Hybrid Car

Hybrids are well known for their great reputation as fuel-saving and eco-friendly cars. They’ve also developed a reputation for being the car type that environment conscious, careful, dare we even say staid drivers choose.

Why is this? Their engines last well as they’re put under less strain than a conventional car’s internal combustion engine. So they need fewer and lighter services. They are low emission cars that help to protect the environment, as they use less of the finite resources of fossil fuel left on the planet. Yet, unlike electric cars there is no concern about the potential of being left stranded somewhere, having run out of charge. By being hybrid in nature, it’s natural that they have two sides to them – reliable, yet not particularly exciting.

However, it’s now getting more and more common to see more high performance cars that are also hybrids. Honda, one of the pioneers in hybrid technology, has its own sporty version – the CR-Z. It’s got a similar exterior to the Honda CR-X, and has been viewed as the CR-X’s successor. The 2011 CR-Z gets 31 miles per US gallon for city driving and 37 mpg on the highway. It goes from 0-60 in 8.8 seconds.

Porsche has also brought out a hybrid – the Porsche Panamera s Hybrid. This can reach 0-60 in just six seconds and has a top speed of 167.8mph. On a combined cycle its fuel economy is 34 miles per gallon. Added to all this, it’s the cleanest car Porsche has – with carbon dioxide emissions of 159g/km. But the price to pay for this kind of clean racing machine may be off-putting for a lot of potential buyers. At US $135,000 it’s worth thinking twice about how much you want to try and combine the benefits of driving an eco car with the wish to drive something sporty!

 

Related posts:

1. Hybrid Sports Cars
2. All About Plug-In Hybrids
3. Hybrids Today and Tomorrow