Should you buy hybrid car with great fuel efficiency? Answer may surprise you

The automobile industry the world over is focusing a whole lot of attention on fully electric vehicles (EVs) with the number of options on the rise gradually. Here in India too, EVs are trying to grab the spotlight even if their share is still relatively small. But while electric cars in particular may be quite expensive, advocates of hybrid engines are propagating the technology as a more reasonable stepping stone.

Hybrid technology broadly refers to a vehicle in which its internal combustion engine is paired with an electric motor. A full hybrid (FHEV) can run on just the combustion engine, the electric engine, or a combination, and does not need the battery to be plugged into a charging socket. The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder are the first SUVs with strong hybrid technology while Honda too launched the fully hybrid version of the City sedan.

The biggest advantage of strong hybrid engines in cars like Grand Vitara, Hyryder and City is enhanced fuel-efficiency for a longer drive range before requiring a halt for a refill of petrol. The Grand Vitara and Hyryder, for instance, is claiming a mileage of around 28 kmpl while the City promises 27 kms per litre. In real world conditions, one can expect a figure of around 22 kmpl.

The new Honda City Hybrid offers three drive modes namely all-electric, hybrid and engine power.

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The new Honda City Hybrid offers three drive modes namely all-electric, hybrid and engine power.

But while the technology itself can ensure a reduced petrol bill, the high purchase cost of hybrid vehicles may not suit every budget. So the big question is when conventional or mild-hybrid engine options are available, should one still pay a significantly higher price for the strong hybrid variants?

Here's a rough calculation:

A person driving 1,000 kms per month in a vehicle giving 15 kmpl would have to buy around 66 litres of petrol. At ₹96.72 per litre (Delhi rate), this comes to a monthly petrol expenditure of approximately ₹6,383 or an annual expenditure of ₹76,500. Over an eight year time period - average time an owner keeps a vehicle - this comes to a fuel expenditure of around ₹6.12 lakh.

Now take the case of the same person driving a hybrid vehicle which offers 22 kmpl in the real world. This person would buy around 45 litres of petrol per month. At the same per-litre petrol price, this is a monthly expenditure of ₹4,350 or an annual expenditure of ₹52,200 or an expenditure of ₹4.17 lakh.

Over an eight-year period, a person can save around ₹2 lakh on petrol assuming the rate per litre remains constant. This savings can be more if the person drives more or if petrol prices rise.

But the same person also has to shell out more to buy the strong hybrid vehicle vis-a-vis the conventional or mild-hybrid version of the same vehicle. The top-end Grand Vitara Alpha Plus Hybrid CVT DT is at ₹19.65 lakh (ex-showroom) while the top-end version of the same car - but with mild hybrid - is at ₹17.05 lakh (ex-showroom). This translates to a difference of around ₹2.50 lakh.

Conclusion:

Cars powered by strong hybrid engines indeed offer a whole lot of savings on fuel expenditure but the upfront purchase cost vis-a-vis the same model with conventional or mild hybrid versions is quite high. For someone who drives long distances regularly, strong hybrid models obviously makes much sense. For others though, it would be more advisable to check for incentives on hybrids - this can vary from state to state - to ensure the upfront purchase cost isn't significantly high.

Note: The above figures are indicative. The assumed mileage mentioned above is based on real-world conditions and do not refer to ideal mileage under test conditions.

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