A hybrid vehicle has two engines a gas powered engine and an electric car engine working together and separately side-by-side. Hybrids are not electric cars. Hybrids are mainly gas-powered cars with electrical engine assistance. There is an electronic computer inside hybrid cars that tells the car, which motors, to use and when to use them.

You should do research before buying a hybrid. Hybrids first came out I was very excited and thinking finally an efficient green vehicle that will save me money on gas. As I researched I found out that it was not true.

Hybrid cars are great for some people. Depending on your travels a hybrid car could meet your needs. For example if you live in the city and make short trips around town than buying a hybrid makes sense for you. But if you're like me and live in the country and have to travel a good 30 minutes to an hour to reach local shopping centers than buying a hybrid does not make any sense.

Here's why: a hybrid vehicle has two engines and electric motor and a gasoline motor both of these motors operate together and alone. At low speeds and the initial acceleration from a stop the electric motor and the battery pack usually propels the car. This type of stop and go driving for downtown is where you're going to save the most money in fuel in your hybrid vehicle because you're using mostly the electric motor.

Highway driving is a bit different for hybrid you might think you would save the most fuel here that is not the case; instead your hybrid vehicle is mostly powered by the gas engine. The gas engine is running it is charging your electric battery pack at the same time but is not helping your gas mileage. The electric motor is not typically contributing to your highway driving which means your hybrid is just another gas guzzling pollution promoting automobile on the road. Unfortunately your automobile salesman, and the car makers do not tell you this instead they use many marketing techniques to sway your decision-making into buying what they're selling.

After doing a lot of research I have definitely figured out that buying a hybrid is not right for me. I would advise everyone else to do the same thing I have done and make sure that your next automobile purchase is made by using lots of investigative work so that you know you have the right vehicle for yourself.

The cost of a hybrid outweighs the amount of money you'll save on gas. When gas prices went spiraling out of control in 2005 car buyers stood in line and got on waiting lists to buy the next new hybrid which of course influenced the supply and demand and prices for hybrids went up.

Before buying a hybrid you should ask about the sister model vehicle to see how much difference they are in price.