Action - Hybrid Vehicle
Hybrid vehicles are typically much more efficient than their gas-only equivalents. They generate electricity while driving, often during braking. This energy is then used to power the vehicle, typically while stopped and at low speeds.
Most manuafacturers now offer at least one Hybrid model. The best overall fuel economy for 2007 is the Toyota Prius at about 55 mpg but there are many other excellent models from Honda, Ford, Lexus, Mercury and others. Use caution when selecting a vehicle as certain vehicles are still tuned for performance and don't achieve a significant fuel economy improvement.
Known benefits and costs
| Annual CO2 Savings | 1,500 - 3,600 kg |
|---|---|
| 3,300 - 7,920 lbs | |
| Annual Cash Savings | $500 - $1,800 |
| Initial Cost | $2,000 - $8,000 |
| Time to pay for itself | 1.0 - 16.0 years |
| CO2 saved per year per initial dollar invested | 0.19 - 1.80 kg |
* These values were taken from many sources including product documentation, published reports, and the referenced material below. The ranges are due to differences in methods of achieving this action.