Hybridgruven
Jun. 18th, 2008 06:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
subplotkudzuStarted doing some back of the checkbook math on our cars. We own a pair of Honda Civic Hybrids, one since 2003, the other since 2005. When we bought it we were warned by many that it would take a decade for the gas savings to cover the "hybrid premium". (Now, good as gas savings are, we also bought the cars because I'm a SF geek and I found the tech in them fascinating and wanted to support it, so this argument obviously did not sway us). Given the price of gas over the last few years, I'm happy to say this wasn't the case.
Now, a lot depends on how you define Hybrid premium: is it the difference between the cheapest other model of Civic and the Hybrid? or do we compare it to the most expensive, given that past the cheapest models it's all about what quality of life upgrades you want to pay for? I'd argue the latter, because I really wanted the Hybrid tech and didn't care at all about the other stuff in the EX-L. But, to be fair, here's the current price difference between the Civics
EX-L: $1,890
EX: $3,090
LX: $4,840
DX: $6,790
We've put 85k on the older of the two cars over the last 5 years, or 17K a year. Using a pair of web sites that give gas prices over time I did a year by year calculation - one adjusted to real dollars (I adjusted the vehicle cost as well), one not. Both came out to a current gas savings of roughly $2.5K. That's past the cost difference to the EX-L with room to spare. By my estimation, the car is now $610 in the black on gas savings (your opinions may differ).
This is based on our tracked MPG of 45 over the last 5 years, vs the average MPG of the other Civics of 30. All those stories about how the Hybrids don't really get mileage that high? well, not if you drive poorly, with lots of jackrabbit starts, slamming on the brakes and driving over 65 MPH - if you do those the regular Civic's mileage drops through the floor. Since our MPG matches the 44-48 the sticker said at purchase, I'll gather that our driving habits would put the regular Civic inside its range as well.
In any event, things get really interesting when you start comparing the Hybrid to other, less efficient models. We've saved 5 grand over my in-laws car with its 22 MPG, and 13.8K over a vehicle with 12 MPG. I'll take that over my car feeling "sporty, fun and free" any day.
Since the hybrid is half again more efficient than the regular civic, that means I can reduce the cost of gas by a third to get an idea of my savings per gallon. Right now in CT that's $1.43 - if Gas hits $7 a gallon (the high outside sky is falling number I've heard), that's $2.33.
In other science news, there's a lab in California that has genetically engineered crickets to excrete gasoline (I read it on the internet, so it must be true!) Man, that would be even cooler than my Hybrid. Sign Me Up!
EX-L: $1,890
EX: $3,090
LX: $4,840
DX: $6,790
We've put 85k on the older of the two cars over the last 5 years, or 17K a year. Using a pair of web sites that give gas prices over time I did a year by year calculation - one adjusted to real dollars (I adjusted the vehicle cost as well), one not. Both came out to a current gas savings of roughly $2.5K. That's past the cost difference to the EX-L with room to spare. By my estimation, the car is now $610 in the black on gas savings (your opinions may differ).
This is based on our tracked MPG of 45 over the last 5 years, vs the average MPG of the other Civics of 30. All those stories about how the Hybrids don't really get mileage that high? well, not if you drive poorly, with lots of jackrabbit starts, slamming on the brakes and driving over 65 MPH - if you do those the regular Civic's mileage drops through the floor. Since our MPG matches the 44-48 the sticker said at purchase, I'll gather that our driving habits would put the regular Civic inside its range as well.
In any event, things get really interesting when you start comparing the Hybrid to other, less efficient models. We've saved 5 grand over my in-laws car with its 22 MPG, and 13.8K over a vehicle with 12 MPG. I'll take that over my car feeling "sporty, fun and free" any day.
Since the hybrid is half again more efficient than the regular civic, that means I can reduce the cost of gas by a third to get an idea of my savings per gallon. Right now in CT that's $1.43 - if Gas hits $7 a gallon (the high outside sky is falling number I've heard), that's $2.33.
In other science news, there's a lab in California that has genetically engineered crickets to excrete gasoline (I read it on the internet, so it must be true!) Man, that would be even cooler than my Hybrid. Sign Me Up!
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no subject
Date: 2008-06-19 01:11 pm (UTC)Taken from the FAQ at Hybridcars.com:
How often do hybrid batteries need replacing? Is replacement expensive and disposal an environmental problem?
The hybrid battery packs are designed to last for the lifetime of the vehicle, somewhere between 150,000 and 200,000 miles, probably a whole lot longer. The warranty covers the batteries for between eight and ten years, depending on the carmaker.
Battery toxicity is a concern, although today's hybrids use NiMH batteries, not the environmentally problematic rechargeable nickel cadmium. "Nickel metal hydride batteries are benign. They can be fully recycled," says Ron Cogan, editor of the Green Car Journal. Toyota and Honda say that they will recycle dead batteries and that disposal will pose no toxic hazards. Toyota puts a phone number on each battery, and they pay a $200 "bounty" for each battery to help ensure that it will be properly recycled.
There's no definitive word on replacement costs because they are almost never replaced. According to Toyota, since the Prius first went on sale in 2000, they have not replaced a single battery for wear and tear.