Are hybrid vehicles just hype?

My boys love the movie Napoleon Dynamite, and it was Napoleon that I thought of when I read the article Hybrids: Don't buy the hype.

"Idiots."

"There may be reasons to buy a hybrid vehicle right now, but they aren't financial reasons," says Peter Valdes-Dapena .

Really, Peter?

"A hybrid Honda Accord costs about $3,800 more than the comparable non-hybrid version. Over five years, you'll make up that cost in gasoline money if the price of gas goes up immediately to $9.20 a gallon."

Nice one, Peter, the Accord hybrid? First, the Accord hybrid isn't a top selling hybrid. Second, it's a performance hybrid, not a hybrid built for fuel efficiency. Third, there is a huge difference between Honda hybrids and Toyota hybrids. In city driving, Toyota hybrids offer far more fuel efficiency because of their ability to function on electric power only.

"For the Ford Escape hybrid, the difference is less stark. To make up the difference between the Escape hybrid and a Ford Escape SLD, gas prices would have to rise to $5.60 immediately after you purchase the vehicle or you would have to drive 37,000 miles a year. Still an unlikely scenario." At least based on Edmunds.com data, Peter notes.

How about some investigative journalism, Peter?

The Edmund's study was largely based on EPA data, and is therefore unreliable and over-generalized. For example, in city driving, the EPA is off by as much as 50 percent in its fuel economy ratings according to Consumer Reports (more on this). Additionally, Edmunds, like the EPA, assumes that most drivers drive mostly on the highway.

Not me, Peter, and not millions and millions of other Americans that live in cities and suburbs.

Then you mention diesel as a more viable option. Peter, did you know that according to CR, the Jeep Liberty Diesel, estimated to achieve 22 MPG in the city, actually only achieves 11 MPG. Is that the kind of real money savings you are talking about Peter?

Then you state that "driving more gently" can save up to the 30 percent.

C'mon, Peter, driving more gently can also make the Ford Escape hybrid more fuel efficient as well as the Toyota Highlander hybrid and the Toyota Prius - of course that wasn't how Edmunds tested their hybrids, was it Peter?

And why didn't you cover the Toyota Prius in your article, since it is by far the best selling hybrid vehicle? Instead, you chose the least 'hybrid' of the hybrids to make your argument. Nice objectivity.

Since the Department of Transportation and numerous University studies claim that city driving, or congestion, is not only the new American norm, but a major American problem, shouldn't that be the standard for testing fuel efficiency?

According to Consumer Reports, not only are 3 hybrids the most fuel efficient vehicles available, but in city driving - the new American norm - the Prius is without rival. For example, the Prius is more than 150% more fuel efficient than the Ford Focus in congestion.

Hmm, Peter. So 45 MPG versus 17 MPG isn't good enough? And if I drive "gently" in the city, my Prius can achieve even 50 or 60 MPG. Still, not worth it, huh, Peter?

More important, hybrid vehicles are an emerging technology and the best is yet to come. Plug-in hybrids and experimental hybrids have been demonstrated to achieve as much as 250 MPG.

Not worth the investment Peter? Instead, we should drive more "gently"?

Buying a hybrid can save money, more important; however, it can help fund a technological revolution that can significantly help the environment and end foreign oil dependency - without finding some miracle to make million dollar fuel cell vehicles more cost effective.

Of course I guess we could just drive more "gently" to fix these problems, huh, Peter?