by Allen Teal

Created on: December 26, 2008

Economically speaking, it may be a decade from now before hybrid cars reach a point of sufficient styling and efficiency to be worth it for most people to buy one. Currently, any compact or sub-compact car will nearly match the fuel economy of a hybrid. We dream of 100 mpg cars, but most hybrids range from about 27 to 50 mpg.

With the high sticker price that results from low production numbers, only people who want to make an ecological statement will be lining up to buy hybrids. There will be a few people who actually like the styling and are always first in line to buy something new buying hybrids before the rest of us see the need.

However, from the perspective of the green factor, the hybrid makes sense. If you can discipline yourself to drive in ways that make more use of the electric and less of the fossil fuel side of the vehicle, you can reduce gas consumption a lot. If you plan to take it across country, you may be disappointed. If you plan to make the 10 mile commute over city streets, it will probably satisfy the reasons besides vanity that you purchased it.

Another piece of good news is that most hybrid vehicle buyers will charge them up at night. This means that all of those kilowatts out there that go unused during the off peak times will now become income for the utility companies. This should help keep electric bills lower because the electric company will make profits off of all of those hybrids on the electricity nipple all night.

The range, speed, and comfort of these strange looking vehicles is still somewhat below the low end of most family cars. They are more comfortable than many motorcycles. However, if we are to reap the benefits of high fuel economies and reduced crude oil dependence, we need to pay the price now so that the innovations that are sales driven can take place.

United States car companies will be motivated to really make great hybrids when a strong market exists. In spite of federal mandates and pressure, the big three will drag their collective feet on hybrids until they can see the day when a million of them roll off of assembly lines every year and into the driveways of America.

When the small foreign cars were first getting footing in the U. S. back in the 60's and 70's, they were about in the same market as hybrids are today. With booming sales and innovation, these cars now rule many of our markets. The early adopters today are paving the way for real future benefits for the rest of us tomorrow.

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