The Truth About Hybrid Cars.

Hybrids are increasing in popularity thanks to astonishing fuel economy and the smooth quiet ride they can deliver around town. Whilst they account for just 3% of sales in the UK, this is set to accelerate as the government is investing £600million to support the move to alternative fuel vehicles using tax breaks and other means. Manufacturers have also invested heavily in new technologies resulting in the latest hybrids having a more sleek feel than their predecessors. As a newer technology it is often misunderstood, so we’ve look a little more closely at the myths surrounding hybrids to find out what they offer the modern consumer.

So what exactly does hybrid mean?

A hybrid is a car that combines a petrol or diesel engine with an electric motor to pull itself along. It is seen as a stepping stone from petrol and diesel cars to full blown electric and hydrogen fuel cell cars. If the term hybrid conjures up images of plug in cars and specialist electric recharging systems, then you’ll be relieved to know that a hybrid doesn’t require recharging with wires. A plug-in hybrid such as the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV will need recharging, and plug-in will always be in the name. Otherwise, you are running your full hybrid like a normal petrol or diesel engine.

Is It True That Hybrids are Small and Underpowered?

Not any more. The main manufacturers offer full hybrids of their most popular cars. For example the Lexus GS 450h has more than 300 horse power and can reach 60mph quicker than many conventional engines. The Porsche Cayenne Hybrid delivers 419 bhp, the Range Rover Sport Hybrid has a V-6 engine which has 340 bhp. We could go on, but you get the picture. The market has moved on and hybrids no longer belong to the Sunday driver brigade.

Hybrid cars have unbelievable fuel economy?

Not always, thanks to the new fun high powered technology on the bonnet. It depends the spec you choose and how you drive them. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV boasts over 140MPG! Be careful as the official fuel efficiency tests are run over short distances which favour the hybrid stats. If you are travelling long distances and clocking up big miles, you would benefit most from a diesel engine. The ideal hybrid driver is the city driver who doesn’t often travel at great speed over large distances. Then your fuel efficiency dreams might come true. To give you a feel, the best fuel efficiency claims are around 90mpg and according to nextgreencar.com the independently reported mpg is broadly 20mpg lower than that. Still very impressive stuff when you add your potential saving up across the year!

All Hybrids are Expensive.

Just like the conventional market, it depends on the car you choose. Everyone knows that buying a Rolls Royce is going to need a few more bob than normal, but that’s what you expect. The manufacturers offer a range of cars for a range of pockets so you should be able to find one that suits your budget. If you’re importing you can get asset finance now from NCBA or I&M Bank via their partnerships with MHH International and make monthly repayments just like buying a local car. No hassle. So the choice of cars is almost worldwide. The cheapest hybrids are selling for KES 600K in the UK. These are the smaller Hondas and Toyotas. If you are looking for something bigger for the family like a then you are likely to pay KES 1.8M for a used Mercedes E300 or a Lexus RX 400h.

Hybrid Batteries Need to be Replaced Frequently.

One of the biggest myths about the hybrid is that the battery life is short and expensive to replace. The standard warranty for most hybrid batteries is between 80,000-100,000 miles. There are anecdotes of much longer lifespans and some UK dealers have told us that they have never had to replace a battery, even when handling cars that are 10 years old. That said, the Toyota warranty is guaranteed for 100,000 miles and Honda and Ford for 80,000 miles. The current cost to replace a battery is £1,000 to£3,000. But when you take a long term view on this versus the diesel you have saved yourself, you’ll most likely still have made significant savings.

My Car will Stall if the Battery Runs Down.

Maybe a hangover from the confusion with the plug-in, this is not the case for the full hybrid. The engineers design the battery to be fed by the kinetic energy that is lost when the car is braking. This way the car is constantly re-charged even when in motion.

Hybrids are the Cars for the Liberal Valued.

The power of celebrity is scary isn’t it? The original marketing campaigns for the Prius got a lot of well meaning individuals to be photographed driving their new ‘environmentally friendly’ Prius, saving the world together. Moving into the present day, the more savvy motorist has been keeping a close eye on the performance and fuel efficiency stats and have now been enticed into driving a hybrid. The BMW i8 plug-in has taken the liberal image and turned it on its head. Watch the Jeremy Clarkson i8 road trip & enjoy his personal battle with trying not to love it. Enough said.

Hybrid Cars Cost More to Maintain.

The U.S Department of Energy state that maintenance for the hybrid engine are similar to conventional engines. The electrics (battery, motor and associated electronics) will likely require minimal scheduled maintenance. And claim that “due to the effects of regenerative braking, the brake systems on these cars typically last longer than those on conventional vehicles.” So the net effect appears to be a similar to your typical conventional car or slightly less.

With all this in mind moving to a hybrid makes a lot of sense. Who can’t get excited about 80mpg every day? If that’s got you thinking here’s a round up of the most popular larger hybrids available for import and an idea of how much they’ll cost CIF.