Kiplinger’s has an interesting analysis of the true cost of driving a gas-electric hybrid.

What driving a hybrid will really cost you
Rising fuel prices and tax breaks ease the price of driving green. Here’s what it’ll cost to own any of the seven best new hybrids vs. their gas-engine counterparts.

All hybrids cost more to buy than their gasoline-engine counterparts — usually at least $5,000 more. But that doesn’t mean all hybrids cost more over the long run. One way to see whether a hybrid pays for itself is to focus less on the initial price premium and more on the five-year ownership costs. Our summaries below make it easy to compare costs.

Savings at the pump aren’t likely to pay you back for the extra initial outlay, but when you combine those savings with the federal tax credit (read “Save thousands on a hybrid — if you hurry”) available for purchases after Jan. 1, 2006, the numbers look friendlier.

To read the results for the seven most popular gas-electric hybrids, click here.