If you demand it, companies will come up with it. This has never been more apparent than with hybrid autos, the companies answer to a consumer nation that has become more environmentally aware.

While hybrids have certainly become a popular alternative to big gas guzzlers, there are some definite assumptions that simply are not true. The assumptions are both positive and negative, so let’s take a closer look at two of the big ones.

Buy any old hybrid and you will get a major tax credit. This is the first myth that arises around the hybrid. Can you get a tax credit? Yes, but you must comply with certain requirments issues by none other than the Internal Revenue Service.

When taxes are invovled, it should be no surprise there are pitfalls with claiming a tax credit for buying one. The first requirement is you must buy a new vehicle, not a used one. The second requirement is the IRS must have approved the vehicle.

Many people want to know the amount of the hybrid tax credit, but it is an impossible question to answer. The IRS sets a different amount for each and every car. It then has the option of reducing this amount each quarter of the year.

This lowering of tax credit amounts can be a real shock to someone that purchased a hybrid. As of the writing of this article, the famous Toyota Prius is about to lose all of its tax credit. One has to think that fact is going to hurt sales.

Many people are outraged by the phasing out of the tax credit available for hybrids, particularly the manufacturers. Talk about a selling point! The credit, however, was never meant to support an industry, only generate interest in it.

The batteries used in hybrid vehicles give us our next area of controversy. These are not the run of the mill batteries found in your average automobile or truck. Rumor has it they don’t last long and are incredibly expensive to repair.

The truth will set you free! In the case of hybrids, this is particularly true. The simple facts are the batteries last for well over a hundred thousand miles. Most car companies even give you a warranty for this mileage.

Should you make your next vehicle a hybrid? If you want to cut your driving costs and help the environment, then the answer is definitely yes. Just make sure to buy it new and check with the IRS on your tax credit amount.