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Who Should Buy a Hybrid Vehicle?

As the world slowly shifts away from traditional gas vehicles, more drivers turn their eyes toward fuel-efficient options, like hybrids. Even with electric vehicles set to increase in the coming years, hybrid vehicles can still offer a slew of benefits, including exceptional fuel mileage while being kinder to the environment. So if you’re on the hunt for a new vehicle, here are some points on who should buy a hybrid car and whether it’s the right choice for you.

How Does a Hybrid Differ From a Traditional Vehicle?

First, let’s briefly explain what the difference is between a hybrid and a traditional vehicle. It all comes down to the engine. Traditional vehicles use gas to fuel its engines. Electric vehicles use electricity from its batteries to  “fuel” its motors. With a hybrid vehicle, a gas engine and an electric motor work in harmony to motivate the vehicle. The intent of the hybrid is to maximize driving range and use as little gas as possible, thus saving you money and the environment at the same time by drastically reducing carbon emissions. The most efficient gas-powered vehicle averages around 590 km for every 40 litres of gas. A hybrid will average around 820 km in the same scenario —a 28% improvement which translates to savings of $20 for every 820 km traveled. 

Here are some of the main benefits of hybrids that can help you determine if it’s a good fit:

You Care About the Environment

There are many advantages to owning a hybrid vehicle, but the main one is the fact that it’s better for the environment. Since hybrids use electricity and gas to power the vehicle, they provide a much better fuel economy, reducing fuel consumption. Burning less fuel reduces the amount of greenhouse gases that are typically emitted while the vehicle is operating. This helps keep the air cleaner and minimizes smog, especially in more urban environments where there’s a constant flow of heavy traffic. 

You Want to Reduce Fuel Costs

In addition to benefiting the environment, hybrids translate into more fuel savings which will benefit your wallet too. As gas prices continue to fluctuate, hybrid drivers won’t have to worry as much since they’ll have a fuel-efficient vehicle that will let them go further for less. This is a big draw for drivers who have to endure longer commutes since these battery-assisted vehicles are thrifty and effective during bumper-to-bumper traffic. In addition, during common, low-speed driving conditions, the car runs on its battery alone, saving drivers a significant amount each month on their gas expenditures.

You Want to Take Advantage of Purchase Incentives

Choosing a hybrid vehicle can also come with purchase incentives. This can include cash back rebates and government tax credits. Your local dealership can inform you about the details regarding any incentives that are available to you.

You Want Immediate Torque

Many hybrid vehicles, including the Honda Accord and Honda Insight, are known for providing instant torque, thanks to the efficiency of the electric motor. So whenever you need to rev up fast, you won’t need to wait for the engine to kick in to accelerate. 

You Don’t Want to Idle Your Vehicle

Idling your vehicle not only wastes fuel, but it’s harmful to the environment as it contributes to air pollution and smog. That’s why many urban areas have allocated “no idling zones.” Hybrid vehicles make it simple to avoid this since they are designed to shut down the internal combustion engine when stationary. So when the car stops, it switches from gas to the battery pack, which keeps all of the internal components, like the climate control and radio on. Then, when it’s time to resume motion, and the vehicle picks up speed again, the gas engine will kick back in. This conserves fuel and reduces pollution.

Thinking about purchasing a hybrid vehicle? Come by Ottawa Honda today to learn more about our Honda Accord and Honda Insight.