Hybrid/EV buying guide

By combining a gasoline engine, electric motor, and battery pack, hybrids can get as much as 30-percent better gas mileage than equivalent conventional cars. While they cost a little more, some hybrids can make up the difference in fuel savings in just a few years, depending on gasoline prices and the price differential to the conventional version. Some hybrids, especially versions of smaller, four-cylinder models, also provide smoother, quieter operation than their conventional counterparts.

Hybrid SUVs and pickups offer very good towing and hauling capacity, and they can be particularly good choices for saving fuel. Since larger vehicles naturally burn more gas, the 30-percent reduction in fuel consumption we've seen from some of these truck-based hybrids amounts to saving many more gallons than the benefits of choosing a small hybrid car over a small conventional car.

If you want to avoid using gasoline at all, electric cars can dramatically reduce running costs. We've found the Nissan Leaf, the first mass-produced all-electric car on the market, costs as little as 3.5 cents a mile to run at national average electric rates. And that electricity is produced from domestic sources, reducing our national dependence on foreign oil. Most electric cars today are sold in California, a state that gives automakers incentives to sell them. There, most electricity comes from relatively clean natural gas. California and some other states also offer additional incentives to electric car buyers, such as direct rebates or tax credits.

Hybrids: Hybrid technology comes in many forms, and not all hybrids are ultra efficient. Our data show that full-hybrids (those capable of driving on electric power alone at least for short distances) yield the biggest improvements in fuel economy.

All that technology comes at a price, though. Hybrids usually cost more than comparable conventional cars. But the cost difference is often not prohibitive and in many cases the expenditure is offset by energy savings. The Toyota Prius, for example, starts at about $24,000. For the space and features it offers, it doesn't cost much more than a comparable midsized family sedan. (It is about $3,000 more than an average compact sedan.) With a very efficient car like the Prius, and one in high demand on the resale market, you can come out ahead financially over a short ownership period.

But many other hybrids come with lots of extra luxury features and sometimes a fancy nameplate that don't contribute to fuel economy, but do add significantly to the price. If you pay more than about $5,000 above the cost of an equivalent conventional vehicle, it will be hard to save enough fuel to recoup the extra costs. If the price of gas rises, many more hybrids will make financial sense.

Hybrids' main competition comes from diesel, which gets similar mileage improvements at a similar cost, albeit often with higher emissions and dirtier fuel.

Electric cars: Electric cars are very efficient, but can travel only short distances before their battery has to be recharged, a process that takes several hours at best. Currently, electric vehicles (EVs) cost thousands more than conventional cars, but that expense is partially offset by federal tax rebates. And the selection is limited. Many are sold only in certain regions of the country, so where you live may well determine what type of electric car you buy. Further, different regions of the country are also better suited to using electric cars. Some have more services available within electric cars' short range and more favorable electric rates. And some areas have cleaner electric power generation than others. (If environmental factors are a motivator, consider that trading a gasoline-hybrid for an electric car may negate some green benefits if local electricity is generated by coal.)

The cheapest hybrid today is the Toyota Prius C. Starting at about $19,000, the Prius C feels like a very basic entry-level car and has several notable compromises. Other choices exist in the $20k-$30k range, from the ultra-efficient Prius to hybrid versions of popular family sedans, such as the Hyundai Sonata and Toyota Camry.

The most expensive hybrid SUVs run from $45,000 to $55,000, and they include numerous luxuries along with powerful hybrid powertrains. Ultra-luxury sedans, such as the Mercedes-Benz S 400 Hybrid and the Lexus LS 600h, range from about $80,000 to more than $110,000. New hybrid and electric luxury cars are arriving from startup automakers, including Tesla, with its all-electric Model S starting at $60,000, and the Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid, which starts at $96,000.

In the near future, more hybrid choices are expected, in a wide range of body styles and prices.

Hybrid cars come in a wide variety of types, such as hatchbacks, sedans, and sporty coupes. They also come with a wide variety of powertrains, including mild hybrids, full hybrids, extended-range electrics, and pure-electric vehicles. The Toyota Prius is the most popular hybrid, but family sedans, such as the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid, are also efficient cars that can satisfy the needs of many drivers.

Hybrid SUVs can actually save more gas than hybrid economy cars, when compared to similar, conventional alternatives. Even with fairly modest fuel economy numbers (19 mpg for the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, for example), their total fuel savings over traditional SUVs are greater than super-economical hybrids are over cars that are already pretty efficient. The best hybrid SUV in our testing, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, gets the mileage of a conventional small car, while it seats seven, has a roomy cargo hold, and all-wheel-drive. It isn't just a good hybrid, it is our top-rated SUV. Hybrid SUVs are available in a wide variety, including the large Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, and the luxurious Lexus RX 450h. Hybrid SUVs suit a wide variety of family needs, including towing, but they all have high purchase prices.

Like hybrid SUVs, full-sized hybrid pickups can save a lot of gas, especially for commercial users who may drive and idle a lot. In addition, the hybrid pickups provide electrical outlets and backup power that can make all the difference on a job site. Unfortunately, they also share hybrid SUVs' large price tags.

Hybrids blend the power of a gasoline engine with an electric motor and batteries. But the two powertrains can be combined in a variety of ways: some more efficient than others. The hybrids with the best gas mileage tend to be full hybrids. Newer, plug-in hybrids allow you to burn even less gas by running exclusively as electric cars for a short distance. There are several significant variations that we'll explain in detail.

Most full hybrids use a parallel design in which either the gas engine or the electric motor alone can drive the wheels, or they can work in unison. Hybrids can also have a series configuration, in which primarily the electric motor drives the wheels, although the gas engine may generate electricity or provide power directly as needed.

Full hybrids can run for a limited time on electricity alone, and they use the gas engine to travel longer distances and/or at higher speeds. Examples include the Ford and Toyota systems. Mild hybrids are the opposite of series hybrids: Only the gas engine turns the wheels and the electric motor only provides a boost to the gas engine, augmenting the load to improve fuel economy. Only full hybrids can be designed to plug in and act as full electric cars.

Plug-in hybrids can (and should) be charged from the wall to work as electric cars some of the time. They normally use their electric range of 15 or 40 miles up front and then switch to normal hybrid operation whether they happen to be a parallel or series hybrid design.

Plug-in hybrids allow you to recharge the batteries and maximize electricity use, running solely on electricity until the batteries need assistance. (Chevrolet would like us to call the Volt an œextended-range electric vehicle." That's accurate enough, but what it means is that the Volt fits in the category of a plug-in series hybrid, along with the Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid and the Fisker Karma.) Should your trips, or commute, be within the electric-only range, plug-ins can provide the benefits of a pure electric car, while having the engine available for longer trips without worries about getting stranded.

A new wave of pure-electric cars is beginning to trickle into selected markets for the first time since the 1910s, including the Ford Focus EV, Honda Fit EV, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Nissan Leaf, Smart ED (electric drive), Toyota RAV4, and Tesla S sedan. Finite battery storage and long recharge times limit the appeal for EVs for many. Studies show that most drivers travel less than 40 miles a day, making even a short-range electric car capable enough for most urban dwellers or families in need of a second car. On the high end of the range, the $95,000 Tesla S Performance has an EPA-certified 265-mile-mile range. Even long battery charge times are starting to come down, though the quickest-to-charge full electrics still need about 3-1/2 hours to recharge fully.

A fuel-cell car is an electric car that produces its electricity on board. Fuel cells generate electricity from hydrogen (the most abundant chemical element on Earth) through an electrochemical reaction whose only major byproduct is water. But the cars require pure hydrogen, which does not occur naturally. Hydrogen is almost always bound up in minerals, hydrocarbons, or water and has to be extracted. An option is taking electricity from a nonpolluting source such as solar, wind, or hydropower and using it to split water into its hydrogen and oxygen components. The problem here is that it takes more electricity to make the hydrogen than the hydrogen generates in a fuel cell.

Another problem is that hydrogen gas carries very little energy per cubic foot, so it has to be stored in a car at very high pressures up to 10,000 psi. Storing it in liquid form seems impractical, as it takes too much energy to cool it and the hydrogen evaporates. The government is working on other storage methods, but so far all have proven too heavy and costly.

Several automakers have built fuel-cell cars and put them into test fleets around the country, primarily in California. They are essentially electric cars with a range of 200 to 300 miles per refill and relatively short refill times of five to 10 minutes. We have driven many of these cars and found them seamless and pleasant to drive, typically with punchy and silent acceleration off the line. But as nice as the cars are, widespread use of fuel cells remains a long way off. Challenges to producing and distributing hydrogen in large quantities are enormous, and no companies have yet committed to developing such a large new infrastructure. Nevertheless, Honda and Toyota, at least, say they remain committed to bringing fuel-cell vehicles to market in the United States in 2015.

Most hybrids use small, four-cylinder gas engines that are more efficient than larger V6s and V8s. But hybrid SUVs come with either four-cylinder, V6, or V8 engines, depending on the size. Some SUV and luxury-car hybrids also offer V6 or V8 engines. The V6-powered hybrids are smooth, quiet, and quick. And big, V8-powered hybrid SUVs and pickups are responsive and offer large towing capacities. Four-cylinder models run the gamut in terms of refinement, but most four-cylinder hybrids are quieter and feel less strained than equivalent gas-only four-cylinder models.

Most hybrids come with some sort of continuously variable transmission (CVT). But large hybrid SUVs and pickups, and luxury cars, are backed by transmissions that can lock into various gear ratios just as in a conventional automatic. Some hybrids use conventional belt-type CVTs. More use planetary gear sets with infinitely variable ratios in a virtually wear-free design.

Hybrid SUVs can be front, rear, or all-wheel drive. Most small-car hybrids are front-wheel drive, while large SUVs, pickups, and luxury car hybrids may be rear-wheel-drive. All-wheel-drive versions of the Toyota Highlander and Lexus RX 450h power the rear wheels via an extra electric motor on the rear axle. It's light, simple, and efficient, and we've found it works well enough. Unlike traditional AWD vehicles that compromise fuel economy, hybrid AWD vehicles can often avoid such a penalty by using electricity to drive those extra wheels.

Conventional nickel-metal-hydride batteries are quickly being replaced by lithium-ion batteries, which are smaller and lighter for better efficiency. Lithium-ion batteries also come in several varieties. Some variations are more stable and have less power. Others have more power, but require more robust external systems to guard against fire and prolong their life. So far, the question of which systems work best in cars has not played out.

Nickel-metal-hydride batteries typically have very good reliability in our Annual Auto Survey. Lithium-ion batteries are too new to have a proven track record. Automakers are required to warranty the batteries on any hybrid as an emissions control part for eight years and 80,000 miles in most states. In 15 states, they're required to warranty them for 10 years or 150,000 miles, so the automakers have a real interest in making them durable. Outside the warranty period, nickel-metal-hydride battery replacements can run as much as $3,000, but replacements have been relatively rare. And unlike in gas-powered cars, transmission replacements in hybrids are almost unheard of.

Car charging consists of an on-board charger that is part of the car and an external wall charger, officially known as an EVSE (for electric vehicle supply equipment). The EVSE is an additional cost above and beyond the vehicle, and the expense varies as it includes installation. The onboard charger and EVSE can make a big difference in how long it takes to charge an electric car or plug-in hybrid. In our tests, we refer to EVSEs as œchargers" or œwall chargers," using familiar terminology, because that's what consumers generally call them and because the operation of the onboard charger is hidden in the car.

The first wave of modern electric cars use a 3.3-kW onboard charger that can charge a fully electric car in about eight hours with the right EVSE. Newer models will come with a 6.6-kW charger that can cut that time in half. (And some expensive models, such as those from Tesla, come with much faster chargers.) The onboard charger will allow you to plug into any 120-volt household electrical outlet to charge the car with a supplied extension cord. But on such a standard outlet, it will take at least 16 hours to fully charge a pure-electric car.

Buyers of a pure-electric car will definitely want to purchase an EVSE that can supply 240 volts of power to the car for faster charging. The EVSE will prevent the in-car charger from overheating and shut off the charger once the batteries are full. More advanced models can connect to the Internet, allowing owners to monitor how much electricity has flowed into the car and receive notice when the battery is full or the car has stopped charging. EVSEs cost between $500 and $2,000. A licensed electrician is required to install one, and installation costs can run up to $2,000, depending on whether your house has enough power and how far the unit needs to be from your electrical panel.

Plug-in hybrid owners may be able to fully charge their cars in a little over eight hours, even on a standard household outlet. But installing a 240-volt EVSE can cut charge times in half, too.

Several manufacturers of electric and plug-in cars have developed smart-phone applications that allow you to do everything from locating your car and unlocking the doors to preprogramming charge times and monitoring the batteries' state of charge, and even play games via social media to compete for who can use the least electricity. Preprogramming charge times can be particularly helpful in very hot or cold weather, when you can set a time for the car to begin heating or cooling the cabin, before you arrive to unplug it. That way, the car can run the climate control system off household electricity, so you won't waste battery power getting the cabin comfortable, which our tests show can severely reduce range.

Hybrid batteries and their attendant cooling systems often compromise cargo space in smaller hybrids and electrics. Some hybrid trunks sacrifice space to the back, cargo floor, and even around the sides. Most hybrid sedans don't have folding rear seats or a pass-through for longer items, even if the conventional sedans they're based on do. Hatchbacks and SUVs can have higher cargo floors than other nonhybrids, and many have no spare tire and depend on run-flats or tire inflation kits to make space for the batteries.

Towing is not hybrids' forte. Towing capacities are usually less than equivalent conventional models. Car-based hybrid SUVs can generally tow up to 3,500 pounds”plenty for a small boat or a very small camper. Some large hybrid SUVs and pickups can tow 6,000 pounds, or enough for a medium-sized boat, largish camper, or large utility trailer.

As with any car, all hybrids now have head-protecting side-curtain air bags and electronic stability control, two of the most important modern safety advances. These air bags are designed to keep passengers inside during a rollover.

Rearview cameras are becoming commonplace, supplementing parking alert systems, which warn the driver with an audible signal and visual cue when the rear bumper is near a solid object, such as a parked car or a signpost. That's a good thing, because some popular hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight and CR-Z have horizontal bars bisecting the rear windows, which makes it tough to see out the back. The Honda CR-Z has significant blind zones to the rear corners, too. Consumer Reports has found in testing that backup cameras work much better than audible backup sensors for detecting people walking or moving behind the car.

Consumer Reports' safety ratings include assessments of crash-avoidance capabilities and crash-test results, based on tests performed by the federal government and insurance industry. Further, road tests detail issues regarding child seat installation and the adequacy of front and rear head restraints. (Learn more about car safety.)

The latest automotive safety advances include telematics systems that alert emergency personnel if an air bag deploys, forward collision intervention systems that apply the brakes before a crash if the driver isn't paying attention, lane-departure warning systems that sound an alert if you change lanes without signaling, rearview cameras to prevent back-over accidents, and blind-spot warning systems that indicate vehicles driving in the blind spots to the side and rear of you. These are available in several hybrid luxury cars and SUVs. (Learn more about car safety.)

Most hybrids come with the latest mobile electronics that enable cars to deliver cell-phone connectivity, along with navigation guidance. These include:

Bluetooth cell-phone connections, which enable devices such as cell phones to communicate wirelessly with the car's audio system. That allows the driver to place and receive calls using a built-in hands-free interface in the car. In addition, some new infotainment systems can interface with your smart phone using apps to stream music and other Internet-sourced data to the car.

Navigation systems can be a helpful feature if you often drive in unfamiliar territory. They typically retail for about $750 to $1,500 when offered alone, but they are often bundled with other features, such as a backup camera or a high-end audio system that can add another $1,000 or more. Built-in systems have large, clear screens that are in the center of the dashboard and have generally intuitive controls. They are integrated nicely into the car, and some use touch-screen displays that make it easy to put in destinations and navigate through menus. Many can also respond to voice commands, giving you the added safety of keeping your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. For a fee, many systems can provide real-time traffic reports, which can alert you to congested traffic, accidents, or road construction. But portable GPS units can offer most of those abilities for far less money. The navigation system in the Nissan Leaf and other electric cars will helpfully show the radius area of your available range round-trip and one way, and show public charging stations. (See Ratings and learn more about portable GPS navigators.)

Satellite radio, a subscription-only service, offers broad channel selection and caters to a variety of musical and information interests, much like cable TV. Most vehicles offer satellite radio readiness in some audio systems. There is also a wide range of information and entertainment features available from the factory and through the aftermarket.

And telematics systems, such as GM's OnStar, use a combination of cellular telephone and Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to connect drivers with a call center staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at the touch of a button. For a monthly or annual fee, such concierge services can provide directions or summon emergency aid based on your vehicle's location.

High-end audio systems are not offered in most non-luxury hybrid models. These systems tend to draw more battery power than more basic models, which can theoretically hurt gas mileage in a hybrid, though probably not enough for most drivers to notice.