WASHINGTON (July 7, 2011) – The current crop of hybrid vehicles demonstrate automakers know how to provide dramatic fuel savings and pollution reductions, but have yet to fully deliver those benefits, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) announced Wednesday.
 
The organization’s new Hybrid Scorecard evaluated 34 hybrids for their fuel efficiency, environmental improvement, consumer value, and the “forced features” automakers install that artificially inflate the cost of some models.

“It’s not just the Toyota Prius and everyone else anymore,” said Don Anair, a senior UCS engineer and the scorecard’s author.  “Automakers from Ford to Hyundai and Honda to Nissan are using hybrid technology to boost fuel economy and cut pollution without breaking the bank for consumers.”

In its annual review, the organization ranked the Prius and Honda Civic hybrid as the top vehicles in the non-luxury segment of the market. The nonprofit rated the Lincoln MKZ hybrid, built by Ford, and the Lexus CT 200h, a Toyota product, as the top luxury models.

The rankings are based on a combination of fuel economy, greenhouse gas emissions and the number of "options" that buyers are forced to purchase when buying a hybrid version of a vehicle as opposed to how the standard gasoline model is sold.

"We are comparing each model to its conventional gasoline counterpart," said Anair. For example, he noted, "the hybrid MKZ gives you a huge boost on fuel economy. You go from 21 to 39 miles per gallon."

Anair noted that nine of the 10 top-selling hybrids from Jan. 1 through April get more than 30 miles per gallon (mpg) and score above average for environmental improvement and value.

However, only 13 of the 34 hybrids reviewed cut more than 25 percent of the pollution emitted by their conventional vehicle counterpart. The worst offender, the Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, emits less than 10 percent less, an all-time low on the scorecard.

“Automakers are still producing hybrids that fail to deliver on the technology’s potential to dramatically improve fuel economy,” Anair said. “Their focus on maximizing power over consumer value risks the future of hybrid technology.”

The cost of many hybrids are bloated by forced features, including premium sound systems, heated seats, and leather trim that inflate the cost without adding to fuel savings or reducing emissions, Anair noted. These additional features, which on average cost more than $2,500, mask the real value of hybrid technology and push cost-conscious hybrid buyers out of the market.

“If automakers are serious about selling hybrids and offering fuel efficiency at a fair price, they should ditch forced features,” Anair said. The Lincoln MKZ, a luxury model, and the Hyundai Sonata, a non-luxury hybrid, are available with few or no forced features, he noted, and “there should be a lot more.”