For some consumers, there is just no other vehicle than an SUV that will serve their needs. In the past the only option for an SUV were the infamous truck-based gas guzzlers. But times have changed…SUVs are now racking up economical miles due to their uptake of hybrid engines. That’s something that’s important to motorists, many of whom still embrace  SUVs but are also looking to minimize impacts to the planet and their wallets. In many midsize and large SUVs, the combination of hybrid power with a gas engine adds up to some serious fuel savings, in some cases as much as a 50 percent improvement. Here are some top options:

The Mercury Mariner hybrid has an MSRP of $29,750, compared to the base Mariner which comes in a  $22,310. As a bonus of driving a hybrid SUV, the Mercury Mariner will allow you to qualify for a government tax rebate of up to $3,000 for a low-emissions vehicle. Mercury’s Mariner offers utilitarian styling and outstanding fuel consumption at 30 mpg combined (40% better city efficiency than the non-hybrid base model) due to its nickel-medal-hydride batteries stores under its rear floor. Cargo space is still good at 66 cubic feet with the seats folded flat. Its 2008 variant is substantially less noisy than its predecessor at freeway speeds.

The Mazda Tribute hybrid will cost about $6000 more than a base Tribute, but it too qualifies for a government tax rebate of up to $3,000 for a low-emissions vehicle. The hybrid Tribute has an MSRP of $25,310 while the base comes in at $19,270. Mazda’s compact HEV (hybrid electric vehicles) drives like a car with limited body roll and surprisingly good handling. Its 155 horsepower (combined electric and motor) gives powers with its automatic continuously variable transmission that is much smoother than most when accelerating in low gears. A 200hp V6 power train is optional, as is 4WD, both neither will greatly impact its 32 mpg efficiency, the Tribute also has good interior space for its class.

The Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid is a true full sized SUV, in fact, its huge. The hybrid’s cost does skyrocket compared to the base, with an
MSRP of $50,455, and a base MSRP of $35,730. But the fact is if you absolutely need a vehicle of this size, its fuel efficiency is one of the best (in this class).  The Tahoe Hybrid was named 2008 Green Car of the Year by Green Car Journal, almost unheard of for a 6.0-liter V8. It offers more than a 50% fuel efficiency premium over the base Tahoe, at an estimated 21 mpg combined city and highway. Backed by a 2-mode power train jointly developed by BMW, DaimlerChrysler and GM, this one packs a 300-volt battery below the rear second row, two electric motors in the transmission and the same in-city mileage as your typical midsize sedan.

General Motors’ upcoming Volt plug-in gasoline-electric hybrid is an exciting concept that promises a green vehicle with a sports car attitude. General Motors has since announced that the Volt would achieve 230 miles per gallon. Is this really possible? Will these numbers apply to real life driving? The issue here is the numbers are not official U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy estimates. The EPA hasn’t yet formalized any method of testing or rating plug-in hybrid vehicles or a new generation of electric vehicles.

Every vehicle that is officially on sale in the US carries EPA fuel economy ratings, which are designed to give prospective owners an idea of relative fuel cost in real-world driving as well as a way of comparing various models on equal ground. The ratings are listed in the EPA’s annual Fuel Economy Guide, at fueleconomy.gov, or on the window sticker of any new vehicle; they’re also used in figuring an automaker’s corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) and in assessing a gas-guzzler tax on some vehicles. But because vehicles like the Volt are still in development stages, they have not yet gotten the EPA’s rating. With a host of plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles (EVs), and extended-range EVs all expected to go on sale over the next several years, the agency needs to move quickly to put a framework in place for fairly rating these vehicles.

The EPA has in the past rated EVs in terms of kilowatt-hours per 100 miles, which typically yields a double-digit number somewhat like miles per gallon. Currently the EPA is working with manufacturers, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the State of California, the Department of Energy (DOE), and other groups to form a new standard for estimating and labeling fuel economy for vehicles with more than one energy source.

Cost per mile would of course make the most sense to economically minded buyers, but it would become confusing and difficult to compare from year to year because of unstable energy prices. This will all be part of the next round of fuel economy standards phased in beginning in 2012, to yield the federally mandated 35.5-mpg fleet-wide average by 2016. Regardless of what the true mileage for the Volt will be, GM highlighted one important point in the process: a new process for EPA ratings is needed; as the age of automobiles turns a new corner, the EPA must follow.

Save Fuel, Save Money, Improve Emissions

We all know hybrids and clean diesels are the ultimate green machines when it comes to driving a vehicle with fuel economy and the environment in mind.  Hybrids, though, are expensive – but with today’s technologies and wide range of available models, there are alternative ways to drive green. Here are some steps to better your fuel economy and reduce emissions:

Buy Small: Buying a small car is one of the best ways to reduce your car’s environmental impact. In fact, most of today’s subcompacts aren’t the lame boxes they used to be. The newest models in the small car market are roomy and versatile on the inside despite its small overall size. Some of the subcompact cars get mileage as good as 28/35 mpg..

Tire Maintenance: If your car’s tires are underinflated, it can result in increased tire wear as well as reduced fuel economy. Plus, they adversely affect handling, increase stopping distances and increase the chance of tire failure. You also can choose tires, such as Low Rolling Resistance tires, for your vehicle that provide better fuel economy.

Lean Engines: Engine and transmission choice can make a big difference, even within the same vehicle family. A 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt XFE with the 2.2-liter engine and a manual five-speed transmission is EPA-rated at 25/37 mpg compared with 22/30 for the Cobalt SS with the smaller but turbocharged 2.0-liter and manual five-speed. Curb weight also makes a difference. Options like four-wheel drive and third-row seats add weight to your vehicle and increase fuel consumption.

Drive to Save: It may be worth it to invest in a real-time traffic reports tied into a GPS-based navigation system to find a route that is not backed up. Idling in traffic equals zero miles per gallon.  Also, the easier you go on the gas pedal and brake, the better fuel economy you will get.  In another word, avoid regular instances of revving the gas and slamming on the brakes every time you come to a stop.

Cylinder Shut Off Technology: To improve fuel economy and reduce emissions, some automakers have created systems that deactivate half an engine’s cylinders during certain driving conditions. Chrysler introduced the second generation of its Multi-Displacement System (MDS) on the 2009 5.7-liter Hemi V8, which can improve fuel economy by up to 20 percent on models such as the Chrysler 300C and Dodge Challenger R/T.

Think about the Factories: Some automakers have made huge strides in greening up their manufacturing facilities — and you can reward them for their efforts. Subaru has received accolades for its “green” manufacturing facility in Indiana.

Today, the most successful way of driving ‘greener’ is with a hybrid vehicle.  Every year, more and more hybrids are coming on the market; and in every shapes and sizes.  Whether a hybrid is right for you depends on your needs and also your perception of value. You’ll pay more for a hybrid than its conventionally powered counterpart. You may, or may not, make up for this extra cost in fuel savings over the years. But recapturing the added cost of a hybrid is not necessarily the primary motivation for purchasing one. The ability to not have to worry so much about high gas prices every time you fuel up is a powerful attraction on its own.

Economics aside, gasoline/electric hybrids appeal because they reduce fuel consumption. Conserving fossil fuels such as gasoline made from petroleum is crucial because fossil fuels are non-renewable, meaning that once we’ve used up the Earth’s supply, that’s it, no more. In 2004, the U.S. produced 9 percent of the world’s total petroleum output, held 2 percent of the world’s crude oil reserves, but consumed 25 percent of petroleum produced globally, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. That’s a staggering consumption rate of 20.5 million barrels of oil per day.  It’s not hard to see why many large companies in the automotive industry and others are increasingly focusing on hybrid-electric technology.

And let’s not forget the other crucial hybrid advantage: extremely low emissions. Drivers of hybrid vehicles actively improve air quality on a personal level without doing anything more than driving their cars. Gasoline/electric hybrids make this possible in several ways, one of which is by splitting power between an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, thereby reducing fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions simultaneously.

Another way that hybrid vehicles help reduce pollution — arguably the one with greatest impact — is by shutting down their internal combustion engines in idle traffic, which is when exhaust emissions and fuel consumption are at their highest (you get zero miles per gallon in a gridlock). Some even leave the gasoline engine off at low speeds, relying solely on power from efficient electric motors for motivation from a standstill up to around 25 miles per hour.

Some of the hybrids of today include the Mercury Milan Hybrid, the Chevy Malibu Hybrid are excellent examples of sedan hybrids.  Not so long ago, the environmental advantages of conserving fuel and reducing exhaust emissions represented the primary reason many buyers would step up to cutting-edge and comparatively pricier hybrid vehicles. That’s changed with spiking gas prices and politics around dependency on “foreign oil,” both of are spurring interest in fuel efficiency. Together, the dual advantages of higher fuel economy and lower emissions present a compelling case for considering a hybrid as your next vehicle.

ENVI: Will we be seeing Electric Vehicles on the road?

Over the past ten years, or so, hybrid vehicles have made their mark.  They have quickly begun to populate the road, with more models, and even better technologies every year.  They have also proven to be a ‘green’ alternative to conventional gasoline driven vehicles, getting excellent mileage compared to their gasoline cousins.  Many automakers have jumped aboard the hybrid train, but one automaker, in particular, is heading in their own direction.  Chrysler LLC created their own division for electric vehicle R&D, and it is called ENVI. The new Chrysler ENVI combines sleek design with electric performance that offers clean, economical solutions to transportation. The ENVI vehicles are slated to hit the market in 2010, just before they head over to Europe. ENVI has a number of vehicles in its lineup – including fuel-less electric vehicles and fuel efficient range-extended electric vehicles.  So far ENVI has rolled out the Jeep Wrangler EV, the Jeep Patriot EV, the all-electric Dodge Circuit, the Chrysler Town & Country EV, and the Chrysler 200c EV concept.  This wide range of vehicle types will ensure that no matter what kind of car you’re looking for, you’ll find it in a fuel-efficient version as well.

The Dodge Circuit, a fuel-less car, runs on a battery and has a range of 150-200 miles. The range-extended ENVI cars car can also be charged on a standard household outlet. However, the range-extended car drives for about 40 miles on that battery power, then can go another 400 miles or so based on the battery power charge that the car gets as it runs.

In addition to helping you save money on fuel, the ENVI lineup will help to save the environment.  These cars can also go just about as fast as a normal car; the Jeep EV will go up to 90 MPH, the Chrysler will go to about 100 MPH and the Dodge will go up to 120 MPH. Chrysler as promised one model to be in production by 2010, and more to follow over the next few year. Only time will tell if electric vehicles will be an accepted part of the vehicle market, but one thing is for sure, electric vehicles, including ENVI models, are a step in the right direction of making are roads cleaner and greener.