Report: 40% of Hybrids Cost Less to Own than Gasoline Counterpart
Vincentric’s 2013 Hybrid Analysis found that 13 of 33 hybrid vehicles have a lower total cost-of-ownership compared to their all-gasoline counterparts.
by Staff
October 31, 2013
2 min to read
Photo of 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid courtesy of Ford.
Vincentric’s 2013 Hybrid Analysis found that 13 of 33 hybrid vehicles have a lower total cost-of-ownership compared to their all-gasoline counterparts. Although this is an increase of two vehicles compared to the 11 cost-effective hybrids in the 2012 study, with the increased number of hybrids available, the percentage of financially cost-effective hybrids dropped from 44% to 39%.
According to Vincentric, the 13 hybrids with lower ownership costs included the Lexus CT200h and the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid — when compared to their all-gasoline counterparts had savings of over $6,300 and $4,700 respectfully. Additional hybrids from Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Volkswagen also showed cost advantages.
Ad Loading...
However, when the costs to own and operate all 33 hybrid vehicles were taken into account, the average five-year cost-of-ownership for hybrids was $1,338 more than their all-gasoline powered counterparts, assuming an annual mileage of 15,000, says Vincentric.
"As the prevalence of hybrid technology grows, our research shows that consumers are seeing additional vehicles that are financially advantageous when compared to their all-gasoline counterparts," said David Wurster, president of Vincentric. "However, because over half of the hybrids we evaluated have higher five-year ownership costs compared to their all-gasoline counterparts, it is important that consumers look at individual models to understand the cost implications of hybrid technology for that vehicle."
Vincentric measures eight cost elements for over 3,000 vehicles configurations per model year, including depreciation, financing, fees and taxes, fuel, insurance, maintenance, opportunity cost and repairs. Each month, Vincentric re-compiles its database to take into account current vehicle prices, resale values, fuel costs, finance rates and other economic and market factors to ensure up-to-date and accurate ownership costs.
Fleet managers are done with the debate—and focused on execution. Learn how to build a practical electrification strategy that aligns infrastructure, operations, and financing while keeping costs controlled and deployment scalable with support from Blink Charging. Discover how smart planning today positions fleets for long-term performance and ROI.
New industry group data revealed that light-duty electric vehicle sales are hitting record market share and volumes, while commercial EV volume dipped. What’s driving the fluctuations?
For fleet managers, fuel is one of the biggest line items in the budget — and it's one hybrids can shrink without changing how your people work. Download the eBook to see the numbers, understand the technology, and get a step-by-step guide to making the switch.
With the expiration of federal incentives, EV success now hinges less on government policy and more on discounts, battery tech progress, increased range, and broader infrastructure.
Fleet operators shared their challenges during an annual conference that embraced the latest advances across all aspects of running private- and public-sector vehicles.