There has been a lot in the press lately regarding how great hybrid cars are. In a recent test carried out by Auto Express in England the Honda Civic hybrid, regarded widely as one of the lowest emitting cars, performed the worst in the tests.

Instead of the 109g/km of CO2 claimed in the makers’ specifications, it was found to put out 171g/km. The testers said its electric motor was “not strong enough to propel the oddball four-door Civic on its own” and they concluded that the vehicle “failed to match the firm’s economy claims.”

You also have to take into account the fact that the carbon footprint of a hybrid car during production is several times more than that produced by a conventional car. Given that the hybrid costs thousands more than a conventional car you are unlikely to either get your money back from an economy point of view, or indeed are you likely to recoup the carbon footprint created by the hybrid.

In short as things stand at present these cars are an expensive gimmick!

James A. Tyrrell,
5 Lower Cairncastle Road,
Larne,
County Antrim,
N. Ireland BT40 1PG

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