Been debating buying the hybrid, and with the following assumptions here in Ontario, Canada, it makes very good sense I think considering my daily commute of 70km (44mi) roundtrip. I add another 7200km (4500mi) on the weekends/road trips per year. Litre of gas hovering around $1.0CAD/L (about $3.80/gal) and hydro at $0.135CAD/kwh.
On an annual basis for my commute, including 4 weeks off for vacations/sick days etc, I travel about 16,800 km (10,500mi) to work and back home. Assuming that I am able to realize a base case of 35km (22mi) electric range of mostly highway driving (typically stop and go for probably half the commute), that would cut my gas driving by half.
So, 8400km (5250mi) gas, 8400km electric with the assumption again, that the new Pacifica Hybrid will give me 8L/100km (30mpg) gas efficiency, indicates I would use 672L (178gal) of gas annually, at a cost of approximately $672CAD. Charging the van would cost $2.16CAD/day (16kwh*$0.135CAD*5*48), so on an annual basis would cost around $518.40CAD. Total cost for the commute would then be around $1190.40CAD.
Weekends are a little more difficult to nail down. Annually, 7200km (4500mi) which is about 140km (87.5mi) per weekend. Assuming most of these are short trips within the city, I am hoping that 100km (62.5mi) will be covered by electricity. If that is the case, then 5200km (3250mi) should be electric with a further 2000km (1250mi) on gas. Total annual hydro cost would be $224.64CAD and gas would be about $160.00CAD.
So, with 24,000km (15,000mi) annually, I figure total electric cost would be something like $743.04CAD plus gas cost of $832CAD for a net total of $1575CAD. And I am hoping that is the worst case scenario with only 35km (22mi) electric range.
Right now, we typically spend just over $3000CAD on gas every year with our 2009 Routan and would expect the gas Pacifica to cost about $2600CAD (based on 11L/100km (22mpg)). Of course, there are variables such as the cost of gas, which I would only expect to go up and government policy intervention--Ontario rumoured to provide 'free' hydro for recharging your EV for 4 years!