It’s common knowledge that hybrids are becoming more and more popular as time goes on and that they’re a pretty popular type of vehicle. There were more than 2.1 million hybrid vehicles sold in the U.S. in 2012, and over 4 million sold worldwide in the same year. Not only are these vehicles cool, but they also get pretty good fuel economy and can get tax incentives for buyers too. However, there are a few things that pretty much every hybrid owner worries about. Here’s are three common anxieties that hybrid owners have and why they don’t have to worry.
1. That their car is just a trend.
One of the worries that many hybrid owners have is that their cars are just a trend or a bandwagon that a lot of people jumped on because of the benefits that they have for the environment. The thing is, the electric car market is a quickly growing one, but since many people don’t really understand how electric cars work or aren’t ready to make the switch, hybrids are situated as a nice alternative between traditional internal combustion engine cars and fully electric models.
2. That the hybrid battery could fail at any moment.
Aside from the fact that hybrid seem to be trendy, another common fear that hybrid owners often have is that hybrid batteries could fail at any given moment. This isn’t actually the case. For awhile, public perception seems to have been that hybrid batteries could mysteriously and sudden stop working, rendering the car unusable and worthless. This isn’t the case. Yes, batteries in hybrid cars do fail, just like the 12 volt lead acid batteries in traditional cars do, or any other car part for that matter. But with advancing technology, they’re much more dependable and longer-lasting than they used to be.
3. The replacing the hybrid battery is going to break the bank.
Batteries in hybrid cars are a little pricier of a fix than the batteries in traditional cars. The average cost of hybrid battery replacement in the U.S. is between $3,000 and $4,000, but there are a few different options for replacement that means hybrid owners can shop around for a price that works for them — from reconditioning, to remanufacturing, to purchasing new from a third party aftermarket provider.
Did you have any of these anxieties about driving a hybrid? Feel free to share your experience with us in the comments section below.
