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How Honda hybrids can
help the environment – and save you money
The humble
motorcar has received a bad press from environmentalists in recent years and,
many would argue, with good reason. The number of cars on our roads undoubtedly
has a negative impact on the environment but hybrid cars offer a way for
motorists to drastically reduce their CO2 emissions. At the same time, higher
fuel efficiency can pass on real savings to the driver – a priority for many
households with the seemingly ever increasing cost of fuel.
How does
a Honda hybrid work?
Honda have been at the forefront of the
hybrid revolution for well over a decade, having introduced the Honda Insight, the first commercial
hybrid electric car released in the US market, in 1999. It was later introduced
to the UK market in 2009. Like other Honda hybrids, including the Honda Jazz Si and the CR-Z,
it works by using a dual power source to drive the car. These are a small,
efficient petrol engine and an electric motor.
All petrol
cars create excess energy that is not used up in actually driving the vehicle.
Rather than wasting this excess energy, hybrid cars recapture it and use it to
recharge a battery. This is used to provide power to the electric motor which
in turn gives the engine a boost. The overall result is a car that uses less
fuel without sacrificing performance.
What are
the benefits?
It might
seem glaringly obvious but the less fuel you use; the less it will cost you to
drive. Hybrid cars can cost a little more upfront than comparable non-hybrid
models but this can generally be recouped in reduced fuel costs over a
relatively short period of time.
In
addition, the Vehicle Excise Duty (or VED, commonly known as car tax or road
tax) for all new cars is based on the CO2 emissions they produce. VED used to
be based on engine size but this was changed for vehicles registered on or
after 1st March 2001.
The least
fuel efficient, Band M petrol or diesel cars, can cost almost £500 to tax for
cars registered in 2012/2013. Compare this to the Band B rate for the Honda
Jazz (£20 per year) or the Band A rate for the Honda Insight (£0 or in other
words, free). Even the sporty CR-Z only falls into Band C, costing £30 for a
full 12 months tax. After this, cars in Band D leap up to £100, meaning every
Honda Hybrid can help save a bundle on your tax disc.
For those
of a green frame of mind, the reduced fuel consumption coupled with low CO2
emissions mean you can do your part without having to compromise on style and
functionality. Hybrid cars might be increasingly fashionable but they're
certainly not a passing fad and owning one can bring real benefits whether
you're interested in helping protect the planet, your pocket or both at the
same time.
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