5 Things to Know Before You Buy a Hybrid Car

With gas prices rising with every tank of gas, the popularity of hybrid cars is rising almost as quickly. The profile of the buyer of hybrid cars is changing as well, no longer are they seen as fringe environmentalists, they are the average American citizen who is tired of paying outrageous prices for a tank of gas and then not being able to afford to drive anywhere but back and forth to work. So, if you want to purchase a hybrid car, where do you start? What should you look for? The following information will help you navigate your way through the growing market of fuel-efficient automobiles that are on the market today.

1- Before you decide to tackle the hybrid car market, there are some general points of knowledge that you need to be aware of. For example, this type of car is often referred to as a Hybrid Electric Vehicle or HEV. It will have two engines as opposed to a traditional vehicle, which has one. The engines that are found in an HEV are combustion and electric, having the two engines allows the car to switch from one engine to the other when power begins to run low.

2- However, if needed, the engines will run simultaneously as well. This will happen if more power is needed than either the electric or combustion engine alone can produce. An example of this type of situation would be accelerating on an expressway.

3- Hybrid car dealers also have their own language, you should know how to speak "hybrid" before you decide to go shopping for one of these vehicles. You will need to know that these cars are, on average, have a 90 percent lower emission rate than traditional cars and are therefore known as Ultra Low-Emission vehicles.

4- Before you buy a hybrid car, it is imperative that you take into account your current driving patterns. If you do a lot of highway driving, you will not likely see much in the way of fuel savings. However, if you are the type of driver that mostly stays in traffic that requires frequent stopping and starting, you will be able to see significant fuel savings. This is because in these types of driving conditions the vehicle is able to utilize the electrical engine, using lower RPM's than a traditional car does.

5- Research is so important when contemplating the purchase of a hybrid car. Thankfully, most people have access to the internet and therefore have access to information such as manufacturers' websites. These websites may be some of the most valuable information that you will find. They will contain information that will lead you to repair shops, vehicle maintenance requirements and other such information that is specific to hybrid cars.


By Peter Wallander
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