Some Advice Before Buying a Gas-Electric Hybrid Car

I recently received a question from a reader regarding hybrid vehicles.

While many people may consider a hybrid car as a viable alternative fuel vehicle, they frequently perceive a hybrid as "the" one and only alternative way to go on saving fuel and lowering one's impact on the environment. Through no fault of our own, a great many of us have been swayed in this singular perception due to incessant marketing campaigns spearheaded by the big motor companies. They would have you believe "their way" is the only way.

By sharing my friend's question and the answer I gave him, I wish to show you there is more than one way to skin a cat - and it's all done at the home front. My "other alternative" being: home-brewed biodiesel.

Read on...

- John Melendez (reporting this week from Shenzhen, China)

QUESTION:

What is your opinion about hybrid or electric cars? Is the technology mature enough to invest in it. Is it the wave of the future? Do you own one or are thinking of acquiring one?

- Larry

ANSWER:

Larry,

You may recall from our previous conversations that I make my own biodiesel and drive a hybrid car.

My car is "hybrid" in the sense that this car can burn regular diesel, a diesel/kerosene mix, or any mix of the previous fuels mixed with up to 100% recycled or waste vegetable oil (WVO). My car operates just fine on straight vegetable oil (SVO) also.

It is a 2003 Volkswagen Jetta TDI with a diesel engine. Read about making this fuel by clicking here. Read about other similar adventures in biodiesel by clicking here.

100% VEGETABLE OIL AS FUEL

During the summer I usually burn 100% vegetable oil of some kind. During the winter I usually burn about 95% vegetable oil mixed with 5% paint thinner (which acts as an adjuvant [surface tension releaser] that actually helps bring up the mileage). If I do not mix with paint thinner, then I usually use up to 20% diesel fuel. The reason for this mixture during the wintertime is to avoid having the fuel freeze in the fuel lines and fuel tank.

As soon as I mention the use of vegetable oil, folks usually ask about what I had to do to modify the car to accept vegetable oil. My answer is: nothing. People are usually incredulous at this answer, but they fail to realize that there is more than one way to skin a cat. One way is to modify the engine or the systems that handle the fuel. The most common way is to install some kind of complex heating apparatus, which can be very expensive. The way that I chose was very simple: simply modify the fuel (instead of the car).

"BIODIESEL HYBRID" CARS HAVE BEEN AROUND 20+ YEARS

In any case, I have related this information to you to let you know that "biodiesel hybrid cars" have been around for 20 years or more and are still a viable energy alternative for transportation.

WAIT FOR A WHILE ON ELECTRIC HYBRIDS

To answer your question: I would say that the electric cars have been on the market long enough to work out most of the maintenance bugs. However, I would suggest holding out for perhaps another couple years as there seems to be an upcoming breakthrough in the longevity (capacity) that hybrid electric cars' batteries can maintain. Last I heard: for about $20,000, you could get your Honda Prius batteries upgraded by a special manufacturer in Monrovia, California, so that your mileage would increase to approximately 120 mpg.

ELECTRIC CARS: NOT GOOD FOR LONG HAUL FREEWAY DRIVING

One other very important thing to consider before investing in an electric car: do you live in the city or in the country? If you live in the city, an electric car is great for you. If you live in the country, the electric portion of your engine will shut down and the gasoline portion will turn on, thus you will have greater gasoline consumption - usually such a high consumption resembling a regular gasoline car. In this situation, you also have to remember that driving a faster highway speeds greatly increases fuel consumption - even in a difference of only 5 or 10 MPH!

Case in point: I ran across a woman in the countryside driving a hybrid electric car. I asked her how she felt about it. She said that she was extremely disappointed at the mileage. She figured that because she drove 200 miles per day for her commute, that by buying an electric car she would save some money, though does she know that these cars run at high speed and on the long-haul using only gasoline. Unfortunately, the car salesman did not educate her about the pros and cons of using an electric car - he didn't want to lose a customer just because she lived in the countryside.

Aside from diesel or electric-only cars, there seems to be no other alternative fuel cars that have been on the market long enough to have all the bugs worked out. Therefore, I would suggest not buying any until these designs have been fully shaken out.

- John

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