The Pros and Cons of Hybrid Car

Funny thin that the first con some one can think of in a hybrid is breakdown and EPA estimates being wrong. Prius 2010 is rated at 50 MPG but people report 65-70 MPG without Hypermiling. I dont understand which way the EPA estimate is wrong. 

And with two engines in place the chance of car breaking down and stopping in place is halved not doubled. Atleast one of the engine will act as a backup to the other. And even otherwise I have driven 10 year old cars that didnt have any break down at all. So we have to look ahead of breakdowns.

And no Hybrids are not lighter by any day. They have big battery packs that makes them heavier than a car of same size. They could be a bit more aerodynamic but not by figher-jet to truck margins. They might be about 5% more aerodynamic than a comparable car of same size at the best. Fact Prius 2010 1380 KGs compared to the only slightly smaller Corolla weighing 1240 KGs.

Battery change is not very big issue. People have owned Prius for 10 years without needing any change. The battery looses its efficiency if it is charged-and-discharged 500 times fully. That does not happen in a Hybrid. Only a small portion of the battery is used. Because of this they live many times their estimated life of 3 years. Its possible for them to live over 12-15 years. 

The biggest Hurdles for hybrids is not its cost/its battery/its weight but people's perception of them. There were some very intelligient journalists in the developed nations who has set us to think that they are costly, useless and never pay back. Today about 10% of cars sold in Japan are Hybrids, they are not selling that much because cars became cheaper, the Prius is actually become about $2000-4000 pricier. They are selling because the idea of hybrids are now accepted. Thats the only hurdle the Hybrids will have to go through, in other places. There still many journalists who claim these cars handle like a boat and stuff.  They are just making these advanced technologies look uncool, thats the next hurdle these cars have to break. There are many who says the energy required to manufacture and import hybrids makes it far costlier in carbon content than locally made cars. This will also get washed when they make cars locally. About 70% of the new cars introduced world over in 2015 will be hybrids and we will be talking in 2001 there was an article that said "Batteries are very costly parts in Hybrids" and they fail twice over.

Our govt will still stick to 110% duty for import cars which means all the customers wills till remain ducks and have to sing the songs local manufactures want to hear. I wish they make the import duty as 25% like most other nations, I want to see some serious competition.

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