Driving a Hybrid does not, and had not, made economical sense since it’s inception. It typically takes 8~24 years to recoup the additional cost of the drive train through fuel expenditure savings — longer than their expensive battery systems on the vehicles are designed to last. In otherwords, they won’t ever pay back the investment.
People drive Hybrids and Electrics to “feel” good or to satisfy their conviction that Carbon Emissions is bad, Global Warming is real and to show concern for the environment. I’ll defer the debate over the validity of such convictions and the basis for their green “faith” to another thread and another day. But, let’s face it. Hybrids are not about saving money through efficiency, they are about making their owners feel good.
I actually have no problem with that, just like I have no problems with someone wanting to spend $250,000 on a 600hp supercar that gets 12 miles per gallon. Whatever his rationale behind the purchase, it’s his money and he ought to be able to spend it on whatever pleases him.
I do have a BIG problem with someone getting $7500 from the federal government and $6000 the state of California to subsidize their consumption “preferences”. I don’t want to pay higher taxes or pass on any more public debt burden to future generations so that someone can feel good about themselves. I already work 5 months of every year just to pay my taxes. And, anyone who says that I am not paying my fair share can go to hell!