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Consumer Reports Deputy Auto Editor Jeff Bartlett and Edmunds.com CEO Jeremy Anwyl discuss whether a hybrid or an electric car really save you money.
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Nurse or is it.
Do electric or hybrid cards really save that much money joining me now.
The CEO Edmunds dot com -- Jeremy -- and deputy -- -- editor at consumer reports Jeff Bartlett and Jeremy let me.
Let me start we -- I was I was thinking I wanted to keep this really simple and the more I read both than your guys back out this is more complex than I thought in what I thought there was an article on Edmunds dot com Germany about.
Defected to the cost of electricity varies dramatically.
Depending upon when you buy the electricity -- that was fascinating.
Right.
Well it is and in California -- our study shows that if you're actually paying for peak electricity that charging up an electric car and in some cases be more expensive and actually putting fuel into a gasoline powered car so as you say it's a very complex issue.
It then the Jeff's view.
You've driven 15100 Carter's.
Are you were.
Hybrids offer an excellent transition from depending purely on.
Fuel to becoming and more electrified society.
But they don't fit every person's needs equally in fact some hybrids are very expensive because they're only on luxury models are bundled with.
Luxury equipment.
Really the core issue for most consumers comes down to how can they get affordable transportation.
-- -- affordable to purchase as well as to operate.
Go on to somebody like a luxury car.
They still look to make that decision between the hybrid elect a luxury vs the of the the non hybrid of luxury -- There was a chart that.
Again from Edmunds dot com well have you respond to a Jeremy this.
This chart shows -- the the difference between to break even.
Period of time.
That if you're going to buy one of these cards Ford Lexus forward Hyundai Toyota just a variety of them here.
That.
I was really struck by the the period in which it varies -- work to keep the car that makes more sense.
Especially courses guest gets more expensive the hybrids are gonna make more sense.
But how long do people -- card to they keep them this long.
Well that's one of the interest think things -- We find though that when most consumers do the math on how quickly they want to get to a breakeven in terms of paying a premium for a hybrid.
And then -- the money that they would -- -- buying fuel it tested pretty short most consumers are actually looking for a payback in twelve months or less than of course that's not gonna happen.
-- seems like a lot of the Green technology whether you putting a solar panel under.
-- -- roof for where you -- and agreeing car he takes awhile to get that payback but.
Jeff I don't know if you look at these cars there's other things -- I've heard stories about these batteries in the batteries are expensive and they don't last that long and what's your take on the battery.
Well the batteries were -- of the great concern initially as hybrids -- first introduced into the market.
But over time they've actually per -- quite reliable.
In fact looking for our reliability data over the past decade.
We've seen that actually been very few problems with Prius is despite how many -- -- Who we check in regularly -- -- -- they've always sold a handful of replacements really.
So -- turns out the -- aren't a big issue but it's understandable that consumers might be concerned.
You give -- Jeff give me an example you said that for some people it's not much have been a break at all.
And other people it is is that get give me an example where it doesn't make any sense to buy a hybrid.
Well choosing a hybrid.
In principle is very appealing to many people -- very our surveys show that the 43% of the shoppers are open to the idea.
They really -- look closely at what segment you're in what your immediate goals are.
Some hybrids are incrementally more fuel efficient then -- four cylinder version of the same car.
At four -- is going to be cheaper to buy that means your insurance is going to be last your monthly payments are gonna be last and ultimately.
-- may be the solution that many people looking for some cars such as the Prius that are designed purely for fuel efficiency.
Do that very well but it's the vehicles that offer a choice of power trains that provides enough.
So -- Germany the U keep track of these numbers of car -- right up to the minute.
Be noticing -- there were word and some of 55 even heard talking are you seeing the change already in car sales.
Yes just starting we certainly saw -- last years while one car and gas prices.
-- -- -- peaked in the springtime in the and the demand is not just picks up and the demand for medium sized cars plans to drop fuel prices didn't drop that much that.
Trended back towards the more typical vehicles and it's kind of interest thing that we seem to get used to these higher prices.
And that mix and their relations I guess in terms of what the real appetite is you -- say -- v.s and hybrids I think the good news though is that.
All cars being sold -- get much much better gas -- years ago so it does give consumers and fuel efficient choices even -- that seems to be in a more for -- -- time if I wanna buy an issue.
That that tends to be more demand shifting towards smaller vehicle that means that there's more opportunity for when these vehicles may not be as big as consumers think so that the deals might not.
