People looking to spend less money on fuel may find themselves spending more money on cars.

“Hybrid cars cost more money than regular cars no matter how you cut it,” said Peter DeLorenzo, publisher of AutoExtremist.com. “And the extra money cannot be recovered in the normal ownership cycle of the car.”

Traveling locally, the electronic/gas powered vehicles save the driver money on gas but longer trips may diminish the savings.

Hybrids get better gas mileage in short distance driving but, factoring in all kinds of driving conditions, hybrids are only moderately better. In other cases, such as highway driving, regular cars are even better than a hybrid, DeLorenzo said.

“People don’t need hybrid cars to save money and get great mileage,” he said. “They just need to make smarter choices when buying cars.”

Consumers may still demand the alternative vehicle choice even when it could be more expensive.

“For people intent on making a larger political statement with the car they drive, a hybrid might just be the ticket,” DeLorenzo said.

The battery system of a hybrid car is actually what makes a hybrid car different.

“There are two batteries, a small one in the front to start the car and a large battery in the trunk that recharges,” said Paul Abdishi, salesman for Valley Honda, 4173 Ogden Ave. in Aurora.

Batteries on hybrid cars need to be taken care of properly or they will cause more damage than a regular car, DeLorenzo said.

The larger battery in the trunk costs between $1,500 and $1,600 to replace but they are covered by a Honda warranty for 8 years or 80,000 miles, Abdishi said. The lifespan of the battery is at least as long as the warranty and few batteries have problems.

Currently at Valley Honda, there are two four-door sedan hybrid cars available: the Honda Civic hybrid, costing about $22,700 and the Honda Accord hybrid, costing $31,500.

“The hybrid cars are a little bit more expensive because of the technology but you’re saving on energy and getting cleaner air,” Abdishi said.

When it comes to cost of the everyday maintenance, hybrid cars are the same as any normally-propelled car.

“We service a Honda hybrid with general car maintenance,” said Allan Barker, service manager of Bill White’s C.A.R. Hospital, 303 N. Seventh St. “The pay scale is the same for the Honda as any other car we repair.”

No extra time is needed to work on the Honda hybrid and parts are about the same, Barker said.

University Police and hybrids

One instance where hybrid cars have been useful is with the University Police where they chose to use the Toyota Hybrid Prius over the regular Crown Victoria squad package in 2004.

“It makes sense when you consider the size of the campus and the types of roads we drive on all day,” said Lt. Matt Kiederlen. “The Prius fit the bill.”

Choosing the hybrid cars was UP’s way of dealing with rising gas prices, Kiederlen said.

UP addressed concerns with the diminished high-speed performance of the hybrids, saying squads rarely need to travel over 70 miles per hour.

“Police departments are trying to get away from high speed chases,” Kiederlen said. “There’s just too much liability.”

Instead, authorities use communication to capture a suspect.

In the DeKalb County area, there is not as much chasing as just keeping the suspect car in sight, according to Kiederlen.