09/15/2026
September 2026 EnergyWiseSM Tip: Headlights
By: Energy Efficiency Program Manager Cory Fuehrer
According to Consumer Reports, 2018 was the first automotive production year when more new models were equipped with light-emitting diode (LED) headlights than halogen or high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights. Today, all new electric and hybrid vehicles are equipped with LEDS, as are most internal combustion engine vehicles.
However, in June of 2026, of the 297.5 million registered vehicles in the United States, more than two-thirds were manufactured before 2018. If you drive one of these earlier-model cars, you are likely to be using the older lighting technologies to see your way down the road at night. Should you upgrade your headlights? Consider these points:
Brighter illumination
The number of lumens a light produces is a measurement of the total perceived light emitted by a source. As an example, a standard 100-watt incandescent lightbulb produces about 1,600 lumens. LED headlights produce 3,000 to 12,000 lumens to provide impressive lighting ranges that can reach beyond 300 yards. In comparison, halogen or HID headlights only produce 1,000 to 1,500 lumens and have a shorter lighting range that only reaches up to 150 yards.
Energy Efficiency
Depending on which headlights are being compared, LEDs are four to ten times more efficient than halogen or HID headlights in converting electricity to light. This is one of the main reasons LEDs can produce so many more lumens on an automobile’s headlamp circuit than the older technologies.
Better visual acuity and safety
When describing “white” light, the term “Kelvin” (using the symbol “K”) is used to describe how “warm” or “cool” the color is; the lower the Kelvin level, the warmer and more yellowish the light is. Traditional halogen and HID headlights produce light around 3200K. LED headlights produce crisp, directional white light around 5000K to 6500K, which improves contrast and distance visibility to the human eye.
Less eye fatigue
Studies have shown that the sharper contrast described above allows drivers to spot road signs, lane markings and obstacles much earlier, thus reducing cognitive and visual load during extended nighttime trips.
Longer lifespan and lower overall cost
Drivers using halogen or HID headlights typically get about 1,000 to 2,000 hours of use before they replace them again at an average cost of $20 to $60 per pair. Even though LED headlights cost three to five times more at an average cost of $50 to $175 per pair, they will last 30,000 to 50,000 hours and save money and time through fewer future replacements.
Your local public power provider, in partnership with Nebraska Public Power District, wants to help you make the most of the energy they provide. That includes helping you safely and comfortably travel from point A to point B at night. To find additional ways electrical technologies can improve efficient use of energy in our lives, contact your local utility or visit www.energywisenebraska.com.
