Long-Term Benefits of Green Driving
In past articles, we’ve reported on the many advantages of hybrids as well as the disadvantages of buying a hybrid SUV or car. But, what are the long-term effects of the growing hybrid car movement and what does it mean for all of us? Basically, there are three major benefits to having more and more hybrid vehicles on the road: less pollution, slowed global warming, and less reliance on non-sustainable energy.
Besides cost, what are the major issues and concerns people have with hybrid cars and SUVs?
Like any technological advancement, hybrid technology has its detractors. Like the cell-phone-induced brain tumors that everyone feared in the early 90s or carpal tunnel from excessive typing, critics can even find fault with hybrids. Arguably the biggest leap forward in transportation in the past 15 years, the hybrid technology that is used in today’s SUVs and cars has given birth to three main fears among critics:
1. Magnetic fields that cause cancer and other ailments
2. Electric shock from a battery
3. Toxic battery materials that can harm the environment, erasing any good the battery did while still in the car
Leave it to the federal government to make the tax benefits of buying a hybrid vehicle extremely confusing. Several years ago, the IRS initiated the “clean-burning fuel deduction” as a one-time, $2000 adjustment to income (here and here). This hybrid vehicle tax deduction remained in effect through 2005, as summarized in this Internal Revenue Service release.
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 changed the rules for hybrid car tax breaks beginning in Tax Year 2006 (the Act also provided some tax benefits to those who made their homes more efficient). No longer considered tax deductions, the new law outlined “tax credits” for taxpayers who purchased or leased hybrid vehicles or alternative motor vehicles. The maximum credit allowed was $3,400 and you can read an overview of the initial phase out rules here.
When asked, many people cite increased fuel efficiency and reduced emissions as their main incentives for buying a hybrid car or SUV. In reality though, a hybrid vehicle’s safety rating seems like a far more important consideration. While government safety requirements and technology improvements continue to make the cars we drive and the roads we travel safer, the fact remains that tens of thousands of people are killed or injured in automobile accidents every year.
When doing your research on hybrid suv’s, it’s helpful to know how specific makes and models have done comparatively in terms of monthly and annual sales. We put together a graph of hybrid suv sales figures for 2007 that includes the Toyota Highlander, Lexus RX 400h, Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner, and Saturn Vue.
During the first half of 2007, Toyota led the pack with 14,312 hybrid Highlander sales. Coming in a close second was Ford, with their popular hybrid Escape managing a respectable 11,444. Lexus grabbed 3rd place with 8,657 RX 400h sales during the same period. You will notice on the chart that there were a couple of months where we were unable to track down total sales of the Saturn Vue Green Line.
Hybrid SUVs aren’t cheap. And, because used hybrids hold their resale value better than their less fuel-efficient counterparts, used hybrid versions aren’t cheap either. So, raise your hand if you’d like to see a more affordable hybrid suv option. I’m not talking about a full-size luxury suv, or one with lots of bells and whistles. Heck, I don’t even need it to be an all wheel drive model; just one that competes with several other new sport utility vehicles in terms of price, options, reliability, etc.
For starters, let’s examine a few of the more affordable (non-hybrid) options for those of us in the market for a new suv in 2008 (based on data from Motor Trend).
Three years ago, I knew nothing about hybrid vehicles. Then in 2004, when gas prices went over $2 a gallon for the first time ever, I started hearing about the Toyota Prius (the same year it won several “Car of the Year” awards), the Honda Civic Hybrid, and the Honda Insight. Since my interest had always been with suv’s, it wasn’t until I laid eyes on the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid that hybrids really got my attention. That was in late 2004.
Most people are familiar with the power of eBay when it comes to buying or selling almost any type of merchandise. At the same time, not as many people are aware that thousands of cars, trucks, and suv’s are sold every day on a special area of eBay called “eBay Motors“. Since there are currently many more potential buyers than there are sellers – this article is designed to help you research and find new or used suv hybrids on motors.ebay.com.
While HybridSUV.com is striving to become a destination where people can learn about all hybrid suvs, we’ve got some catching up to do before we can compete with the best hybrid suv consumer guides and resources. In my opinion, the top hybrid suv website in 2007 is HybridCars.com. When I first became interested in more fuel efficient, environmentally friendly autos - I found this site to be very informative in terms of which hybrids were available now, new vehicles, and upcoming models.
