BrianPlankis
11-19-2007, 01:59 PM
Hey all,
One of the things we can do to help coral reefs is to purchase a car that has a higher MPG and/or hybrid/electric component. While the cost of a hybrid car adds a lot to the purchase price, with $4/gallon gas in the US you start making up the extra cost a lot faster.
We recently purchased a hybrid Toyota Camry to reduce our carbon dioxide (and other pollutant emissions) and to reduce our gas bill. We also did this because my Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder broke down again and we were spending a lot on repairs.
The advertised EPA mileage is 40 city/ 38 highway, supposedly more in the city as the electric motor is used more. We've been getting about 36-37 in the city and around 38 with mostly highway mileage.
On my way back from Austin, TX to home it was almost exclusively highway mileage and I drove conservatively (slower acceleration and coasting when I knew I wouldn't make it through a light).
Mileage on the way home from door to door? 43.4 MPG :D
So what kind of impact did switching from the Mitsubishi Spyder to the Toyota Camry Hybrid have?
Assuming 15,000 miles driven per year (about my average):
Spyder: 13,974 lbs Carbon Dioxide per year (714 gallons of gas)
Toyota Camry Hybrid: 8,631 lbs Carbon Dioxide per year (441 gallons of gas at average of 34.4 MPG EPA)
Savings: 5,343 lbs per year, 273 gallons of gas per year ($1,092/year)
So the extra cost of the hybrid pays off in less than 4 years at $4/gallon and we are getting, on average 3 MPG more than the EPA estimate. Every year after 4 years is gravy.
Brian
One of the things we can do to help coral reefs is to purchase a car that has a higher MPG and/or hybrid/electric component. While the cost of a hybrid car adds a lot to the purchase price, with $4/gallon gas in the US you start making up the extra cost a lot faster.
We recently purchased a hybrid Toyota Camry to reduce our carbon dioxide (and other pollutant emissions) and to reduce our gas bill. We also did this because my Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder broke down again and we were spending a lot on repairs.
The advertised EPA mileage is 40 city/ 38 highway, supposedly more in the city as the electric motor is used more. We've been getting about 36-37 in the city and around 38 with mostly highway mileage.
On my way back from Austin, TX to home it was almost exclusively highway mileage and I drove conservatively (slower acceleration and coasting when I knew I wouldn't make it through a light).
Mileage on the way home from door to door? 43.4 MPG :D
So what kind of impact did switching from the Mitsubishi Spyder to the Toyota Camry Hybrid have?
Assuming 15,000 miles driven per year (about my average):
Spyder: 13,974 lbs Carbon Dioxide per year (714 gallons of gas)
Toyota Camry Hybrid: 8,631 lbs Carbon Dioxide per year (441 gallons of gas at average of 34.4 MPG EPA)
Savings: 5,343 lbs per year, 273 gallons of gas per year ($1,092/year)
So the extra cost of the hybrid pays off in less than 4 years at $4/gallon and we are getting, on average 3 MPG more than the EPA estimate. Every year after 4 years is gravy.
Brian