"The federal government, which is only here to help, is offering 'a new software tool that compares the costs and emissions of hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) to conventional vehicles, for government and business fleet managers interested in reducing high fuel costs and protecting air quality.'"

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...cleId=106833#2

 

Wow! If that does not convince someone, I don't know what will!

 

I just used the calculator to determine that if I bought a Chevy Silverado 1500 "Hybrid" (please note the "quotes"!!!), vs a Ford F-150, I would have a lifetime savings of $22.96, but a lifetime savings in Carbon dioxide of 12,422 lbs.
I believe the CO2 savings are largely on account of the fact that the Silverado gets slightly better mileage than the 150 anyway, and not due to the "hybrid" feature.

Comparing my Prius II to the F-150, I would have a lifetime savings of $19,176 and of 92,360 lbs in carbon dioxide!

Unfortunately, the cars available as a non-hybrid comparison are limited, for example, the site does not allow a comparison of the HAH to the plain Accord.

The HCH vs plain civic yields a lifetime (7 years) savings of $18,490, and of 16,458 lbs of CO2.

FEH vs FE: lifetime savings $3,415 and 37,558 lbs of CO2.
Not much money savings in the FEH, but much more in CO2 'savings' than the HCH, mostly because the FE non-hy as an SUV produces large amounts of CO2.

FEH vs plain Civic: lifetime loss of $-6,505, lifetime "loss" of -6,293 lbs of CO2 (or greater production of CO2).

HAH vs plain Civic: lifetime loss of $-8,966 and of -4,186 lbs of CO2 (more CO2 production than plain Civic).

For all of these other than the Sliverado "hybrid" I entered a $2,000 tax deduction.
All are based on 7 years life and 15k annual miles, and gas at $2,20 per gallon.

Fun games!

Cool link post, thanks!

 

As the article goes on to say, "You can compare the Honda Civic Hybrid to the regular Honda Civic: The hybrid wins by a scant $71.88 a year, with a "lifetime savings" of $503.17. Interestingly, the regular Civic is so clean-burning that the hybrid saves 16,458 pounds of carbon dioxide, but there are no savings in carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, particulate matter or hydrocarbons. "

The author is basing this conclusion on the ULEV HCH vs. the ULEV ICE Civic. Its too bad the calculator didn't include the additional emissions reductions of a PZEV variant HCH or the effect of CVT vs. 5-speed.

Informative calculator nonetheless.

 

MGBGT - There is a way to compare a hybrid to virtually any other car. Above the calculator, click on "enter your own" and the "standard model" list on the right is then updated to include almost every make/model.