Hybrids may save money for consumers in the long run, according to a new survey.
The 2009 IntelliChoice.com hybrid and diesel car survey looked at 51 hybrid and clean-diesel models and evaluated their cost of ownership vs. the premium you pay over conventional models of the same vehicles.
The survey estimated the cost of ownership over five years or 70,000 miles and included factors such as fuel, maintenance and repair, retained value, insurance, taxes and licensing fees.
Thirty-five of the 51 green cars considered in a recent survey delivered lower costs of ownership than comparable conventional vehicles.
Clean diesels, by the way, saved their owners even more money than hybrids.
Thirty-five of the 51 green cars considered delivered lower costs of ownership than comparable conventional vehicles, said James Bell, editor of IntelliChoice .com.
"The longtime knock against green cars, trucks and SUVs is that their sticker prices do not justify the gas savings," Bell said. "The point we make is that it is not just about fuel."
