Posts Tagged ‘Technology’
Hybrid cars have been getting a lot of buzz the last three or four years, and now with the soaring cost of oil and gasoline, hybrids are expected to get hotter than ever. Here are some Questions and Answers about hybrids.
1. What is a hybrid car?
A vehicle is a hybrid when it combines two or more sources of power. Hybrid cars almost always have a gasoline engine and an auxiliary electric motor system that runs off rechargeable batteries.
We normally assume that the point of hybridization is to save fuel, and that is definitely the case with most of the smaller compacts and sedans. But in fact some of the more upscale hybrid models are more concerned with boosting power and “performance” without the usual loss in fuel efficiency.
2. Do you have to plug your hybrid in at night?
You may assume because a hybrid car runs part of the time off its battery pack, that it is necessary to plug it in at night and recharge the batteries (like a golf cart!). But this is almost never the case. Hybrid Cars recharge their batteries “on the fly” by making use of unused energy which is normally wasted during normal driving.
For instance, most have a system that captures some of the energy used while applying the brakes, and converts it to electrical energy to charge the battery. This is called “regenerative braking”.
If hybrids had larger battery packs that you could plug into the electricity grid, they would be able to transfer more of the vehicle’s power requirements over to the electric motor(s), and use even less gasoline. But most auto makers have been unwilling to go this route, arguing that today’s batteries could not take the extra load and more extensive usage.
3. Do you have to replace the batteries?
The short answer is No. Hybrid batteries typically have an 80,000 – 100,000 mile warranty. The U.S. Department of Energy tested them to 160,000 miles and stopped testing because they still performed almost like they were brand new. Some taxi drivers have gone more than 200,000 miles in a Toyota Prius without battery problems.
In any event, since hybrid battery packs have hundreds of cells, individual cells or modules could be replaced if there was a problem.
The best way to keep nickel metal hydride batteries performing at their peak is to keep their charge between 40% and 60% — never fully charged and never fully drained to zero power.
4. How long have hybrids been around?
Alternatives to the ICE (internal combustion engine) in automobiles have been around since at least 1900. The first patent for a gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle was filed in 1905. Alternative fuel sources were wiped out as a result of two things. First was the development of the electric self-starter (in 1913) that made gasoline driven cars much easier to start.
The second development was the advent of the age of cheap oil that started around the time of the first World War. This completely removed the economic incentive to look for alternative fuel sources. This is only starting to change now, 80 years later.
5. Are hybrids expensive to purchase?
In January, 2006, there were 10 different hybrid models available from $19,000 to $53,000. The most popular models — the Insight, Civic, and Prius — are less than $30,000. According to auto maker announcements there should be more than 50 models available by 2010. As sales and production increase the prices should not be significantly more than for standard ICE models.
Even with the slightly higher average cost for a hybrid — usually around $3,000 — these additional initial costs can be offset by federal and state tax incentives, lower maintenance costs, and exceptionally strong resale values.
6. Are hybrids small and underpowered?
Initial hybrid models emphasized fuel economy, so were much lighter vehicles, and had smaller engines. The objective was to offset the loss of power in the ICE with additional power from the electric motor. This would result in essentially the same level of power while burning less fuel.
But this principle does not have to result in underpowered vehicles. In fact the Lexus Rx400h and Toyota Highlander Hybrid both have a 270 horsepower power system. And the Lexus GS 450h hybrid sedan is expected to have more than 300 horsepower and go 0-to-60 in less than six seconds. Taking the quest for hybrid power even further, the Toyota Volta concept venicle has a 408 hp power plant.
7. What is the main reason people buy hybrid vehicles?
Saving money on fuel is the first thing most buyers think of. But, in fact, the amount saved on fuel over the life of the vehicle may not equal the extra purchase cost of the hybrid.
There are obviously other factors at play in the gradually building popularity of hybrids. Some people want to make a “green” statement, others simply want to be the first on the block with a new and promising technology.
8. Will hybrid technology save the environment?
There’s no doubt about it. Hybrids are becoming more popular. In the past five years hybrid sales in the U.S. have grown 2000 percent. Sales in 2000 were 9,500, and by the end of 2005 had grown to over 200,000.
But even this larger number is just 1.2% of the 17 million new cars sold last year. If every hybrid gave double the current fuel economy, from an average of 20 mpg to, say, 40 mpg, that would save roughly 100,000 gallons of gasoline a day. But that amount pales in comparison to the total daily gasoline consumption in the U.S. — 400 million gallons! The savings of 100,000 gallons would bring that number all the way down to … 399,900,000 gallons.
Not very significant. Obviously governments and auto makers will have to start getting very serious about hybrid technology before it will make a significant difference.
9. Does that mean hybrid technology is only a fad?
No it does not. Because the only way towards a sustainable future is to find a combination of fuels that will reduce our almost total dependence on oil. Hydrogen fueled vehicles will be part of that future, as will fuel cells, deisel, and alternative fuels such as ethanol.
But what is almost certain is that every promising solution will involve some kind of hybrid combination of technologies. So today’s hybrid vehicles are an important and necessary step towards a much more promising and sustainable future.
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There are many sports car lovers who are afraid that they will soon go the way of the dinosaur because of high fuel prices and the advances in performance technology that is enabling family sedans to compete with sports cars in quickness. While it does seem that there has been somewhat of a decline in sports cars along with increased sales of SUVs some of the current developments tell me that the vehicles we love are not going to be around in large numbers but they will still be around.
Back in the day, muscle cars ruled in the performance realm and regular sedans and trucks couldn’t keep up. SUVs didn’t even exist. Now with the innovations in design and engine performance and the light weight materials being used automakers are getting superior results out of smaller engines. In addition normal production vehicles now handle as good as a race car.
Some of the other issues that are causing the decline in the numbers of sports cars seen on the road include comfort and affordability. Sports cars in the truest sense are not built for comfort, they are built for speed and long road trips are no fun. The larger cars of today that still offer a sporty ride give you the best of both worlds. As far as the affordability issue goes, it is quite simple most families are just unable to afford the expense of having a car just for fun. People these days have to make use of their cars on a daily basis as it has become cost prohibitive to keep one around just as a hobby or weekend car.
In the beginning cars were used as sport, for racing across country in rallies and contests. It wasn’t until much later that they became mainstream everyday drivers.
Some good news for the high end sports car market is that there are several companies that are beginning production of hybrid or electric sports cars. Some of the top companies like Toyota, Honda, Mazda, and Mitsubishi are working on bringing them to the open market.
The most promising one that I have seen as a true sports car in terms of performance and the fact that it is a two seater is the new totally electric roadster from Tesla Motors, a company backed by the founders of Google and Paypal. The car does 0 to 60 in less than 4 seconds and it runs on laptop batteries!
Gregg Hall is an author and internet marketing consultant living in Navarre Florida. Find more about cars and car polish at http://www.ultimatepolish.com
Saturday, I returned home from the international bicycle trade show known as Interbike and I thought that I would post a video to Barack Obama the president of The United States. I was inspired to do this by some of my observations and comments regarding the electric bicycle market. Please share this video if you think is moving and if you have access to the President, please pass it on to him I think he will enjoy it.
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Volvo’s ReCharge Concept, a plug-in hybrid with individual electric wheel motors, can drive an estimated 100 kilometers before the vehicle’s four-cylinder Flexifuel engine is needed to power the car and recharge the battery. When driving beyond the car’s battery life, fuel consumption may vary from 0 to 5.5 liters per 100 km depending on the distance driven. Volvo researchers say the ReCharge Concept can lower carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 66 percent compared to other hybrids. In addition to operating on battery energy, the ReCharge Concept can also accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 9 seconds and reach top speeds of 160 km/h. The vehicle, which will debut in a specially-designed Volvo C30 at the IAA motor show in Frankfurt, was developed at the Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center in Camarillo, CA.
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