This week it cost me $100 to fill up a… volkswagen golf! Admittedly, a performance R version, but whose tank is hardly larger than that of a traditional Golf. I admit it, the car was dry, it had only 5 kilometers of autonomy left when I arrived at the gas station.
And then, indeed, this Golf R requires premium fuel, which considerably changes the cost of refueling. That said, $100 in the tank of a simple Golf to drive 575 kilometers is enormous. Once again, you will tell me that the consumption of 9.7 L/100 km achieved with the car is high, to which I would reply that it was normal, since the mercury was showing -18 degrees outside.
That said, and regardless of the arguments, it cost me $17.40 to drive 100 kilometers with this Golf. A colossal sum which is explained by the alarming increase in the cost of fuel, but also by the fact that Petro-Canada was selling its liter of super fuel that day at $0.27 more than the regular litre, displayed at $1.52.
Real theft, compared to the pricing of gas stations in other provinces or at Costco, where they charge between $0.08 and $0.12 more per litre. And be careful, I’m not talking about 94 octane fuel which, for its part, was sold at $1.84 per litre.
This shock, I am not the only one to have had it this week. Like hundreds of thousands of motorists, I noticed how filling up could now become a more than serious issue, it’s almost a luxury. Especially if you take super. Mind you, I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen owners of prestigious Mercedes-Benzes refuel as usual, another discussion.
Thus, the motorist is faced with a difficult choice. That is to say, buy a more fuel-efficient or downright electric vehicle, or cross your fingers so that the price does not rise any more (or almost), by agreeing to deal with this harsh reality. As we know, people have always had this reflex of buying a vehicle based on the current price of fuel.
By hardly thinking about yesterday’s or what tomorrow’s could be. However, it could be that from now on, we think more. Not only because some experts agree that the price of regular will reach $1.80 this summer, but also because motorists are now increasingly aware that the oil companies are playing yo-yo with prices , and that they are tired of bearing the brunt of it.
So, yes, the electric car is a solution. Particularly at the moment, since unlike gasoline, electrical energy is not taxed in the same way as fossil fuels. However, for those who are not yet ready to make the leap or who for various reasons cannot deal with the constraints imposed by such a vehicle, the hybrid remains, in my opinion, a more viable solution than ever. A Prius, a Corolla, an Elantra, or even a Kia Niro.
Hybrids that consume between 3.5 and 5 L/100 km, whose reliability is proven and which do not force you to change your habits. Cars that run on regular gasoline, whose maintenance costs are minimal and which will certainly have the advantage of an excellent resale value. Need a little bigger?
Then think of the excellent Ford Escape Hybrid, the Tucson/Santa Fe Hybrid, the equivalents from Kia and the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Vehicles less accessible these days, but worth the wait. A wait that, in the case of Toyota, could last a year (and more than two years for a RAV4 Prime, plug-in hybrid).
Far be it from me to discourage you from buying an electric vehicle. On the contrary. If this formula suits you, know that the offer is growing and that some new products like the Ioniq 5 from Hyundai are frankly amazing. However, I currently have the impression that the hybrid is losing popularity while there are still a lot of traditional gasoline models sold.
Nonsense considering the current cost of fuel and the visibly inevitable increases that we will suffer. Are you thinking of changing vehicles soon? Plan ahead, visit your dealership to order, and most importantly, don’t think the $1.50 is just temporary because it’s probably a new low price. Alas…