Hybrid cars could save America a Trillion dollars

The costs of hybrid cars. Critics love to talk about how the costs of hybrids don't add up, but what about the costs of gas-guzzling?

The Toyota Prius, minimally, achieves 45 mpg, even in the worst driving conditions, where the average conventional vehicle achieves less than 20 mpg. So what you ask?

According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), if the U.S. required 40 mpg fleet mileage by 2015, the U.S. could save well over a trillion dollars by 2015. (more)

The Prius achieves better than that today. In 10 years, there is no reason crossover SUVs and light trucks couldn't also achieve the same levels of fuel efficiency. Currently, hybrids are only an emerging technology. Plug in hybrids, new Lithium batteries, and diesel hybrids offer the technology to make 40 mpg a reality.

Are there costs? Of course, but wouldn't it be worth it to invest $100 billion to save more than a trillion dollars - while ending foreign oil dependency, cleaning the environment, and helping American automakers become the technological leaders of the automotive world?

What are we waiting for?