000 miles, you will have made up the difference in cost with all your fuel savings. The government even offers tax credits for people who purchase electric cars, which means the savings are even greater.
The Conclusion
Ultimately, the decision to purchase a hybrid or electric car is yours. Purchasing one of these fuel-efficient vehicles has great benefits for the environment, and the savings year after year in fuel costs can be huge, especially in an electric car.
