Six (Lame) Excuses Not to Buy a Hybrid
4. “Hybrids are only good in the city”
The impressions of the first generation hybrids haven’t worn off yet. Buyers still believe that hybrids only benefit those who drive mostly in urban environments. While its true that early hybrids weren’t as good on the highway, that just isn’t the case now.
Thanks to more advanced batteries, electric motors can drive for longer distances, and at higher speeds than before, making a hybrid vehicle just as efficient on the open road as they are in the city.
While the early Prius models were excellent in town but suffered out on the open road, the current model gets 48-mpg on the highway, nearly as impressive as its 51-mpg city rating.
The new generation of hybrids from Ford, like the C-MAX and Fusion Hybrid, are both rated at 47 mpg in the city and highway.
According to Gil Portalatin, Ford’s Global Electrified Powertrains Manager, the new 2.0L engine has been revised with reduced friction components, which will work more efficiently. Additionally, the car’s smaller, lighter lithium-ion battery has a higher energy density.
They can even travel up to 60 mph on electric power alone, and the total range of the C-MAX is more than 500-miles, making it a great idea for long road-trips as well as city driving. Other changes like removing the engine from end accessory drive, reduced engine load and weight, making the car more efficient. The EV mode also benefits from an exhaust gas heat recovery which allows for a quicker engine warm up.
