Hybrid vehicles offer drivers price cuts on gas and have less of an environmental impact than both gas-powered and electric vehicles. Students at Kennesaw State should consider saving gas money and lowering their personal carbon footprint by purchasing a hybrid car as their next vehicle.
One reason students should purchase a hybrid vehicle over a gas vehicle is the environmental effects. Hybrid cars are better for the environment, with 50 percent fewer emissions than gasoline cars, according to GoKid.
Hybrid vehicles also usually have a smaller carbon footprint than fully electric vehicles. Most owners of electric cars charge their cars at home, and most homes are powered by non-renewable energy sources. Unless the energy source for one’s home is completely clean from a renewable energy source like solar panels, charging an electric vehicle actually has a larger carbon footprint than driving a hybrid vehicle, according to GoKid.
Because of the reduced emissions when compared to gasoline and electric vehicles, hybrid cars have a reduced carbon footprint that students should consider when purchasing a vehicle.
Hybrid vehicles also have features that help reduce emissions, such as an auto-stop feature that turns off the fuel engine when the vehicle is stopped. Additionally, hybrids also have improved acceleration and handling, due to the location of the heavy battery, according to MarketWatch.
Making the switch to a hybrid car can also save money at the pump, which is essential for college students. Although hybrids have a higher average selling price of $2,500 more compared to gasoline vehicles, hybrids have superior gas mileage than traditional vehicles. These gas savings can make up the premium difference, according to NerdWallet.
A hybrid that sells for $30,000 and gets 48 miles per gallon can save money compared to a similar gasoline vehicle that sells for $27,500 and gets 28 miles per gallon. If one drove 1,250 miles each month and paid $3 per gallon for gas, the savings would amount to $56 per month, according to NerdWallet.
Because the savings increase with gas prices, driving a hybrid is one of the best ways to protect against increasing gas prices.
Cobb County’s proximity to Atlanta also provides a good reason for students to drive a hybrid. The toll exemptions and use of high occupancy vehicle lanes allow students to save time when traveling in Atlanta, which further decreases the vehicle’s emissions and saves fuel for students.
Hybrid vehicle owners can apply for an alternative fuel vehicle license plate that allows them to use Atlanta’s high occupancy vehicle lanes, avoiding traffic without the need for multiple occupants in the vehicle, according to the Georgia Department of Revenue. Drivers can also utilize high occupancy toll lanes to avoid toll lanes in Atlanta.
Hybrid vehicles come at a slightly increased selling price, but the smaller carbon footprint and gas savings justify the cost. When considering a vehicle, students should account for vehicle emissions, gas savings and alternative fuel vehicle license plate options as reasons to drive a hybrid over a gasoline vehicle.