Why do hybrid/fuel efficient cars cost so much? Is being economical only for the rich?

Question

So basically, we ALL need a car thats good on gas, right? Something that doesn't pollute so much, conserving the earths resources? The cars are out there. Theres even a car that ommits no pollution whatsoever. It gives off water vapors instead. So why is it that they're SO pricey? And only the wealthy can affford them? Its like...help the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The majority of America is not rich, yet they are the ones stuck driving the gas only cars, spend more on gas, and also pollute far more. Tell me why this is? Are the cars REALLY that expensive or is it the leaders of our economy wanting to put wealthy people in an "elite" class and only focus on their money coming in?

Answer 1

No, of course not! Wouldn't you rather help the earth than help your purse? It is so important that we watch out for the earth and use less gas. This is also great because with the rising gas prices, we could use the break!

Answer 2

Hybrid fuel is a joke. it takes 2 gallons of regular gasoline and thenand alternate source to make one gallon of hybrid fuels. so you are wasting your money.

Answer 3

Developing all this new technology is not cheap and someone is going to pay for it.  Imagine what would happen if next week someone told you that you must park your old gas burning car and buy a new battery operated one.

All these needed changes are not going to happen overnight and they are not going to be cheap.  

Look at it this way the ONLY reason alternatives are being talked about is that gas finally got to a price that made these new sources of fuel and energy economical.  It is going to cost billions of dollars to create the products and the infrastruce to mass produce and deliver them.  The battery idea is loosing favor because no one can answer the question about where the energy is going to come from to charge those batteries up.

Could you imagine what it will cost to charge up your car, your spouses car and one for the kid.  You won't be spending $1k a month on gas but rather paying it to the power companies.

Answer 4

Hybrids are more expensive to buy because they're more expensive to build.

However, there are plenty of relatively cheap fuel efficient cars.  For example, the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Chevy Aveo, etc.

Answer 5

The problem is you can't make something for almost nothing that works on almost nothing.  Check the price out on a new lithium-ion battery pack for your laptop.  (More than $100).  That is our best hope for building an electric car with any range, and you can't make bigger lithium-ion battteries because they catch fire.  You can only use more of them.  For instance, my electric bike has a battery pack with about twelve or sixteen batteries the size of c-batteries.

Answer 6

I could`nt afford a hybrid car so bought a 1.0lt Corsa for £7000.It gives me 51,85mpg and I have about £9000 left of the price of the hybrid to spend on petrol.How fuel efficient is a hybrid, they tend to be bigger and heavier with the extra equipment built in?

Answer 7

You just have to know where to look! I bought 2 vehicles that run on natural gas (methane), so they don't use a drop of gasoline or oil, but they weren't expensive. I got a 2000 Ford F-150 pickup truck for $6000 8 months ago and a Ford Crown Victoria for $4000 2 months ago. Both used, of course. Natural gas in Utah is only 64 CENTS per gallon, plus the cars are 99% cleaner than gasoline cars. They can be found on eBay sometimes, but first check and make sure your area has a place to refuel them. Not every state is on board with this yet. Push your local politicians to give incentives for the installation of natural gas pumps if you don't have any around. It's a great way to go. So, the masses CAN afford alternative fuel vehicles; I did, and I ain't rich!

Answer 8

Not at all - buy ur azz  a bike!