Filling up hybrids

With gas prices in the GTA expected to reach at least $2 per litre this summer, let’s look at how much can be saved on fuel by comparing the regular gas, hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) versions of two crossovers: the Toyota RAV4 and the Ford Escape.

This estimate is based on three things: driving 20,000 kilometres per year, a 55 to 45 per cent mix between city and highway, and a fuel price of $1 per litre (which we will simply double).

For the Toyota RAV4, the base cost of a 2022 RAV4 AWD starts at $31,090, compared to $38,150 for the Hybrid and $44,990 for the Prime. The AWD is estimated to cost $3,360 per year for gas, compared to $2,400 for the Hybrid and $1,666 for the Prime. This includes electricity costs of 15 cents per kilowatt-hour and a 68 km all-electric range. The $960 you’re saving per year to upgrade from the gas to the Hybrid model would take you roughly 7.5 years to recoup the purchase cost — assuming gas stays at $2 per litre.

For the 2022 Ford Escape, the gas version starts at $31,699, the Hybrid at $35,599 and the PHEV at $40,849. Given that the gas SE is estimated to use $3,680 of fuel yearly, and the Hybrid $2,360, that $1,320 yearly difference will take just under three years to equalize. The PHEV’s annual fuel use — gas and electricity — is estimated at $1,590.