New Malibu ranked 2nd most cost-effective hybrid

[Slowrider5]

I was quite surprised by this, given the BAS system.

Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid
Hybrid value rank: 2
Time to recoup premium in fuel savings alone: 4.6 years

Typical cost: $22,140

Compared to: Chevrolet Malibu 4 cyl.

Hybrid cost premium: $535 (Based on Edmunds.com "True Market Value" and $1,300 hybrid tax credit.)

Annual fuel savings: $116 (38 gallons)

Offering only a modest fuel economy improvement, the Malibu Hybrid might not seem like much of a hybrid. It has what General Motors calls a "belt alternator system" in which the vehicle's electric motor provides minimal assistance. It does, however, allow the car's gasoline engine to shut off entirely whenever the car stops, event momentarily, and it does provide some additional power during acceleration. The Malibu Hybrid can never drive under all electric power, though, even at low speeds.

The benefits to the consumer are that this system, which requires relatively small batteries and minimal changes to the basic car's engineering, costs less to build and to buy. That means you aren't spending thousands of dollars to save a few hundred dollars a year in gas. Also, smaller batteries mean the Malibu Hybrid gives you the same ample trunk space as the non-hybrid version, whereas other hybrid sedans have severely truncated trunks.

The very similar Saturn Aura Hybrid ranks lower than the Malibu because of a larger price gap between it and a newly available 4-cylinder Aura.

Complete CNN Money Analysis: http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/...ay//index.html

[tholland]

LOL...

Lexus LS600h L

Time to recoup premium in fuel savings alone: 3,771 years

[Perian]

This study did not factor in batter replacement costs!

This study did not factor in incentive costs!

Example:

Rebate on 2008 Saturn Aura GreenLine is: $ 0.00
Rebate on 2008 Saturn Aura is $ 1500.00.

The rebate buys you an additional 12,000 miles of travel!

Hybrids are from marketing departments.

They do not (currently) make economic sense.

[eaton53]

Where's the Tahoe?

[BlackCadillac]

Originally Posted by Perian

This study did not factor in batter replacement costs!

This study did not factor in incentive costs!

Example:

Rebate on 2008 Saturn Aura GreenLine is: $ 0.00
Rebate on 2008 Saturn Aura is $ 1500.00.

The rebate buys you an additional 12,000 miles of travel!

Hybrids are from marketing departments.

They do not (currently) make economic sense.

The point of hybrids should be to save gasoline and curb the USA's dependence on foreign oil. They absolutely make sense. If the entire fleet of cars in the US could increase by even just 1 mpg - it would mean we would not need to buy billions of dollars worth of middle east oil. I think that makes significant economic sense when you also factor in the costs of the wars the USA have fought in the middle east associated with securing that oil in the last 20 years.

[MelvinJ]

Interesting quote from the article: "Most used car value experts, including Kelley Blue Book, say that hybrid vehicles will lose value more rapidly in the coming years than non-hybrid vehicles. "

Is because used car buyers are leary of unknown maintenance costs of hybrids? General public not sold on the benefits of hybrids? And how much of an increase in gas prices would it take for this to turn around (provided it's actually true)?

[MechEng]

Originally Posted by Perian

This study did not factor in batter replacement costs!

This study did not factor in incentive costs!

Example:

Rebate on 2008 Saturn Aura GreenLine is: $ 0.00
Rebate on 2008 Saturn Aura is $ 1500.00.

The rebate buys you an additional 12,000 miles of travel!

Hybrids are from marketing departments.

They do not (currently) make economic sense.

I agree on some of your points but not all. CNN actually makes some good points about hybrids in this article.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/09/27/auto...ries/index.htm

[GMforME]

Well the battery is warrantied 8 years 100 thousand and the Income tax incentive for a Bas vehicle is $2500.00

[cincygoblue]

I read an article a couple of months ago (maybe MT) that did something similar. Maybe it was posted here too. But in their bottom-line, they basically stated that one of the best reasons to buy a Camry Hybrid was because you could "tell people it's a real hybrid" and not just a BAS Hybrid. Great use of money! Of course they did say the biggest reason, was even though the Malibu made more sense for the consumer, buying a Camry sends less money to the oil companies and the middle-east. But being a "real" hybrid was important in their rankings even though the Camry cost more overall.

[SUPERBADD75]

Originally Posted by tholland

LOL...

the Lexus LS600h hybrid isn't really all about fuel savings. it's preposterous to even consider it for that. it's just like the Accord Hybrid that nobody understood. it offers the performance of a larger engine without (as much of) the cost.

[osv_alero]

Less money to the middle east and more the east? We send ALOT more money to Japan every year than the middle east. Maybe we ought to rethink this whole we shouldn't be sending our money overseas thing.

At this time our auto deficit is $64 billion dollars higher per year than our oil deficit. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to see too much money sent to the middle east. I would also like to see a HUGE reduction in what is sent to Asia as well.

Oh yeah, and don't forget about walmart's favorite place; China.

[Buick61]

Originally Posted by Perian

This study did not factor in batter replacement costs!

This study did not factor in incentive costs!

Example:

Rebate on 2008 Saturn Aura GreenLine is: $ 0.00
Rebate on 2008 Saturn Aura is $ 1500.00.

The rebate buys you an additional 12,000 miles of travel!

Hybrids are from marketing departments.

They do not (currently) make economic sense.

They were smart not to include incentives. They change almost weekly.

[Perian]

Originally Posted by Buick61

They were smart not to include incentives. They change almost weekly.

True, but incentives usually increase as introduction time passes.

New example:

2008 Chevrolet Malibu: 5.9% Financing for 36 months.
2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid: No Incentive

The consumer does, and allways will; select the price point.

[E. Haskell]

As far as the environmental impact of hybrids, if potential hybrid buyers want to help save the environment, wouldn't they be better off buying a non-hybrid 4cyl Malibu/Accord/Camry and investing the difference in carbon offsets?

According to this website, the extra $2,000-$3,000 spend on a hybrid can be used to offset the carbon output of 28-42 4WD Chevrolet Suburbans.

Heck, if someone bought a Corolla over a Prius, they could offset the carbon output of about 70 Suburbans.

But then again, driving a non-hybrid probably doesn't portray the image some people want.

[Olds88]

Originally Posted by BlackCadillac

The point of hybrids should be to save gasoline and curb the USA's dependence on foreign oil. They absolutely make sense. If the entire fleet of cars in the US could increase by even just 1 mpg - it would mean we would not need to buy billions of dollars worth of middle east oil. I think that makes significant economic sense when you also factor in the costs of the wars the USA have fought in the middle east associated with securing that oil in the last 20 years.

This is the reason I believe in E85. To reduce gasoline consumption without adding cost or sacrificing vehicle choice. My Avalanche uses less gasoline than a Prius. Does anyone know if the L76 car V8 (not the Vortec L76 truck motor) will have AFM and/or be E85 compatible?


Speaking of E85, where's HoosierRon been lately?