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If you listen to the makers, hybrid cars are the best invention since sliced bread. While there are many reasons to buy a hybrid car, including a new tax incentive for US owners, it helps to have a good understanding of how ...

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Hybrid cars combine the benefits of gasoline engines and electric motors and use regenerative braking to recover energy typically lost in braking.

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Part of America's love affair with cars is the desire for speed. Sure, we're attached to automobiles for several other reasons -- they get us comfortably from one point to the next, and we're even willing to sit through grueling traffic jams in them just to get to work or to the grocery store. But the rumble of the engine, the whine of the gears shifting upwards and the wind flowing through an open window is a common, iconic image. It's probably no coincidence that lots of American road movies include montages that attempt to convey that sort of feeling.

The rising popularity of hybrid cars within the auto industry, however, is changing that familiar perception. For one, most fuel-efficient vehicles don't necessarily rumble. In fact, most employ a function that allows the gasoline engine to stop running while sitting in traffic, coasting or even when the car is driving at lower speeds. Instead, a hybrid vehicle uses a quieter electric motor to conserve fuel and produce fewer emissions.

But despite being known for having good fuel efficiency and promoting eco-friendly driving, some have criticized hybrid vehicles for a variety of reasons. Some have questioned, for instance, the reliability of hybrid battery packs, claiming that they tend to be faulty and that they're expensive to replace. This is largely untrue, and nearly every car company producing a hybrid vehicle guarantees their battery pack for the life of the car.

Other critics, at least those that have grown accustomed to faster speeds associated with modern gasoline-powered cars, have noted that hybrid cars are typically slower than regular automobiles. The claim is that by focusing on fuel-efficiency and lower emissions, hybrid cars are sacrificing higher speeds and more power, slowing down their performance. Because this doesn't gel with the typical image of the fast American car, some drivers are a little turned off by this.

So, are hybrid cars really slower than regular cars? Why is this? And is that really the point for someone concerned about green driving?

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Are hybrid cars slower than regular cars?

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Part of America's love affair with cars is the desire for speed. Sure, we're attached to automobiles for several other reasons -- they get us comfortably from one point to the next, and we're even willing to sit through grueling traffic jams in them just to get to work or to the grocery store.

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Hybrid gas mileage is the most well known benefit of this type of car. The hybrid technology is the obvious reason for this, but there are others. Features such as lightweight materials, sturdier tires with increased pressure, better aerodynamics and a smaller gas tank help make hybrid cars more gasoline efficient and let you save gas money. The answer, then, is yes. Hybrid cars do get better gas mileage. How they do it is worth knowing.

Tires on hybrid vehicles are constructed differently using stiffer materials. Additionally, the optimal air pressure on a hybrid tire is higher than normally found for passenger cars. This conserves energy and makes the tire very efficient, having about half the drag of a standard tire model. President Obama caught a lot of flack for the air pressure suggestion he made, but it is true-properly inflated tires can increase fuel economy.

Lightweight Materials
Since hybrid cars are built using lighter materials, it gives them an advantage with gas mileage. The heavier a car is, the more fuel is required to power it. Lightweight cars use a reduced amount of energy which translates into fuel savings. SUVs weigh more and consequently burn more fuel. Hybrid SUVs get better gas mileage than their gas burning counterparts, but it is still low compared to very lightweight passenger cars.

Aerodynamics
Increased aerodynamics reduce the drag on a vehicle, and in turn, conserve energy, reducing fuel consumption. Hybrids are built with aerodynamics in mind, with a reduction in area up front that comes into contact with head wind. If it's easier for a car to move, it requires less fuel in the process.

Smaller Gas Tank
Hybrids use less gasoline when they operate, thus they don't have a need for an overly large gas tank. Fitted with smaller tanks, hybrids reduce their overall weight, helping to increase their fuel efficiency. A Toyota Prius, for example, gets about 50 mpg on the highway. That is, however, going uphill or on a level plane. When going downhill that number doubles. Hybrids have no need for a large tank to weigh them down with extra fuel-they simply won't need it.

Great gas mileage is the feature of hybrid cars most publicized, but the reasons it gets such good gas mileage are often unheralded. Quality lightweight materials, sturdier tires and superior aerodynamics all add to a hybrid's fuel efficiency. By conserving energy through reduced drag, hybrid vehicles require lower amounts of fuel. In fact, the estimated annual fuel cost for a Prius is less than $800. You will use gasoline when you drive a hybrid, but you won't use nearly as much.

Tips for Getting the Best Hybrid MPG

Getting the best hybrid mpg is one of the top reasons for switching to a hybrid vehicle. These cars boast of fuel economies up to 50 miles per gallon. However, there are ways to get even better mileage.

Limit acceleration.Try to limit your accelerating. Accelerating uses up more energy and gas. Accelerate to a constant speed and stay at that speed. You increase your mileage by doing this. Conversely, accelerating and stopping and then accelerating again is a way to decrease your miles per gallon. Constant speeds can be attained by using cruise control

Observe the speed limit.The speed limit isn't just a random number. It provides for the best fuel efficiency. Driving 55 mph compared to 65 or 75 mph provides better mileage than the faster numbers

Turn off your air conditioning.Air conditioning uses up your gas. Turning off your air and opening the windows is better than leaving the air on. However, at highway speeds, the best situation is to leave your windows up and turn on the air. It creates no drag and saves the most gas

Avoid traffic.Traffic causes you to start and stop over and over again. This uses much more gas than one would think for only going 5 or 10 miles per hour. Try to avoid traffic on your route. You can do this by taking an alternate route, or change your time when you hit a busy area. Even if your trip is longer, it will likely save more gas than sitting in traffic

Inflate your tires.Keeping your tires properly inflated improves your miles per gallon. If your tires aren't properly inflated you can lose vast amounts of gas over a year

Lighten your load. Hybrid cars do a good job at this because they are pretty much as light as possible. However, you can increase your fuel economy by not overloading your car. Having things on your roof or heavy things in your trunk will weigh you down and make you lose miles. Lighten up your car and it will increase your mileage

The Most Efficient Hybrids on the Market

If you are interested in the purchase of a hybrid, you have many makes and models to choose from. It seems that just about every manufacturer offers a hybrid to compete in the growing market for them.

Toyota Prius.Getting about 50 mpg in the city and 48 on the highway, the Toyota Prius tops the list of fuel efficient hybrids. The estimated annual fuel cost is less than $800. These kinds of numbers are enough to make even the staunchest opponent of hybrids reconsider their position

Ford Fusion Hybrid.This hybrid gets 41 mpg in the city and 36 on the highway. It is quite a bit less than the Prius, but it still comes in second. Regardless of its ranking, with estimated fuel costs less than $1,000 per year, it is an attractive alternative

Mercury Milan Hybrid. This version of the hybrid has identical numbers to the Ford Fusion hybrid.41, 36 and less than $1,000 in estimated fuel cost per year

Honda Civic Hybrid. At 40 mpg with city driving and 45 on the highway, the Honda Civic hybrid is yet another worthy competitor with the Prius. Estimated fuel costs are less than the Ford Fusion, meaning this hybrid will save you even more money each year

Honda Insight.With identical mpg in the city as the Civic and 43 on the highway, the Insight is slightly less efficient than its cousin and has a slightly higher estimated annual fuel cost, but it is still a good choice for a thrifty driver

Lexus HS 250h.Getting 35 mpg in the city and 34 mpg for highway driving, and with just over $1100 in estimated annual fuel expenditures, the Lexus HS 250h provides luxury, style and efficiency all in one package

Nissan Altima Hybrid.Its estimated fuel costs annually are $1,138, it gets 35 mpg in the city and 33 on the highway. Nissan's hybrid may not have the gas mileage that the Prius does, but it is extremely fuel efficient and stylish at the same time

Toyota Camry Hybrid. Toyota's other hybrid, the Toyota Camry, has nearly identical numbers to the Altima hybrid. A midsize alternative, the Camry hybrid gets 33 in the city, 34 on the highway and has an estimated fuel cost per year that is exactly the same as the Nissan Altima hybrid

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Hybrid gas mileage is the most well known benefit of this type of car. The hybrid technology is the obvious reason for this, but there are others. Features such as lightweight materials, sturdier tires with increased pressure, better aerodynamics and a smaller gas tank help make hybrid cars more gasoline efficient and let you save gas money.

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New Study Says Hybrids Are Safer - Autotrader

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Recent research indicates occupants of hybrid vehicles are less likely to be injured in accidents.

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As hybrids become more popular and affordable, drivers wonder why the cost of insuring them remains higher than average. And for a green insurance company like ours, the relatively high cost of insuring a hybrid presents a bit of a pickle. After all, these hybrid drivers are our people.

Since the first actuarial tables appeared in the 1600s, setting insurance rates has been a complicated and math-intensive business. So we talked with Eric Madia, Esurance's director of product and actuarial management, to break this hybrid-car insurance pickle down into manageable hamburger chips, and to find out why car insurance for hybrids costs more.

What car insurance for hybrids costs more?

1. The car itself
Hybrids generally cost more than their gasoline equivalents. For example, the 2011 Honda Civic has a starting price of $15,805, while the 2011 Civic Hybrid starts at $23,950. Eric explains, "The value of the vehicle is typically related to the premium charged." The more expensive the car, the pricier the car insurance policy.

2. The parts
Hybrid cars leverage cutting-edge technology to reduce fuel consumption and protect the environment. For example, according to John O'Dell, Edmunds ' senior editor and green car advisor, damaged batteries for a Prius or Civic hybrid can range from $2,000-$4,000, and that jumps to $8,000-$15,000 for new EVs like the Volt or LEAF. Parts that cost more to replace or repair lead to higher claims costs.

3. The service
Hybrids have engines as well as state-of-the-art electronic components, which means only specially trained mechanics can work on them. This makes finding an affordable, reliable repair shop more challenging. Even minor repairs require specialized service, and as Eric notes, "These repairs are more expensive."

4. The drivers
This may be surprising, because it's easy to assume that hybrid owners are the conscientious, safe drivers every car insurance company wants - and in general, they are. The hybrid's incredible fuel efficiency, however, makes it especially attractive to drivers who spend a lot of time behind the wheel. According to a 2009 study, hybrids log roughly 25 percent more non-commuting miles per year than their counterparts. And, of course, the more time on the road, the greater the likelihood of an accident.

Peering into the crystal ball

Take heart, fellow green car lovers. Car insurance for hybrids will become more affordable the more they break into the mainstream. John O'Dell predicts, "By 2020 there should be enough critical mass to bring down prices, which will help foster faster growth of these vehicles." Lower purchase prices will translate to lower car insurance premiums. And as fuel-efficient technologies merge into the mainstream, repair and service costs will come down as well.

The moral of this story? Hang in there, hybrid owners. The money you already save at the pump will soon have company in the form of lower purchase, repair, and car insurance costs for your hybrid. Plus, there are a multitude of reasons why a hybrid is a worthy investment. Get a fast, free auto insurance quote today.

Insurance 101 | Getting there

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Top 4 Reasons Car Insurance for Hybrids Costs More

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As hybrids become more popular and affordable, drivers wonder why the cost of insuring them remains higher than average. And for a green insurance company like ours, the relatively high cost of insuring a hybrid presents a bit of a pickle. After all, these hybrid drivers are our people.