Hybrid Vehicles Cons

Hybrid Cars Are The Future by Chris Anderson, Business Review Weekly, March 6, 2013

With their growing popularity, many people have questions about the pros and cons of hybrid cars. It is well known hybrid cars have great gas mileage, but less familiar is the ever-improving performance. Not only are hybrid vehicles more efficient, producing lower emissions than gas powered automobiles, but their performance is continuing to improve thanks to advances in technology. Hybrids were once accused of being gutless when compared to an average gas powered engine, but that is a thing of the past. They come with many of the same features that their traditional counterparts do, offering high performance steering and superb quality brakes.
Hybrid
Cars have some distinct advantages and one is that use clean energy. An electric motor together with a gas powered engine make a vehicle that has lower emissions and better gas mileage. It conserves energy while having the power of a standard engine. This also means lower fossil fuel dependence. Because hybrids are much cleaner and require less fossil fuel to run them, they ultimately help to reduce the dependence on oil and do their part to lower prices domestically. Hybrid cars are also lighter in weight and have smaller engines. Because hybrids are constructed using lighter materials, the car does not have to expend as much energy to do the same task. Again, a smaller engine means a lighter one, and because there is less cylinder displacement, the engine does not have to work as hard, and a hybrid uses far less fuel in the process.
Technologies allow hybrids the same kind of performance as normal cars, and they are continuing to develop, improving efficiency, getting better mileage, and reducing emissions even further.
A recent development is regenerative braking, meaning each time you brake, the battery is recharged a little, eliminating the need for stopping to recharge the battery periodically. As more and more people are turning to hybrid vehicles to help save money on annual fuel bills and protect the environment, used hybrid vehicles are commanding higher than average resale values. Many popular fuel-efficient vehicles such as cars made by Honda and Toyota have always enjoyed high resale values, and the hybrid versions of vehicles made by these manufacturers are demanding even higher selling prices. So, in the event you need to sell a hybrid vehicle, it is safe to assume that you will be able to recoup much more of your investment than you would with a standard gasoline engine powered
vehicle.
Unfortunately, the price difference of hybrid cars versus standard vehicles is still considerable. In many cases, the hybrid electric version of a vehicle may cost between $5000 and $10,000 more than the standard version. Many consumers will simply not be able to afford the price difference in the two types of vehicles regardless of how much money may or may not be saved with the better fuel efficiency of hybrid vehicles. However, as technologies improve this price gap should be eliminated and once this happens, a hybrid car will be the logical choice.

Would You Choose a Hybrid Car ? by Jones, Alan, World Auto Magazine, May 20th, 2012

Unlike the conventional cars that make use of a single source of energy, a hybrid car runs on a combination of a battery and a fuel engine.
However, these two sources are used alternatively by the car and are not merged with each other. Hybrid cars are gaining popularity because of their economical, social, and environmental benefits. But, these 'green cars' also have some disadvantages which should be kept in mind before considering them for a purchase.
The main shortcoming of a hybrid car that prevents it from gaining popularity with the masses is its high cost. It has also been estimated that the price of hybrid cars will increase over the years, inviting more troubles for the buyers. The fuel savings expected in a hybrid car are also believed to be a bit exaggerated, when compared to the total costs of purchasing and maintaining a hybrid car. Also, the acceleration of most hybrid cars is not exhilarating. That is, they tend to accelerate at a slower speed when compared to the conventional gas-powered cars. To put in simple words, you would not be able to achieve the anticipated speed within the same time period in a hybrid car, than you would in cars that are powered only by gasoline. This feature of a hybrid car will certainly make you feel unsafe while driving as you would not be able to keep pace with the other normal cars on the
road.
A further shortfall is the high cost of its batteries. Although the battery pack comes with an extended warranty, it needs to be replaced on completing 80,000 miles. Depending on the model of your car, this battery pack may cost you anything between $5,000 and $8,000. Therefore, if you are a frequent traveler, a hybrid car is definitely not a good choice for you. In order to facilitate high speeds, hybrid cars are made using light-weight body materials and are kept small in size. Owing to their small size and light weight, they become more vulnerable to serious damage when involved in any accident, small or big. As these cars are new and expensive, their stocks are limited and are not available in all parts of the country. Also, there are not many skilled hybrid car repair mechanics. So, you can imagine the kind of troubles you will have to face if you buy an expensive hybrid car from a place far away from your residence, and then, when required, get it repaired from a local unskilled repair mechanic!
Just like any other new technology, hybrid cars also have their pros and cons. They are environmentally friendly and help in saving a lot of fuel. So, if you can really afford to buy and maintain a hybrid car, you should consider it.