Hybrids: fact, fiction, rumour or reality?
A hybrid has to be plugged in
Rumour. Basically, the way hybrids work is that the battery is recharged while you drive, from energy normally lost over the course of operating the car.
Hybrid batteries need to be replaced frequently
Fiction. Hybrid batteries are designed to work for the lifetime of the vehicle, which is why many manufacturers offer impressive warranties on hybrid-related components.
The only hybrids are the Honda Civic Hybrid and the Toyota Prius
False. The most popular hybrids, as quoted online for auto insurance through www.kanetix.ca, show how diverse the selection is:
. Honda Civic Hybrid
. Toyota Camry
. Toyota Prius
. Ford Escape Hybrid
. Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid
. Honda Accord Hybrid
. Honda Insight
. Lexus RX 400h
. Toyota Highlander Hybrid
. Nissan Altima Hybrid
. Mercury Mariner Hybrid
. GMC Sierra Hybrid
. Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid
Hybrids cost more to buy
True. But, with the federal government’s ecoAuto Rebate Program you may be eligible to get a rebate. And, if you live in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec or Prince Edward Island you may be eligible for a tax rebate from your provincial government too.
Hybrids cost more to insure
Not necessarily. After comparing online quotes at www.kanetix.ca, for the 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, Honda Civic Hybrid, and the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LS Hybrid, it seems there is no one particular trend when it comes to hybrid insurance rates. Compared to their gas-powered alter-egos, the cost to insure a hybrid vehicle was neither consistently higher nor lower.
Credit: www.newscanada.com