Obviously, fuel economy is the big change when thinking about switching to an electric hybrid. Most hybrids today use an electric motor for low speeds and a gas engine for high speed driving and continuously switch back and fourth. Doing this they can get 30 to 40 miles per gallon, which is a great improvement from the 15 mpg I get in my Lincoln Navigator. The Chevy Volt is slightly different in that it uses the battery and electric motor for trips of 40 miles or less without ever starting the gas engine. When the gas engine starts it runs a generator which recharges the batteries and keeps the car going for long trips. The EPA has not rated the Volt’s gas mileage yet but I have seen estimates that are over 150 mpg for trips of less than 40 miles, then coming down to the mid 30′s for long trips when the engine is running. The Nissan Leaf has an EPA mileage rating of 99 MPGe. That combines both city and highway driving. The big difference between the Leaf and the Volt is that the Leaf does not have a gas engine at all. It is purely an electric car. It has a range of 78 miles, then needs a 7 hour charge.

As I research these cars it is easy to see that we are moving toward a future with more efficient cars the cause much air and noise pollution. The less gas they burn the less they will damage the air quality we all live with. It will also lower our dependence on foreign energy supplies that are expensive and create a huge transfer of our wealth to other countries. It looks to me like these new transportation technologies have far reaching benefits to everyone. Less pollution, less noise, less money, less dependence on foreign resources. In the US, I’m sure that our largest import is foreign energy sources. If we could decrease those imports by using less gas, it would have a tremendous financial impact on our economy. The same holds true for all oil importing countries.

A third benefit of driving hybrid electric cars is that the purchase can qualify for some tax credits. That’s true as of the date of this writing, at any rate. For example, buying a Ford Fusion or Mercury Milan results in $3,400 worth of tax credits, while a Ford Escape or Mazda Tribute can yield an extra $3,000 in savings. Just be aware that these credits usually come with an expiration date, and vary from model to model, so you’ll have to check with your dealer before buying just to make sure the savings are still available.

Since the best new hybrid and electric car technologies are just emerging, and the sticker prices are a little high, I do have some concern about buying a new hybrid car. Never-the-less, I think the positives outweigh the negatives. Hybrids and electric cars are the future and the faster we can implement them the better off we will all be. The bottom line is that they will save money in long term costs and help improve everyone’s lives at the same time.

For more complete information about how to increase gas mileage go to GasMileageResearch.org.