The Chevrolet Volt lets you drive on pure electricity for your everyday commute and seamlessly switches to gasoline for longer trips.
Texas and California lead the nation in sales for alternative-fuel vehicles, mainly diesel and hybrids, according to data recently released by the Diesel Technology Forum.
While Californians bought the most of the two alternative fuel engines, with 1.3 million new vehicles registered between 2010 and 2013, Texas wasn't far behind. The Lone Star State surpassed California in diesel sales with 837,426 diesel registrations. It fell behind in hybrid sales with 153,557 hybrids registered during that time.
Across the board, new hybrid registrations were up by 64.6 percent. Diesel registrations increased by 11.5 percent. Not bad, considering the car industry as a whole only saw a 1.6 percent increase.
If you're in the market for an alternative fuel car, here are a few of the pros and cons you should consider before taking the plunge.
HYBRID PROS
• Environmentally friendly — Hybrids have lower emissions and better gas mileage.
• Improved performance — New technology is shrinking the gap between the power of a combustion engine and a hybrid.
• Higher resale value — Hybrids retain their resell value longer.
• Car insurance discounts — Yes, you can get discounts for owning a hybrid!
• Excellent warranties — Some hybrid car companies offer warranties for as long as eight years or as high as 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
• Gas mileage — Hybrids get 48-60 miles per gallon combined highway/city driving. The more you drive in the city, the better combined gas mileage you'll get.
HYBRID CONS
• Lower power — Hybrids are known for their fuel economy, not their acceleration or speed.
• Doesn't handle as well — Less weight means better fuel efficiency, but it also means manufacturers are cutting back on bracing and support in the suspension and body. The center of gravity is also higher, affecting how the vehicle holds to the road.
• Higher price tag — The hybrid version of a car can cost $5,000-$10,000 more than the combustion version. You can save on gas in the long term, but some people can't afford the initial cost.
• Higher maintenance costs — Hybrids cost more to repair because of the complex dual-compulsion systems. Parts can be expensive, especially batteries, which can run between $2,000 and $3,000 to replace.
If you don't want to go hybrid, you might want to follow Texas' lead and look into diesel-fueled engines, which have their own lists of pros and cons.
DIESEL PROS
• Great gas mileage — Diesel engines deliver 25-30 percent better gas mileage than gas-powered engines. Diesels are even more fuel efficient than gas-electric hybrids, depending on the models.
• Fuel efficiency — Diesel fuel contains more usable energy than gasoline, delivering better fuel economy. Unlike gas-powered cars, which send heat out of the tailpipe, diesel converts heat into energy.
• No tune-ups — No need for a tune-up as diesels have no spark plugs or distributors.
DIESEL CONS
• Higher fuel cost — Diesel prices per gallon are much higher than gas, and, because you are competing for supplies with commercial trucks, home and industrial generators and heating oil, the cost is only going to get higher as demand increases.
• Lack of high speed — Compared to a gas-powered engine, diesels are slower but stronger and more enduring. Gas goes fast, but it won't always last.
• Maintenance — If you neglect the maintenance and the fuel-injection system breaks down, the cost of repairs will be much higher than for a gas-powered car. Diesel engines are more technologically advanced and need specialized service.
Before you make your final decision — gasoline, diesel or hybrid — also consider that new technologies are emerging to power transportation. Natural-gas cars are already on the market, and Toyota promises to debut a hydrogen-powered car by 2017. Also in the works at Toyota? A hover-car!
