Beyond Celebrity Buzz: The Real Story On Hybrids

Another thing to keep in mind: Despite the hybrid buzz, there are plenty of fuel-efficient vehicles already on the market that can rival a hybrid’s efficiency. According to the EPA, other gasoline-powered cars with exceptionally good economy include the Toyota Yaris subcompact car at 34 city/39 highway, and the Honda Fit, a new, small station wagon, at 33 city/38 highway.

And there will be more options in the near future as cleaner, more efficient diesel-powered vehicles re-enter the U.S. market. Long popular in Europe, diesels have overcome their bad reputation for belching black, smelly smoke and performing like a car with engine trouble. New diesel technologies have improved performance on a par with gasoline engines, and ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel is being introduced in the U.S. Sometimes, when gasoline prices get really high, diesel fuel is actually less expensive.       

Driving a hybrid vehicle takes a little getting used to. For one thing, the gasoline motor shuts off when you’re stopped at a traffic light. It sounds like the engine went dead—which it did. A computer knows you’re not going anywhere, so it turns off the gasoline engine. When the light turns green, the electric motor gets you started, and the gasoline engine kicks in as you accelerate. There’s no wasting gas while you’re idling.   

That computer is darn smart, too. When you don’t need a lot of power, like at slow speeds and when you’re coasting down a hill, the computer can turn off the engine to save gas. But when you need it to go up the other side of the hill, gasoline and electric motors work together to give you some extra oomph. Often included as standard equipment on hybrids, or available as an option, is an in-dash screen that shows when the gasoline and electric motors are working, as well as fuel consumption.

The car’s batteries—yes, the electric motor runs on batteries, but you don’t have to plug it in—are recharged when you hit the brakes. It’s called regenerative braking, which converts the energy during coasting into juice for the batteries.