Get the Most Bang for Your Buck from Your Car!
There are so many different cars on the market that it is hard to know what kind to choose. So many
questions arise: “Should I buy gas or diesel? Should I consider biofuels, hybrid, or electric? Should I get a
new or used car? What dealership should I buy my car from? What model should I buy?” And maybe not
so literally, but, “What combination of all the previous questions is the smartest and most affordable for
me?!” All these options can make you want to pull your hair out!
These factors and more come into play during the decision making process of buying a car. However, I
think there is one commonality that everyone can agree on: the long term effects that your car will have
on your wallet, especially in today’s economy.
Although it may not seem like an obvious choice if you are concerned about money, one of the best
options for buying a car in today’s market are hybrid and electric vehicles.
You may be asking yourself, “If I want to save money, shouldn’t I steer away from hybrid and electric
vehicles since they are so darn expensive?” And you might also be thinking, “What is the point in buying
an ELECTRIC vehicle in particular? Charging stations aren’t widespread, electric cars don’t run very far or
fast, and they look pretty dorky (as do many hybrids).” Initially, these concerns (and probably more)
convince American car buyers that there are more cons than pros when choosing hybrid or electric. But
if you examine your driving a little more consciously, you may find that hybrid or electric vehicles will
actually meet your needs while saving you money in the long run.
One of the first questions you should ask yourself is, “How much long distance driving do I REALLY do?”
My Driving Pattern
Long distance
driving
A little
Some
A lot
The right car for
you
Electric
Hybrid or
electric
Hybrid
Why?
Not being able to go as far as you need is one of the biggest complaints about electric cars. But if you
don’t do that much long distance driving, then the efficiency of today’s electric cars will meet the
majority of your regular driving needs. If you live in a town where there are charging stations for electric
vehicles, then you are in even better shape because of the access and convenience of being able to
charge recharge your car in other places. But even if you don’t live in a town with charging stations, if
most of your driving is short distances in town, then electric vehicles will get you where you need to go
without having to spend an extra $50 a month on gas. If this sounds like your typical driving pattern with
the exception of occasionally going on longer road trips, then by all means keep your gas running car for
those trips (or better yet, get a hybrid), but also invest in an electric car to save money for your
everyday driving.
If you are someone who drives long distances a lot, like a commuter, then the electric cars of today may
not be for you since the battery life does not cover exceptionally long distances. However, I think
hybrids are the clear favorite for commuters amongst any type of car. No matter how far you commute,
hybrids will always be the best choice because they are the most fuel efficient vehicles in today’s market.
Since they are more efficient, you won’t have to spend money filling up your gas tank nearly as much.
Not paying as often for gas will surely make up for the extra money you pay for buying the car.
If you are anywhere in between a lot of long distance driving and a lot of short distance driving, then a
safe bet would be to get a hybrid. Hybrids will work for nearly everyone’s driving needs all the time.
But if you do find that you tend to drive shorter distances regularly, then I would encourage you to get
an electric car because you will never have to pay for gas again.
So far I’ve just been talking in generalities, but let’s look at the cost benefits of hybrid and electric
vehicles for each of these driving patterns by examining some actual figures and coming up with some
estimates. (insert supporting research evidence here)
I know many of you are still skeptical, but if your main concern is saving money in today’s harsh
economy, then I think selling one of your old cars and investing in a hybrid or electric car will greatly
benefit you. Although the market for each is not as broad or affordable as gas cars, the only way to
expand the market is for us, the American people, to express interest in these types of cars so that the
manufacturers will make more. If the manufacturers make more, the prices of the cars themselves will
gradually decrease (once again saving us money) since more people are buying them and the company
will still profit. Expanding the electric and hybrid industry in America would also allow us to be more
independent because we could make, buy, and power our own cars without having to rely on foreign oil.
We can still have the oil market, but we may even be able to meet our own oil needs if we expand
hybrid and electric. So aside from personally saving the American people money, expanding the hybrid
and electric industry might even improve the state of the American economy itself considering the
potential for greater independence and less foreign spending. Investing in hybrid and electric could
mean savings for all!