Are hybrid vehicles worth it?

The impact of government incentives for hybrid-electric vehicles: Evidence from US states

“…Canes (2003) examined the first generation Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Prius, noting a premium in total ownership cost for hybrids compared to equivalent gasoline models based on vehicle price, fuel cost and maintenance expenses, even if pollution costs and fuel prices well above recent records are included in the analysis. In an early paper on hybrids, Lave and MacLean (2001) noted that gas prices of over $5.00 per gal or a social value of abating tailpipe emissions 14 times greater than 2001 estimated values (as calculated by regulatory agencies) would be required for a Toyota Prius to compare favorably to a conventional Corolla model from a consumer or social benefit standpoint. More recently, Consumer Reports conducted a total ownership cost analysis of 2006 hybrid models based on $3-4 gas prices and including current federal tax credits.…”

The symbolism of ‘eco cars’ across national cultures: Potential implications for policy formulation and transfer

“…It is as yet unclear as to whether or not hybrid or electric vehicles yield a payback over conventional petrol vehicles over a set time period. In the case of hybrids the calculation depends not only on the purchase price of the cars, but also the cost of battery replacement, exemptions from charges and levies, local fuel prices, and the frequency of regenerative braking (Choi and Oh, 2010;Chua et al, 2010;Heffner et al, 2007;Lave and Maclean, 2001). Electric vehicles also have significant limitations compared to their internal combustion counterparts, including being more expensive, possessing lower range, requiring longer refuelling times, and having less publically accessible refuelling opportunities (Mersky et al, 2016).…”

Analysis of Consumers' Attitudes Towards Purchasing PHEVs and HEVs in Manitoba, Canada

“…Besides, consumers' purchase uncertainty is also affected by lacking knowledge and experience, unfamiliar with potential risk of PHEVs and HEVs [12]. At the meantime, consumers will also consider the cars' lifecycle costs such as initial price, fuel cost, pollution cost and maintenance expenses and the savings from cars such as purchase rebate from government and fuel saving [14] [15]. However, in order to promote PHEVs and HEVs development, Ontario, Montreal and British Columbia provinces have put forward a series of policy incentives, which are generally divided into three sections, rebate (consumers can rebate up to $8,500 on purchasing or leasing eligible electric vehicles); investment on basic infrastructure (provinces intend to create a network of charging stations covering working, living and highway areas) and privilege (electric vehicle drivers can individually and frequently use high occupancy vehicle lanes) [16] [17] [18] [19].…”