Friday, July 11, 2008

Most Hybrids Not The Solution to High Gas Prices: NADA Study Suggests

While trying to take the Phentermine approach to gas prices by trimming the amount of fuel consumers use in their cars in hybrids may be the thing most assume is the way to go, a NADA Study may show that is not the case at all. It just depends on what kind of driver you are.

Using current gas prices for ten major metropolitan areas, the company studied the number of miles needed to recoup the extra cost of buying a hybrid car over its gasoline-only counterpart. "We recognize that every driver's situation is different and that some people will achieve a return on the extra investment of a hybrid car much faster than others," said Tara Baukus Mello, senior writer and lead market analyst for NADAguides.com.

"Drivers near major cities often have a wide range of commute distances, which means that the break-even point can be dramatically different from one person to the next," cautioned Baukus Mello. "For example, if a Houston-area commuter travels 12 miles one way to work, driving 10,000 total miles annually, while a Los Angeles-area commuter travels 25 miles one way, driving 15,000 total miles annually, the Los Angeles commuter recoups his investment almost 80 percent faster."

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