Hybrid car. Does it pay off?

Buying a new car is a big expense and an important decision in everyone's life. In order not to regret the choice later, it is necessary to think it over well and take into account many aspects of its subsequent operation.

It is not always that what is cheaper in the price list will turn out to be cheaper after summing up several years of operating costs. In addition to fuel and insurance, vehicle maintenance costs include but are not limited to maintenance and depreciation costs.

So let's take a look at the estimated running costs for the new Honda CR-V. Customers considering purchasing this car can choose from a 1.5 VTEC TURBO petrol engine with 173 hp. in 2WD and 4WD versions, combined with a manual or automatic transmission, as well as a hybrid drive. It consists of a 2 liter i-VTEC petrol engine with a maximum output of 107 kW (145 hp) at 6200 rpm. and an electric drive with a power of 135 kW (184 hp) with a torque of 315 Nm. Thanks to the hybrid system, the front-wheel drive CR-V Hybrid accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 8,8 seconds, compared to 9,2 seconds for the all-wheel drive model. The maximum speed of the car is 180 km/h. Looking at the price list, it turns out that the cheapest petrol version costs PLN 114 (400WD with manual transmission, Comfort version), while the hybrid costs at least PLN 2 (136WD, Comfort). However, to make the comparison meaningful, we will choose the corresponding versions of the car - 900 VTEC TURBO with 2WD drive and CVT automatic transmission, as well as a 1.5WD hybrid equipped with the same type of transmission. Both cars in the same Elegance trim levels cost PLN 4 (petrol version) and PLN 4 for the hybrid, respectively. Thus, in this case, the difference in price is PLN 139.

Looking at the fuel consumption data, we see that the WLTP-measured petrol version consumes 8,6 l/100 km in the city, 6,2 l/100 km extra-urban and an average of 7,1 l/100 km. 5,1 km. The corresponding values ​​for the hybrid are 100 l/5,7 km, 100 l/5,5 km and 100 l/3,5 km. Hence a simple conclusion - in each case, the CR-V Hybrid is more economical than its counterpart with a classic power unit, but the biggest difference in the urban cycle is as much as 100 l / 1 km! With an average price of 95 PLN for 4,85 liters of unleaded gasoline, it turns out that when driving a hybrid around the city, we have almost 100 PLN in our pocket for every 17 kilometers traveled. Then the difference in price between the gasoline and hybrid versions will pay off by 67 thousand. km. The advantages of the hybrid do not end there. Remember that this vehicle can cover distances of up to 2 km silently (depending on road conditions and battery level). In practice, this can mean, for example, silent maneuvering in the parking lot of a shopping center or even driving through cities or towns while driving off-road. It is also worth noting the remarkable smoothness of the ride.

Thanks to Honda's unique i-MMD system technology, switching between three modes for the best possible efficiency while driving is virtually imperceptible. The following driving modes are available to the driver: EV Drive, in which a lithium-ion battery directly powers the drive motor; Hybrid Drive mode, in which the gasoline engine supplies power to the electric motor/generator, which in turn transmits it to the drive motor; Engine Drive mode, in which the gasoline engine transmits torque directly to the wheels through a lockup clutch. In practice, both starting the internal combustion engine, turning it off, and switching between modes are imperceptible to passengers, and the driver is always sure that the car is in the mode that provides optimal economy at the moment of movement. In most city driving situations, the CR-V Hybrid will automatically switch between hybrid and electric drive, maximizing drive efficiency. When driving in hybrid mode, excess gasoline engine power can be used to recharge the battery through a second electric car that acts as a generator. The motor driving mode is most effective when driving fast over long distances, and can be temporarily assisted by the power of the electric motor when a temporary increase in torque is needed. Normally, the Honda CR-V Hybrid will be in electric mode when driving at 60 km/h. At 100 mph, the system will allow you to drive in EV Drive for about a third of the time. Top speed (180 km/h) is achieved in hybrid mode. The i-MMD system management software decides when to switch between driving modes without the need for any driver intervention or attention.

Another tool that improves the economy of the CR-V Hybrid is the ECO Guide. These are hints that suggest more efficient driving methods. The driver can compare their instantaneous performance with that of a specific driving cycle, and the displayed sheet points are added or decreased based on the driver's fuel consumption.

In terms of longer operation, it is important that the hybrid system is devoid of elements that can cause problems after many years of operation - there is no generator and starter in the car, i.e. parts that naturally wear out over many years of use.

To sum it up, buying a CR-V Hybrid will be a common sense buy, but it will be backed by the specific numbers and calculations that we have provided. This is an economical car, very environmentally friendly, moreover, trouble-free and, which is confirmed by many statements, with a record low loss of value in its segment.