Hybrid Car Facts

• Hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius produce 90% less pollutants than comparable non-hybrid cars. By putting less harmful chemicals in the environment, the harmful effects of pollution can be halted or even reversed.
  
  
• The United States government supports hybrid car ownership by allowing a tax write off. In 2005, this rebate may be as high as $5000!
  
  
• While it is true that hybrid cars do have expensive parts, they also have warranties that provide free replacement of the most expensive parts for many years.
  
  
• Hybrid cars show much lower depreciation rates than standard gasoline cars. They are now and will continue to be in extremely high demand, so hybrid cars keep their values very well, making a hybrid car a sound investment.
  
  
• Though hybrid cars have not been on the US market for very long, they have been sold in Japan since 1997. Some consumers worry that hybrid cars may not last as long as other cars, but it is not abnormal for a hybrid car to run like new when it has 250,000 miles on it. The best part - hybrid cars don't require any more maintenance than gasoline cars.
  
  
• Hybrid cars aren't a fad. Nearly every major automobile manufacturer has announced either the launch of a hybrid car or plans for a launch. A large part of this is due to the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) regulation, by which an automaker must maintain a minimum mileage of 27.5mpg across its product line. By investing in hybrid technology, they can offer faster, larger engines in the rest of their line.
  
  
• You don't have to be an environmentalist to love hybrid cars. Consider the following: ACME Construction has a fleet of 10 work trucks that together drive 2500 miles a week, and guzzle $308 of gas a week. A new hybrid truck offered by a major manufacturer can save ACME Construction nearly $7000 per year, in gasoline costs alone. When factoring in lower depreciation and tax incentives, this number skyrockets. Capitalists can love hybrids too.