“I wish people would spend their money on hybrid cars.”

Ryan Tedder, Musician

Advantages & Disadvantages of Hybrid Cars

Hybrid cars have become quite popular over the past decade.

While conventional cars only use one power source, hybrid cars rely on at least two different power sources.

In fact, the most common hybrid cars rely on at least one electric motor in conjunction with a gasoline engine.

While the use of hybrid cars can have many important advantages, there are still some issues related to this technology.

In this article, the pros and cons of hybrid cars are discussed in detail.

Audio Lesson

Advantages of Hybrid Cars

1. Hybrid cars can be important in the energy transition process
2. Can reduce our use of fossil fuels
3. Less air pollution
4. Less particle pollution
5. Less noise pollution
6. Overall level of dependence on fossil fuels will be lower
7. You can save money on gasoline
8. High durability of hybrid cars
9. Hybrid cars can help to slow down global warming
10. May help to protect our natural resources
11. Energy can be used quite efficiently
12. Hybrid cars are often not as heavy as conventional cars
13. More space in the car
14. Hybrid cars as status symbol
15. Potentially higher resale value
16. Especially suitable for shorter distances
17. Subsidies related to hybrid cars

Hybrid cars can be important in the energy transition process

One important advantage of hybrid cars is that they can support us in the energy transition process from fossil to renewable energies.

In fact, it will still take quite a long time until we will be able to abandon fossil fuels and to fully rely on renewable energies instead.

Hence, during this transition period, we will have to make some compromises.

This can mean that we rely on hybrid cars until we are finally able to switch to purely electric cars or even to hydrogen fuel cell cars in the long run.

Therefore, hybrid cars can be considered as viable temporary option until we are ready to fully transit to renewable energy sources.

Can reduce our use of fossil fuels

Through the use of hybrid cars, we can also reduce our use of fossil fuels.

This is crucial to solving all sorts of environmental issues and abandoning fossil fuels will be crucial for sustainable living in the future.

Less air pollution

Another benefit of hybrid cars is that the use of those cars also implies less air pollution.

In fact, since fewer amounts of fossil fuels have to be used, also our emission levels will be much lower.

This can be especially beneficial in big cities where air quality is often quite bad since by replacing conventional cars with hybrid cars, we could greatly improve the air quality in many big cities all over the world.

Less particle pollution

Similar to the air pollution problem, the use of conventional cars also implies significant particle pollution.

In fact, in many big cities, the thresholds for particulate matter are exceeded on a regular basis and therefore, it is crucial to find ways to lower the emission of particulate matter into our air.

One way to do so is to use more hybrid cars since they emit lower amounts of particles into our atmosphere.

In turn, our overall health levels could improve quite a lot since less particulate matter also implies lower risks for serious pulmonary diseases like lung cancer or asthma.

Less noise pollution

The use of conventional cars often also leads to significant noise pollution.

In fact, combustion engines of cars are often quite loud and especially for people living near main streets, noise pollution is a significant problem since those people will often not be able to get a good sleep and may also suffer from significant noise pollution during the day.

Hence, in order to mitigate the problem of noise pollution and to increase the overall quality of life of many people, switching from conventional cars to hybrid cars can also help in this regard.

Overall level of dependence on fossil fuels will be lower

Another upside of hybrid cars is that our overall level of dependence on fossil fuels would become much lower.

In fact, dependence is never a good thing and we should avoid the dependence on fossil fuels at all costs.

For instance, if we rely on conventional cars and the world market price of fossil fuels increases, we would have to accept those higher prices due to a lack of alternatives.

However, if we switched to hybrid cars, the overall dependence on fossil fuels would be lower and price changes would not affect us as much.

You can save money on gasoline

Through the use of hybrid cars, you can also save plenty of gasoline in the long run.

This will not only be beneficial for our environment, but it can also save you significant amounts of money that you can spend on other things you like instead.

High durability of hybrid cars

In contrast to many beliefs, hybrid cars actually also have quite high durability.

In fact, hybrid cars can be used up to 15 years or even more.

Yes, chances are that you will have to change the battery over the course of the lifespan of your hybrid car.

Yet, the overall durability of the hybrid car itself is quite high.

Hybrid cars can help to slow down global warming

Since the use of hybrid cars can reduce our overall reliance on fossil fuels, it can also help us to slow down global warming.

If fewer amounts of fossil fuels have to be used for our cars, fewer amounts of greenhouse gases will be emitted into the air and the global warming problem can be mitigated to a certain extent.

May help to protect our natural resources

Another advantage of switching from conventional to hybrid cars is that it can also help to protect our natural resources.

In fact, fossil fuels may become depleted in the near future and we as humanity as a whole need to look out for ways how to protect those natural resources as best as possible.

One way to do so is to use hybrid cars since they use fewer amounts of gasoline compared to conventional cars.

Energy can be used quite efficiently

The use of hybrid cars can also be considered to be quite efficient.

For instance, in the braking process of hybrid cars, some energy is recovered and used for reloading the battery.

Hence, energy can be used much more efficiently compared to the use of conventional cars.

Hybrid cars are often not as heavy as conventional cars

Car companies often try to build hybrid cars as lightweight as possible in order to make them even more fuel-efficient.

In fact, due to the potentially lower weight of hybrid cars compared to conventional cars, you may be able to save additional fuel and money in the long run.

More space in the car

Since the combustion engine of hybrid cars will be smaller compared to a conventional car in many cases, you will also have more space in your car which you can use to store things or to stretch your legs in a more comfortable manner.

Hence, the additional space in hybrid cars is definitely a plus compared to conventional vehicles where combustion engines are often quite big.

Hybrid cars as status symbol

Many people also consider their hybrid cars to be some sort of status symbol.

Since they are often more expensive compared to conventional cars, not too many people will be able to afford those cars.

In turn, this makes hybrid cars quite exclusive and people may also want to brag about their hybrid vehicles in front of their peers.

Potentially higher resale value

Proponents of hybrid cars often also claim that the resale price of hybrid cars is higher compared to the resale price of normal cars.

While this may be true in many cases, it is not true for all models and you should evaluate this on an individual basis.

For instance, you can easily look up resale values of the different models on the internet in order to get a better impression of the depreciation of hybrid cars compared to conventional ones.

Especially suitable for shorter distances

Especially for shorter distances, hybrid cars are a great alternative to conventional cars.

For instance, if you live in a big city and want to do everyone around you a favor, switching from conventional to hybrid cars can make quite a lot of sense since you can significantly improve local air quality.

In turn, the overall quality of life of many people increases and also the risk for serious pulmonary issues could be lowered.

Subsidies related to hybrid cars

In many countries all over the world, you will also be eligible for certain subsidies when you decide to buy a hybrid car.

Consequently, in case you consider buying a hybrid vehicle, make sure that you check out your local rules and regulations in order to benefit from those subsidies.

Disadvantages of Hybrid Cars

1. Hybrid cars are only a temporary solution
2. They still imply some level of pollution
3. High purchase price of hybrid cars
4. Technology issues are rather common
5. Significant maintenance costs related to hybrid cars
6. May be hard to find a knowledgeable mechanic
7. Overall performance may be lower compared to conventional cars
8. Extra weight of batteries reduces fuel efficiency
9. Battery replacement can be expensive
10. Battery disposal implies additional waste
11. High-voltage batteries can be dangerous
12. Top speed may be rather limited
13. Longer waiting times
14. Hybrid cars often have a rather confined range
15. Confined variety of hybrid cars
16. Entirely electric cars may be more eco-friendly
17. Also electric energy is not entirely green yet
18. Focus should be on energy transition to green energies instead

Hybrid cars are only a temporary solution

Apart from the many important advantages of hybrid cars, there are still some problems related to this technology.

For instance, hybrid cars can only be considered as temporary solution.

In fact, since hybrid cars also use certain amounts of fossil fuels, hybrid cars will not help us to slow down global warming in a sufficient manner in the long run.

Hence, while this technology can help us during the energy transition period, it will likely become obsolete in a few decades.

They still imply some level of pollution

While hybrid cars can be considered cleaner compared to conventional cars, they still use fossil fuels and emit harmful gases and particles into our atmosphere.

Thus, if we want to minimize our pollution levels related to car use, we may also want to look out for more suitable alternatives instead of using hybrid cars on a large scale.

High purchase price of hybrid cars

Another problem with hybrid cars is that they are often quite expensive.

In fact, hybrid cars that offer similar features like conventional cars often have a higher purchase price.

In turn, hybrid cars may not be affordable for middle-class families and may only be affordable for people with high salaries.

In turn, hybrid cars may also not be a solution that is suitable for the mass market and may therefore also only have a rather limited positive impact.

Technology issues are rather common

Since the technology that is used in hybrid cars is quite complex, technology issues are rather common and it will also be quite hard to fix those issues, especially if you want to try to fix your car by yourself.

While older conventional cars are rather easy to fix since they often do not contain too many electronic devices, hybrid cars will have an electric motor which can be rather hard to repair in case of technical issues.

Significant maintenance costs related to hybrid cars

Due to the high level of complexity of hybrid car engines, there are also significant maintenance costs related to fixing those cars.

In fact, in case your car breaks down, you may have to spend plenty of money in order to fix those issues.

May be hard to find a knowledgeable mechanic

Fixing your car may not only be quite costly, it can also be hard to find a knowledgeable mechanic who specialized in repairing hybrid cars.

In fact, since hybrid cars are not used on a large scale yet, you may have real difficulties to find a car mechanic who really knows what he’s doing.

Especially in remote rural areas, it may almost be impossible to find such a person close to your home and you may have to wait a quite long time until you will have the opportunity to get your hybrid car fixed.

Overall performance may be lower compared to conventional cars

On average, the performance of hybrid cars may also be lower compared to the performance of conventional cars.

While technology progresses and the performance of hybrid cars will likely improve in the near future, they have a rather limited performance right now and you should take this into account when it comes to potential buying decisions.

Extra weight of batteries reduces fuel efficiency

Another downside of hybrid cars is that the battery is often quite heavy and reduces the overall fuel efficiency of those cars.

The heavier the car is, the more fossil fuel it will need for a certain level of performance.

Hence, it will be crucial to reduce the weight of batteries for hybrid cars in the future in order to make those vehicles more efficient in terms of weight and related fuel consumption.

Battery replacement can be expensive

Batteries of hybrid cars don’t last forever and sooner or later, it will be time that you get a new battery for your hybrid vehicle.

However, those batteries are not cheap at all and can cost many thousands of dollars.

Consequently, before you decide to buy a hybrid car, make sure that you take those additional expenses into account in order not to experience unpleasant financial surprises in the long run.

Battery disposal implies additional waste

The replacement of batteries for hybrid cars not only implies significant costs, it also implies significant amounts of additional waste.

In order to get rid of this additional waste, we either have to dispose of it in landfills or burn it.

However, both waste disposal methods imply significant pollution and this is another reason why hybrid cars are not as eco-friendly as many people think they are.

High-voltage batteries can be dangerous

Using a hybrid car can also be quite dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing.

In fact, high-voltage batteries are used in hybrid cars and if you get in touch with those batteries in an improper manner, you can even suffer from a lethal shock.

Hence, be quite careful if you want to get a hybrid car and avoid touching the battery in it.

Top speed may be rather limited

If you love to drive really fast, chances are that hybrid cars may also not be the way to go for you.

In fact, the top speeds of hybrid cars are rather limited compared to many conventional car models.

Thus, if you are a speed junky, you may rather want to rely on conventional cars instead of hybrid ones.

Longer waiting times

In many regions of our planet, you may also have to wait an extended period of time until you finally get your new hybrid car.

This is due to the fact that many hybrid car producers have not optimized their processes for mass production yet and if the demand for hybrid cars is much bigger than the supply, there will be long waiting lists.

Hybrid cars often have a rather confined range

Another disadvantage of hybrid cars is that they often also have a rather confined range, especially if you want to use all-electric mode.

In fact, it is hard to find a hybrid car model that has a range of above 100 miles.

Hence, if you drive very long distances on a regular basis and don’t want to fuel your car too often, chances are that hybrid cars are not for you.

Confined variety of hybrid cars

In many countries around the world, there will also be a rather confined variety of hybrid cars available to you.

While the selection of hybrid cars will likely increase in the near future, you will not have the option to choose from many different models like with conventional cars.

Instead, you will likely have to make some compromises regarding the design and the performance of your hybrid car.

Entirely electric cars may be more eco-friendly

While hybrid cars are a first step towards eco-friendlier driving, there may simply be other better options out there.

For instance, completely electric cars may be better for our environment since they will lower greenhouse gas emissions even further.

Even better would be a switch to hydrogen fuel cell cars since those cars will bring emissions almost down to zero.

Also electric energy is not entirely green yet

Since also a significant fraction of electricity is produced with the help of fossil fuels, electric energy is not entirely green and therefore, the true positive environmental impact of hybrid cars is far lower than many people expect.

Focus should be on energy transition to green energies instead

Opponents of hybrid cars also often claim that we should focus our time, energy and money on the transition process from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources instead of wasting money on hybrid technologies that will eventually become obsolete in the near future.

Hence, also from a long-term perspective, hybrid cars may simply have no future.

Top 10 Hybrid Car Pros & Cons – Summary List

Hybrid Car Pros	Hybrid Car Cons
Hybrid cars can be eco-friendly	Hybrid cars can be expensive
Hybrid cars have a long duration	Hybrid cars still imply some pollution
Can lower air pollution	Not a long-term solution
May be able to reduce particle pollution	Hybrid cars may need costly maintenance
Hybrid cars can reduce noise pollution	You will have to replace your battery
Can help us protect our natural resources	Battery trash implies some additional waste
May slow down global warming	Rather limited top speeds
Energy can be used quite efficiently	Rather limited range of hybrid cars
Especially good for city traffic	Confined variety of hybrid cars
You can save money on gasoline	There may be better alternatives out there

Are Hybrid Cars The Future?

As we have seen before, there are many advantages and disadvantages of hybrid cars.

In my opinion, while hybrid cars can be useful during the energy transition process, those hybrid technologies will have no bright future since there are simply better alternatives out there.

For instance, if you are curious about those other alternatives, make sure to also check out my pros and cons of electric cars.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_vehicle

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a26390899/what-is-hybrid-car/

https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/evtips.shtml

About the author

My name is Andreas and my mission is to educate people of all ages about our environmental problems and how everyone can make a contribution to mitigate these issues.

As I went to university and got my Master’s degree in Economics, I did plenty of research in the field of Development Economics.

After finishing university, I traveled around the world. From this time on, I wanted to make a contribution to ensure a livable future for the next generations in every part of our beautiful planet.

Wanna make a contribution to save our environment? Share it!