Looking at something for my wife. Any experience either good or bad with these new hybrid/electric cars? Usually only 30 miles per day driving or less.
Don't want an electric 914, I like the one I have with an aircooled engine.
Tom

My parents have a leaf. Its pretty neat little ride but definately not a primary vehicle. My mother can't drive stick so that only left the suburban or 400hp GTO to be driven by her. They were filling up the suburban every week,so now she drives the leaf all day unless she is traveling or happens to exceed the range of the car. She likes it alot and it has a range of roughly 70-100 miles/charge. During the winter shes noticed that it doesn't like to charge as quickly and that the range is less but you have to account for the fact that she is probably using the heater (electci heater). My fiance says its like driving a hovercraft lol.

It spanks my 2.0 914 to 60mph too.

If you can hold off for a little while, the Ford C-Max Energi due out soon looks real nice, inside and out. I got a test drive in one, and the extra interior room vs. other hybrids will work good for me. They make two models, the Energi is the plug in model, and unlike the Leaf will give you a backup engine after the 60 miles (+/-) of battery storage. It looks like an oversized Focus to me...

With my wife's driving habits, we should be able to go for MONTHS without pumping any fuel into it. I also recently qualified for a special electric meter from Detroit Edison that will give me about 60% price reduction on any electricity that we use between the hours of 7PM and 11 AM, so I will set it up for evening /night recharging.

I wish that I could have recommended a Porsche product, maybe soon.....

Buy a hybrid or all electric because you want the nifty new technology, not because you want a car good for the environment or save you $. In the bay area CA people drive these for the carpool lane sticker (finally the Prius folks got kicked out of the commuter lane), or they like the image of the car.

^ pretty much the truth. When it comes down to it my dad was more excited about the car because he helped with the development of the j1772 charger standard, than actually being green or saving money. He has a he metering system that monitors electrical load consumption and data logging but that load from the leaf has been negligible. If he had a payment on the leaf the amount of money spent on gas for the suburban would pay for it.

I thought that I just read that the Volt now gets the commuter lane option due to a special mod to their car, does the Prius not qualify now?

The reason for looking at these now is the cost of gas and projected continued increase. My next new car will most likely need to last 15 years. maybe a turbo small diesel would be better. Not sure if the electric cars will last that long at 15K miles per year.
Tom

Full Electrics are pretty sweet but the battery technology, as good as it is, needs to get better. TDI's are where it's at. I've never owned one but I have friends with TDI Golfs, Jettas and Passats and they get incredible MPG. If you can almost double your MPG with Diesel it's like paying have as much for gas. The new ones make a lot of torque too. If you are on Facebook, check out what "Smyth Performance" (One of the founders of Factory Five Racing) has created with his fiberglass rebody, mid engine, Jetta TDI sports car. It's awesome. And you can build it in your garage for $15K ~ Paul

by a VW /AUDI diesel....

Volts qualify because they are a partial all electric car, which his different from "most" Prius's (Priui?) that the electric is more of a "helper" motor.

Hardly anyone knows the yellow HOV sticker in California ended last July so even if you have one, you can get pulled over and receive that wonderful ~$400 ticket. Luckily for them, most cops dont realize it either.

There is an ongoing program for CNG and partial/all electric vehicles until 2015 I believe

To the OP, make sure you check with your utility if they do get a plug in electric because most utilities give a reduced rate.

Full electrics get the white/grey HOV stickers. Always hate to see the nice Tesla's driving around with big ol' sticker all over them.

Seem to be a dime a dozen near my office in Palo Alto.

The hybrids do good good in town, not fwy mpg. Personally, I think a good fuel economy car like a focus or fiesta is a better choice. Calculate the difference in purchase price to the fuel savings and I think you'll find it takes years to make up the difference. If I was to buy a hybrid, I'd have to look at Hyundai, simply for the lifetime battery warranty. 8k to replace batteries would hurt bad.

I have driven hybrids, still can't get used to the thing shutting off at traffic lights. It's always that sinking feeling. Like when the fuel pump fails on a 914.