With high gas prices, everyone is talking about Toyota fuel economy. It seems that folks who never would have otherwise considered a hybrid are suddenly in the market for a hybrid like the Toyota Prius.
Here are some of the main reasons people give today for wanting a hybrid vehicle:
- Hybrid vehicles help reduce pollution. Because the electric engine in a hybrid doesn’t produce the same kinds of pollutants that a regular gasoline engine produces, hybrid vehicles are cleaner and better for the environment.
- Hybrid vehicles use less fossil fuels. Because their fuel economy is so much less, hybrids reduce the amount of oil used. This has a number of benefits, not the least of which is a lessened dependence on foreign sources of oil.
- Hybrid vehicles save you money on gas. No, at $2 a gallon, savings on gasoline alone won’t make up the difference in cost between a regular vehicle and a hybrid. But as gas prices increase (some speculate we’ll see $5 per gallon soon) this becomes a much more reasonable argument.
- Finally, hybrid vehicles demonstrate responsibility. In some ways, driving a hybrid helps keep awareness of these issues on peoples’ minds. This isn’t a self-righteous thing, it’s just a way to open up the discussion about fossil fuels and environmental issues.
