Hybrid vehicles boast lower emissions and increased gas mileage, making them a more environmentally-friendly option than standard vehicles. In 2009, however, hybrid cars only accounted for 2.8 percent of all new car purchases in the U.S. Although hybrid vehicles are better for the environment, they present some distinct disadvantages that may make them unsuitable for some consumers.
Higher Cost
Hybrid cars are more costly than their gasoline powered counterparts. For example, Honda lists the retail price for a base model Civic sedan at $15,655. A hybrid Civic, however, will cost you $23,800. That’s a difference of over $8000. Unfortunately, you may not recoup the additional money you spend on a hybrid car in fuel savings very quickly–if ever. According to MSN Money, an individual spending two dollars a gallon for gas and driving 15,000 miles a year would only save $342 annually by purchasing a hybrid. At that rate, you’d need to drive your hybrid car for almost 24 years to make up for the higher price tag.
Limited Choices
Even if you would prefer a hybrid car, you may feel a bit stifled by the limited choices available. Most car companies offer a hybrid option, but that vehicle won’t appeal to everyone. If, for example, you want a sports car, you’ll have to buy one that runs solely on gasoline. MotorTrend reports a hybrid sports car in the works: the Honda CR-Z, due to hit the U.S. market at the end of 2010. With only 140 horsepower, however, the CR-Z may be less attractive to consumers than other available sports cars.
Too Quiet
Although some consider a quiet car something to be coveted, a recent study in Scientific American magazine suggests that hybrid cars may be so quiet that they pose a significant danger to pedestrians. To test how well pedestrians could detect an approaching Toyota Prius, the test subjects were blindfolded and instructed to identify the vehicle as soon as they heard it. Although the individuals could easily identify a gasoline powered car an average of 36 feet away, they could not detect the Prius until it was 11 feet away. When the researchers added in background traffic, test subjects were unable to detect the hybrid car’s approach at all. This suggests that quiet hybrid vehicles could pose a greater threat to pedestrians.
Electromagnetic Fields
Current flowing through a hybrid car’s electric motor creates an electromagnetic field. According to a 2008 New York Times report, hand-held testing meters demonstrate that the electromagnetic fields present in hybrid cars are substantially stronger than those present in standard gas-powered vehicles. Although hybrid vehicle manufacturers insist upon the safety of hybrid cars, the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute agree that prolonged exposure to electromagnetic fields may pose an increased risk of cancer.
