Reasons Not to Buy a Hybrid Car (yet)

At the risk of heresy, here are good reasons to wait on buying a hybrid vehicle:

1. Hybrids cost more upfront; Sticker price along with taxes including sales and license fees tend to be 10-30% higher, usually about $3,000 or more. Whether you make this difference up depends; on 1) when you sell it 2) resale value 3) your income tax situation 4) how much you drive 5) your insurance company 6) the state you live in 7) how you finance your vehicle 8) where you take it for service 9) what type of warranties you bought 10) where you park and how you commute. A study of typical consumer showed that most did not calculate these economic variables, and bought hybrid for image related reasons.

Great news: Hybrid resale values have been superb. Omninerd has developed an incredibly detailed look at the economics of hybrid ownership. [1]

2. Hybrid vehicle choices are limited, but expanding dramatically every year; waiting may be better. Larger and less expensive hybrid cars, trucks, and SUVs will become available. Over 100 future and concept models are being tested all around the world.

3. Hybrids on the market today rely on gasoline, for which there is no synthetic substitute (unlike diesel engines, which can run on bio-diesel).

4. Car battery disposal, when the car eventually is retired. There is no known methods on the disposal and could potentially create dangerous environmental impact. Note: all cars have batteries.

5. Extra weight and usually lack of performance in terms of acceleration and speed, although this is not always true, as in the Lexus GS450h Hybrid Sedan.

6. Carbon Dioxide - might contribute to global warming

7. Hybrids are sustaining technology. If electric cars disrupt transportation, internal combustion based products may lose resale value.

See also Top Reasons to Buy a Hybrid Car.