A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is a type of hybrid vehicle and electric vehicle which combines a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. If you’re in the market to purchase a hybrid, you may find some people who will support the decision and some who oppose it. Either way, hybrid vehicle ownership is on the rise as more and more manufacturers are coming out with hybrid versions of their most popular models.
Some people say that the cost is not worth the car but truthfully it depends on your driving habits. Most hybrids will make up that cost down the road in fuel savings and other people find that the environmental benefits alone outweigh the cost. Some people may also say that while hybrids continue to be super trendy, there may be better, greener, and more efficient alternatives out there. This hasn’t come true just yet. Experts state that the new 4th generation engine will achieve thermal efficiency rates above 40 percent, compared with a maximum of 38.5 percent in the current Prius – the best in Toyota’s fleet. Likewise, Toyota announced plans to launch a fleet of new hybrid vehicles in the next three years, in addition to plans to add a new electric car later this year and a fuel cell vehicle by 2015.
Over 7 million hybrid electric vehicles have been sold worldwide through December 2013, led by Toyota Motor Company TMC with more than 6 million Lexus and Toyota hybrids sold as of 31 December 2013. With so many hybrids on the roads, how can you go wrong? Would millions of people be driving hybrid vehicles if they didn’t have all of the advantages and pros that they say they have?
Once you do choose a hybrid vehicle, how you maintain it is important. Not all auto repair shops are capable of working on the complex systems of a hybrid, so you should find someone with the proper experience and knowledge of hybrid systems. Our Tempe auto repair shop offers The Hybrid Shop and we are one of few repair shops who offer these services. From hybrid battery conditioning to hybrid repair, our auto repair shop is ready to keep your hybrid performing as good as the day you bought it so you are reminded of the many reasons you chose it in the first place.
You put a lot of effort into choosing the right hybrid, shouldn’t you put the same care into who maintains it for you?
