The Treehugger's Guide to Hybrid Cars

Let's start out with describing how a gas-powered car and an electric car work independently from each other. The gas-powered uses a fuel tank to supply gasoline to the engine; the engine powers the transmission, which turns the wheels and powers the vehicle. In an electric car, there are rechargeable batteries that provide the electric motor with electricity; this motor is what runs the transmission and, ultimately, the wheels.

The gasoline car can perform very effectively, but the expense is a large amount of pollution and a typically poor gas mileage. The electric car gets rid of the pollution quota, but ends up needing to be recharged too often; these charging sessions end up taking more time than anyone is willing to give up.

The hybrid takes the components of each of these and creates an ultra fuel-efficient machine. The gasoline-electric hybrid car holds a gasoline engine, fuel tank, electric motor, generator, batteries and a transmission. The two sources of power can be combined in different ways however, so not all of this machinery is found in every hybrid.

One would think such a large amount of equipment would increase the vehicle weight and decrease fuel economy. The truth of the matter is quite the opposite. Everything on the hybrid, from the gasoline engine to the electric motor, is made of lightweight materials and when combined, they still don't equal the weight of overpowered engines in conventional cars.

One way the hybrid runs is by having the fuel tank supply gasoline to the engine and to a set of batteries; these batteries are what supply power to the electric motor. The electric motor and the gasoline engine can turn the transmission at the same time, and this ultimately runs the vehicle. Since there are two sources of power, less energy is being derived from each and the fuel used is decreased. The additional source of gasoline power also causes less stress to the electrical system.

Another way hybrids run is without the gasoline engine powering the vehicle at all. This is done by the gasoline engine powering the generator, which either charges the batteries or powers the electric motor; the motor drives the transmission and the batteries charge the motor. Sometimes the hybrid doesn't need fuel to regenerate power to the batteries at all; an expedient little feature called regenerative braking converts the kinetic energy from the use of brakes into electrical energy. This energy is stored in the battery for later use. Both of these types of hybrids can not use the electrical motor independently of the gasoline engine, except when idle in traffic or at lower speeds.

Since the optimal amount of horsepower is being used to power the vehicle, instead of an excess, less fuel and power is needed to move the vehicle. The engines on conventional cars can create on average 200-300 horsepower. The reason for the higher horsepower is to supply sufficient power when accelerating from a still position, extra power for inclined surfaces and for passing cars (more acceleration). The problem with allocating extra horsepower for these scenarios alone is that we only use the maximum amount of horsepower 1% of the time. When driving the speed limit on level ground-the situation for the majority of driving time-roughly 20 horsepower is needed. This is why the hybrids use much less power-driven engines.

Another fuel-saving feature of hybrids is their design. With a shape that reduces frontal car surface area, the aerodynamic drag is lessened considerably; the aerodynamic drive is the name for the air your car must thrust through at higher speeds. Other details, such as reducing extruding items on the cars exterior, also increase the aerodynamics of hybrids. Hybrids also use tires that are more solid and inflated than conventional car tires. The lightweight materials, the aerodynamic design, the tires and additional details make the hybrid a more fuel efficient and practical machine; the reduced reliance on fuel also decreases the pollution output!

1.) Hybrid cars emit much less harmful pollutants into the atmosphere and use fewer resources to create and manufacture than the conventional car does. This decrease of greenhouse gases and shrunken material expenditure will improve the respiratory health of any outdoor dwellers and will aid in the ongoing battle against climate change and for global well-being.

2.) The dollars spent on hybrids are significantly fewer than those spent on conventional cars are. Since the hybrid has better fuel efficiency, this means less time spent at the pump and less money spent overall. In addition, because hybrid technologies are created to last, less maintenance (and money) is required through their lifespan.

3.) President George Bush announced in his State of the Union Address that gasoline usage in the United States would be cut by 20% within a decade. This will lead to an increased focus on hybrid technologies and will allocate hybrid vehicle owners a surplus of new gadgets and features to benefit from. Hybrid is where the future lies.

4.) The United States holds roughly two percent of the world's oil supply; we use somewhere near 25 percent of this supply. It's a known fact that perpetual pandemonium continues to persist in the countries where the oil derives. With the hybrids better fuel economy, America's reliance on foreign oil will decrease and in return will save all taxpayers considerable cash. Not only that, but it is plainly rational to decrease our reliance on these unstable nations.

5.) Not only is there federal tax deduction for hybrid cars, but some city and states have come up with their own plans to reward hybrid ownership. Various states allow hybrid drivers to high-occupancy vehicle lanes. Other examples of this include the $1,500 in personal income tax incentives for hybrid owners in Oregon and hybrids free parking in Los Angeles. On top of that, many US corporations offer their employees cash in aid of the purchase of a hybrid. This is less money out of your pocket!

6.) As explained earlier, hybrids operate on battery power in traffic and at certain lower speeds; this eliminates the gas engines sound and pulsation, making the hybrid an exceptionally quiet ride. Once the electric motor kicks in when extra power is needed for higher speeds or harsher conditions, the noise output is still dampened because of the lack of the internal combustion engine.

If you are looking for a hybrid car where your live visit EARTHCARS.com. This website list the current earth friendly cars that are available at your local car dealerships. you can also read additional articls about hybrid vehicles, learn answers to frequently asked questions and read the EARTHCARS.com blog.

There are many sources for those interested in hybrid cars. All of these sources of information are floating around the internet and are all compressed here for your convenience. Not only is there valuable information about hybrid cars but many of these websites also contain information on anything green related.

treehugger.com

hybridcarblog.com

hybridcenter.org

whybuyhybrid.com

automopedia.org


There you have it, an entourage of hybrid-related websites!