Interesting Online Calculator to Compare Long Term Costs of Hybrids and Conventional Vehicles

What costs less? The $26,000 Nissan Leaf or the $24,000 Chevy Impala?

The Leaf actually runs about $17,000 less, when you include the total fuel costs over a 10-year period, estimate that gas will cost $3.61 a gallon and include the $7,500 federal tax credit for all-electric cars, according to a cost calculator created by the Rocky Mountain Institute.

Over the 10-year period, the Leaf will cost its owner $25,680 while the Impala will run $42,680.

The calculator, part of RMI's "Project Get Ready" initiative to acclimate policy makers, consumers and manufacturers to the coming changes to transportation, exists to provide somewhat close and realistic cost estimates for hybrids, plug-in hybrids and all-electrics, according to Tripp Hyde, the RMI analyst who came up with the application. _GTM

Comparing the long term costs of a pluggable hybrid with a conventional vehicle can be interesting. Go to http://projectgetready.com/js/tco.html for a helpful online calculator, which will assist you in determining whether the higher priced hybrid is worth the extra money.

Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't. You also have to take into accounts whatever rebates, incentives, and tax breaks that may be applicable.

If you are shopping for a vehicle, or simply curious about whether the current crop of PHEVs are worth the extra cost, give it a try.

H/T GreentechMedia