The number of hybrid vehicles available to consumers continues
to grow as Ford Motor Company offers the first commercially available
hybrid SUV, the Escape Hybrid, for model year 2005. Toyota Motor
Corporation will also be offering hybrid versions of the Toyota
Highlander and Lexus RX400 SUVs for model year 2005. Honda will
be offering a hybrid version of the Accord for this model year,
further increasing consumer choices for hybrid vehicles.
In addition to these new hybrids, the Honda Insight and Civic
Hybrid and the Toyota Prius are still available to consumers and
offer exceptional gas mileage, the best in their respective classes.
These vehicles are also environmentally friendly, emitting less
global warming and smog-forming emissions than most conventional
vehicles. Hybrid pickup trucks are also available as General Motors
Corporation continues to offer the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra
hybrid pickup trucks to a limited number of fleet and commercial
operators in selected areas.
More Hybrids Coming Soon
How Hybrids Get Great Gas Mileage
Gas-Saving, Low-Emission
Choices |
|
Chevy Silverado Hybrid (2005) |
|
MPG
(city/hwy) |
Price
(MSRP) |
|
Automatic(2WD) |
18/21
|
NA
|
Automatic(4WD) |
17/19 |
NA |
|
Full-size pickup truck |
|
First hybrid pickup with MPG certified by EPA |
|
5-13% better gas mileage than non-hybrid version |
|
|
GMC Sierra Hybrid (2005) |
|
MPG
(city/hwy) |
Price
(MSRP) |
|
Automatic(2WD) |
18/21
|
NA
|
Automatic(4WD) |
17/19 |
NA |
|
Full-size pickup truck |
|
First hybrid pickup with MPG certified by EPA |
|
5-13% better gas mileage than non-hybrid version |
|
|
Ford Escape HEV (2005) |
|
MPG
(city/hwy) |
Price
(MSRP) |
|
Automatic(2WD) |
36/31
|
NA
|
Automatic(4WD) |
33/29 |
NA |
|
Sport Utility Vehicle |
|
First hybrid SUV with MPG certified by EPA |
|
Most efficient Sport Utility Vehicle in 2005 |
|
|
Honda Civic Hybrid (2005) |
|
MPG
(city/hwy) |
Price
(MSRP) |
|
Automatic |
48/47
47/48
|
NA
|
5-speed manual |
46/51
45/51 |
NA |
|
5 passenger sedan |
|
First hybrid version of an established car model |
|
40% better gas mileage than conventional Civic Sedan
|
|
|
Honda Insight (2005) |
|
MPG
(city/hwy) |
Price
(MSRP) |
|
Automatic |
57/56 |
NA |
5-speed manual |
61/66 |
NA |
|
Two Seater |
|
First hybrid sold in the U.S. (introduced 2000 model
year) |
|
Light-weight aluminum body |
|
Best gas mileage (manual transmission) of the three
hybrids |
|
|
Toyota Prius (2005) |
|
MPG
(city/hwy) |
Price
(MSRP) |
|
Automatic |
60/51 |
NA |
|
5 passenger sedan (Midsize passenger car) |
|
First mass-produced hybrid in the world |
|
0-60 in 10.1 seconds |
|
|
Even More Choices Coming
Soon
According to automakers, consumers who care about
fuel economy will have a dozen hybrid cars and trucks to choose
from within the next few years. Below is a list of hybrids and their
announced introduction dates.
Sources: J.D. Power-LMC; Energy & Environmental Analysis (EEA),
Inc.
The links above are to pages that are not part of the fueleconomy.gov
Web site. We offer these external links for your convenience
in accessing additional information that may be useful or interesting
to you.
|
How do hybrids get such great
gas mileage?
It is no accident that the most fuel efficient vehicles
in some classes for the 2005 model year are hybrid-electric vehicles
(HEVs). Hybrids can be configured in many different ways to achieve
a variety of different objectives. They combine the best features
of the internal combustion engine with an electric motor and can
significantly improve fuel economy without sacrificing performance
or driving range. HEVs may also be configured to provide electrical
power to auxiliary loads such as power tools.
HEVs are primarily propelled by an internal combustion
engine, just like conventional vehicles. However, they also convert
energy normally wasted during coasting and braking into electricity,
which is stored in a battery until needed by the electric motor.
The electric motor is used to assist the engine when accelerating
or hill climbing and in low-speed driving conditions where internal
combustion engines are least efficient. Some HEVs also automatically
shut off the engine when the vehicle comes to a stop and restart
it when the accelerator is pressed. This prevents wasted energy
from idling. Unlike all-electric vehicles, HEVs now being offered
do not need to be plugged into an external source of electricity
to be recharged; conventional gasoline and regenerative braking
provide all the energy the vehicle needs.
Potential buyers should also be aware that the federal
government is currently offering tax incentives for HEVs and other
alternative fuel vehicles. Some states also offer incentives.
|