How driving my Hybrid Car Turned Me into an Addict.
I have been driving a hybrid engine vehicle for the past year. Here is what I got hooked on.
If you have read my very first post, then you will know that I am not just assuming that we are living in a new year 2021, but in a completely new ERA. I call this era #P.C. — Post Corona.
Coronavirus has put a crown on all of our heads, which means we have been gifted a vision of how we can finally turn around from the destructible path we had been on. To me, the “crown” sheds a divine light on this world, empowering all people and things in it to improve, and thus follow a sustainable path.
I also assume that every single individual is able to have an impact on overall improvement by doing one’s bit, which may even shape the future of all of us. We need to do this in order te be able to go on living on this planet — now this last part is not only my opinion, but that of many others.
In the light of this, I have made several changes in and around my personal life and the choices I make in it. Some of them I talked about in my earlier posts.
The “journey is the reward”!
This new year, which I call the year 2 #P.C., I intend to go on making changes. More things that no longer work for me, have to go; more habits that should be gotten rid of eventually, will be tackled.
The biggest change I made last year was getting on that hybrid ride! — And it made a huge impact!
Today is the Feast of the Epiphany. Four, sorry, three wise Kings brought gifts to the Jesus child in the crib around 2021 years ago. In Spain, and in other countries of the world, this is still celebrated, usually with a nice meal, and children getting gifts — as long as they have been well-behaved throughout the past year, same as usual.
So, my mission today is to put the idea of “giving” into practice by sharing my experience with you.
I had been thinking about getting rid of my old diesel car for a considerable amount of time before choosing the one I am talking about here. The financial situation had not instantly allowed for it to happen, but this meant I had a lot of time to do my homework and choose the best option for me.
I eventually hired the car on a four-year lease, which means I am not the owner, but I am paying nearly half the price of what it would have cost me actually buying it.
Before I talk about my “addiction”, let me tell you what type of hybrid car it is. The brand is irrelevant — it is not like I am getting rewarded for mentioning it, so I won’t. It is a full (or parallel) hybrid with both, a combustion and an electric engine, which means that the electric battery recharges itself on the go.
The purpose of writing about my car today is that I would like to raise awareness of how much fun it can be to drive one of these and at the same time make a contribution to reducing our personal carbon footprints.
We are all fussing about coronavirus right now, but the more pressing problem, i.e. we are destroying the only planet we can actually live on, is still looming over our heads — and a much greater threat to mankind than Covid.
Why a hybrid car, and not a pure-electric vehicle?
I would have liked an electric car, no doubt about that. However, there was no way that this was going to happen. Apart from the humongous prices, the one fact that just could not be ignored was that we simply do not have enough space for a wall-mounted battery charging unit at home, full stop, end of discussion.
Guess what, plugin-hybrids also need to be - plugged in! There went option number two out the window.
Next try was a modern diesel engine. For a long time it was put on hold on a “maybe”. They consume even less fuel than most petrol cars, they also have very low emissions these days. But, it just did not feel right. It did not feel progressive enough to me. I really wanted to make a visible statement with my choice. After all, I am convinced that we need a real change in mobility. However, I am not willing to give up the freedom of having my own car.
I am aware that this type of hybrid car is not the 100% best solution, not if your aim is to make your carbon footprint nonexistent. However, my options were somewhat limited.
I liked the fact that it does not have to be plugged in anywhere as an added bonus, because you keep all the freedom and range of a petrol car, with the advantage of a part electric car. Plus, you do not run up a high electricity bill payable AFTER driving.
The most beautiful aspect of it all is that you as a driver get to have an impact on your carbon footprint in a very direct way. Your driving actually determines how well the car can make use of its purely electric engine.
Well, if that isn’t something worth getting hooked on, I do not know what is!
HOW driving this car gives you a green buzz.
When I first went for a spin in one of these hybrid cars, I was sitting next to a car dealer who wanted a sale — obviously. When he told me that this car would revolutionise not only my way of thinking about driving, but my driving as such, I thought “yeah, right, great sales technique!” I must say, he was not exaggerating at all!
Let’s look into what makes this type of hybrid car so special, apart from it being a really smooth and quiet ride (and apart from all the other thrilling features a brand new car comes equipped with, I might add):
A little green symbol featuring a car with the two little letters EV (electric vehicle) in the middle of it appears telling you that you are now running in electric mode. I absolute LOVE to see it pop up, it is truly addictive!
When you first set off in your vehicle, the sign appears for a moment, but then vanishes, because the engine will be powered with fuel while it is still cold. Once you have reached your cruising speed (and the engine has warmed up enough), you can kick-start the electric motor by accelerating a little more, but then coming off the accelerator a little.
This is the point when the symbol of the green car will appear on the display in front of you, as seen in the above picture. It will stay on for as long as you do not need to accelerate to go faster. It will also go off when you have to go uphill, but it’s on when you go down.
It honestly gives me a little buzz when I make the little car symbol pop up on my display. There is plenty of chances for it to do so while driving the car. When you stop at traffic lights, or anywhere, it stays on — no emissions. When you cruise along a highway, or flow with city traffic, it comes on. It comes back on when you have overtaken a truck and you go back to cruising speed. It comes on when you have arrived at the top of a hill and you cruise along smoothly again running downwards.
I actually get so focused on the little green car that it prevents me from making unnecessary maneuvers, say to overtake someone, or to speed up to get through traffic lights, etc.
If you also like the colour “green”, as in ecologically friendly, then you will sure like riding a hybrid car!
I hope you try it, even it it were just sitting next to a car dealer who will take you for a test drive! — Maybe next time you DO get to choose a new car, it will be one featuring a tiny green car somewhere on its display!
My idea of a gift to you, Feast of the Epiphany of the year 2 #P.C.
Sue
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