Buying a hybrid car may give you the bragging rights of being the first person in your neighborhood to drive a hybrid vehicle. But that does not end there. Harnessing the hybrid technology can actually give you several benefits you cannot expect from a conventional gasoline-engine car.

1. Fuel economy. Depending on the driving condition and driver’s habits, a gasoline powered family sedan can run 15-34 miles on a gallon of fuel. Hybrid cars, on the other hand can run 40-60% longer at 20- 60 miles on a gallon of gas. This is perhaps the biggest reason why hybrid cars are so popular today. And with the uncontrollable increase in pump prices, hybrid cars can solve at least one of the obvious problems.

2. Durability. The hybrid vehicle automatically shuts off its combustion engine when idling. Not only does it help to conserve gas, it also reduces the wear on the engine. Also, the regenerative braking system that recaptures the lost energy when braking reduces the wear on the brakes.

3. Tax credit reward. While the sticker price of one hybrid car can set you back several thousands more than its non-hybrid counterpart, you can actually enjoy a tax reward of as much as $3000 depending on what hybrid car you buy. Also, the government imposes several incentives exclusive to hybrid car owners like free parking among others.

4. Environmental impact. Hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter (diesel), and formaldehyde also known as formalin are 5 noxious gases emitted by gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicles. These gases contribute to the greenhouse effect. In short, these gases are harmful to the environment. Since hybrid cars consume less fuel, they also emit less fumes.

5. Sophisticated design. If you only care about the looks of the car, then choose among one of the available hybrid cars on the market today and you’ll surely fall in love with one of them. Hybrid cars are among the best looking cars today.

6. Exclusivity. There are only a few hybrids among 200 million cars on the road today. And if you own one, then you’ll feel that you own an exotic car. While this won’t last long since many car manufacturers have announced more hybrid models in the future plus more and more hybrids are being sold everyday, it is still a good feeling that you are one of the first.

Gasoline powered vehicle

As the name implies, a gasoline powered vehicle uses a combustion engine as a source of power. It has a fuel tank that supplies gasoline to the engine which drives the transmission and turns the wheels.

Pros

With a single full tank, a gasoline-powered vehicle can run several times longer than an electric car.

A gallon of gasoline is much denser than batteries in terms of energy. For example, 1 gallon of gasoline (7 pounds) produces the same amount of power as 1000 pounds of batteries.

It can keep up with the traffic on the road.

You have the widest car options. From compact to full-size sedan, from pickup trucks to SUVs, from minivans to luxury cars, you can jump from one car dealer to another and still get the best car varieties.

You can also choose from different types and sizes of engines.

Cons

With the soaring prices of fuel, getting a gas tank full is very expensive. Combustion engine wastes a lot of energy and consumes a lot of fuel. It also emits pollutants that contribute to the depletion of the environment.

Electric vehicle

An electric vehicle has a battery that supplies power to the electric motor, which then drives the transmission and turns the wheels.

Pros

Since it does not consume fuel, an electric vehicle emits no toxic fumes which is good news for the environment.

Although the battery pack is expensive, electric power is cheaper as compared to pump prices.

Cons

The battery can power the car short distances on a single charging.

Batteries of an electric car take several hours to charge.

Electric cars cannot keep up with the traffic.

Its top speed is slower than gasoline cars.

Hybrid Car - Problem solved

Hybrid cars get the best of both engines. It uses both an electric motor and a combustion engine to drive the vehicle. That means that a hybrid can either run on an electric motor and use the advantages of an electric car, or run on a combustion engine and use the edge of a gasoline powered car. Or, it can run on both at the same time. Depending on the type of hybrid car, you can have the best fuel efficiency with a performance similar or even better than its non-hybrid counterpart.