As a Toyota Prius [1] owner who lives in Nashville, Tennessee (not exactly the capital of the eco-awareness), I get stopped now and then by passers-by wanting info – “Is that one of those electric thingies?” they ask. “Where do you plug it in? Is it safe? Does it feel weird to drive?”… and so on. At first it was fun explaining that it requires no plugs, performs beautifully (killer horsepower), has great crash resistance, and very sophisticated airbags.

But now I'm getting a little bit tired of dispelling the myths around hybrids. So it was a great relief to come across the “Top Ten Hybrid Myths” feature [2] in the latest issue of Business Week [3], which aims do just that—clear up the misinformation. Among the myths they debunk: You need to plug it in. The batteries need to be replaced. Hybrids are expensive, small and underpowered. And best of all: Only liberals drive hybrids.

Photo credit: Toyota [4]