My bad, I thought you merely anti-hybrid.
When I referred to Corolla, Prius and K2500 I was speaking about vehicles I happen to be familiar with.These are older models ranging from the late 90s through 2010, purchased new and used.
It looks like the EPA compares the 2012 Prius II with the Matrix, the Prius C with the Yaris, both hybrids there break even at about 5.5 years without factoring in resale value. One website to compare those 2012 models is here:
Hybrid Table
They seem to match up comparable models for 2012, but they don't compare the Corolla and Prius from what I see.
Hybrid Compare
There is currently a 8k dollar difference between those two models as you mentioned.
Corolla and Prius, approx prices and MPG from Toyotas web site:
Corolla..16K MSRP and 31mpg, @ 12k miles per year=387gal yr and 1548.00 yr @ 4.00 per gal
Prius....24K MSRP and 49mpg, @ 12K miles per year=244gal yr and 976.00 yr @ 4.00 per gal
With those numbers the Prius saves about 572.00 per year over the Corolla and 143 gallons of fuel at 12k miles.
In 5 years the Prius saves about 2800.00 in fuel vs the Corolla, so it would take about 14 years to break even at that rate.
The 2008 Prius brings in about 3000.00 more than a 2008 Corolla on the used market, maybe resale value should be figured in.
It seems as though Kellys Blue Book estimates that a private party used 2008 Corolla is worth about 11K,and a 2008 private party Prius is worth about 14K, what I think is a reasonable 5 year resale comparison.
So if after about 5 years the the value is about 3000.00 different and the cost savings at the pump is about 2800.00, someone would be paying approx 2200.00 over 5 years to save 715 gal of fuel while feeling green. That savings of approx 715 gal of fuel used over a 5 year period should calculate in there
somewhere but I am not sure how to figure that on paper, but like I mentioned earlier it saves fuel for other uses etc. Doesn't seem like such a bad deal for having to pay an extra 36.00 a month for a new Prius vs a new Corolla over the 5 year period, a small price to pay in
order to conserve fuel, help keep the hybrid market viable and hopefully move us in the right direction.
From what I understand in the warranty department, hybrids components are considered emission related, so the battery and other components would probably have an 8 year or 100k mile warranty, while the Corolla for example would most likely have a 6 year powertrain warranty. Hard to put a price on the warranty differences.
Naturally there are many variances in individuals lives with such things as the miles driven per year, whether or not they would even purchase a new vehicle and what they are going to use it for etc etc. I should hope that we don't need calculate 5.00+ fuel prices anytime soon, but if we do I would guess that the hybrid owners will probably come out way ahead in the long run.
"Sometimes one pays most for the things one gets for nothing."
Albert Einstein