hybrid vehicles

Environmental issues are not the only reason that has made the public favor hybrid cars. Rising gas prices is also one of the major reasons why people prefer hybrid cars than conventional ones. Its also practical in suburban environments where you don’t really need horsepower but gas mileage.

Hybrid vehicles

There are different types of hybrid vehicles. They can vary from the simplest wheelbarrows to ships. No matter what form they are, these vehicles help in reducing greenhouse and noise emissions. Although these vehicles are expensive due to their unique structures, developments will continue to provide more alternatives to the public. These cars may not compare to conventional ones with a 200 horsepower but why would you need that if you only need 20 in the streets?

The simplest hybrid would be the single wheeled vehicles. These are wheelbarrows famously depicted with sails. This can be seen in Chinese sailing carriages.

The next is two wheeled vehicles. These are usually cycle type vehicles. The best example would be the Moped and electric bicycles. They are powered by an electric motor or an internal combustion engine in combination with the rider’s muscles. This concept was also used in the 1800′s by motorcycles. The electric bicycle can either be a parallel or a series hybrid.

Hybrid vehicles are not just limited to private cars. There are also hybrid power trains used by heavy vehicles. There are diesel or turbo electric buses, railway locomotives, heavy duty vehicles, hydraulic machinery and ships.

In ships a diesel engine drives the electric generator or hydraulic pump which in turn powers one or more hydraulic or electric motors. Sails and engines were early forms of hybrids which may be used again due to rising fuel costs.

More developments are continually being made in hybrid structures and systems for efficiency. Today buying a hybrid car is expensive but it will be beneficial in the long run. It does not just save fuel costs but also removes pollution that can harm the health of the people and take whatever it is left of the environment.

hybrid electric car reviews

The increasing demands on a vehicle that has the capability to improve its efficiency as well as increasing its gas mileage has encouraged many car manufacturers to finally invent a hybrid vehicle. A hybrid vehicle is a type of automobile that depends on different power sources other than fuel (ex. diesel, petrol).

These vehicles are either powered by internal combustion engines, electric motors, or a fuel cell and a rechargeable energy storage system. These types of power sources can be applied to different type of vehicles for public and private transportation.

Automotive companies today are continually developing hybrid vehicle technology to be able to offer state-of-the-art environmental friendly cars and deliver quality brand vehicles at the same time.  They are turning to popular types of vehicles such as SUV’s to expand the appeal of hybrid vehicle.

Purchasing a hybrid car will cost you most than $ 20,000. There is an option for you to ride such vehicle i.e. by renting it. Nowadays, renting a hybrid car is quite easy to do since a lot of famous American car rentals are having their hybrid cars number increased. Some hybrid reviews will agree on that. You could still enjoy its comfort and advanced technology to let you travel freely. Moreover, you do not have to stop at or looking for any gas station all along your way.

Hybrid reviews give us information that hybrid vehicles are likely to be excellent future vehicle due to its efficiency, comfort, advanced technology and environmental friendly. Its capability has improved so well giving more excellent drive experiences. Hybrid vehicle can also be your best solution in your travelling since many car rentals have provided this kind of car.

MIT new shock absorbers

Zack Anderson explains the idea behind the project started when they were interested in trying to figure out where energy is being wasted in a vehicle. They discovered some hybrid cars already do a good job of recovering the energy from braking, so the team looked elsewhere, and quickly homed in on the suspension.

They started their testing by renting a variety of different car models, outfitting the suspension with sensors to determine the energy potential, and driving around with a laptop computer recording the sensor data. Their tests showed that there was a significant amount of energy lost by the suspension, especially on heavier vehicles Once they realized the possibilities, the students set about building a prototype system to harness the wasted power. Their prototype shock absorbers use a hydraulic system that forces fluid through a turbine attached to a generator.

The system is controlled by an active electronic system that optimizes the damping, providing a smoother ride than conventional shocks while generating electricity to recharge the batteries or operate electrical equipment. During testing of a 6-shock truck, the MIT students found each shock absorber is able to generate up to an average of 1 kW on standard road, which is “enough power to completely displace the large alternator load in heavy trucks and military vehicles.” If for some reason the electronics on the shocks fail, the fail-safe feature will have the shocks act simply like a normal shock absorber.

They have formed a company, called Levant Power Corp., to develop and commercialize the product they call GenShock. The team is currently doing a series of tests with their converted Humvee to optimize the system’s efficiency. They hope their technology will help give an edge to the military vehicle company in securing the expected $40 billion contract for the new army vehicle called the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, or JLTV.

The group will have a final product ready this summer, when they’ll start contacting companies to persuade them to upgrade their shock systems. For example, if Wal-Mart were to convert its fleet of trucks with these new shocks, the company could save $13 million per year in total fuel costs. (Source:http://www.greencarcongress.com/2009/02/mit-students-de.html)

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Green Cars Information: The Historical

Based on Carjunky.com, the very first green cars could be the hybrid electric car had been designed by Ferdinand Porsche in 1899 and resulted in additional enhancements for the engineering during the entire twentieth century. The primary modern hybrid automobiles were produced by Toyota and Honda and also became offered to Japanese’s buyers in 1997. Green automobiles came into America market place in 200.

The Perform of Green Cars

In green cars, a gasoline engine deeds together with an electric motor to be able to power your vehicle forward. Kinetic power while using your brake can also be saving for use later by the electric drive. The combination of petrol and electrical energy allows hybrid vehicles to use less fuel and also generate fewer pollutants compared to conventional vehicles.

The Significance

Hybrid vehicles generate fewer pollutants and acquire higher fuel consumption rate than conventional gasoline cars. Additionally they depreciate lower than normal vehicles, which make them a better investment.

Green Cars Information: The Series Hybrid

The series hybrid automobiles used electric motors to be able to ride the wheels from the automobile. The facility supply for the motor could also be a hybrid battery pack or a source that is run by a gasoline engine. The computing machine will controls the amount of the power that passes in the engine or battery. The hybrid car battery pack is charged up again by the generator or engine and by regenerative braking. As we know, the regenerative braking is a process that accumulates and also stores the kinetic energy created by braking, within the batteries.

Green Cars Information: The Parallel Hybrid

Parallel green automobiles are vehicles which can be powered by gasoline engines and electrical motors. They can work in unison together with pc controls as well as transmissions to drive the wheels. Usually, the hybrid battery pack in parallel hybrid automobiles are smaller, and also just like the serial hybrid, can be recharged by regenerative braking. The automobile’s drive motor can be utilized as a backup technique of restorative the pack of the battery. In the sort of green car, the generator is directly linked to the wheel, which makes it is very real efficient for diving on the highway.

Green Cars Information: The Series and Parallel

In order to get optimum affectivity from the green cars, some hybrid automakers have combine the optimistic attributes of the parallel and series hybrid cars drivetrains. This leads to a car that capability like parallel hybrid cars when the wheels are straight powered by the generator.

Working on this mode makes the car more efficient for diving at excessive speeds. And when in the low velocity driving, the automotives engine might be disconnected. On the other, the wheels are powered by the electric motor. This dual power train arranges needs a generator and huge battery pack. It also necessitates an extra energy set of the controls of computer.

The Considerations

Hybrid vehicles engine comprise costlier components than normal vehicles. Based on Hybrid-car.org, these elements are covered by intensive warranties that offer free replacements.

Green Cars Information: Future

The technology surrounding hybrid vehicles is still being developed. Customers ought to anticipate seeing improvements, together with even better gasoline mileage, price reductions and extra automobile models within the future.

Green Cars Information: Benefits

Hybrid vehicles are capable of assist the engine with electrical energy, thus helping gas financial system and reducing the amount of toxic emissions into the environs.

By: Johan Young

According to Transport Watch, only about 30% of the energy generated by the power plant in fact reaches the vehicle because of losses in the transmission route. Of the energy delivered to the vehicle, 20% is then lost to the batteries and electric motor. This means that most Electric Vehicles are only about 24% efficient. So, if your electric vehicle is charged with electricity from a coal-fired power plant, then the Carbon dioxide emissions to fuel your Electric Vehicle are about double the amount emitted by a diesel engine, due to the inefficiencies in electrical power generation and transmission.

electric vehicle schematic

As a result they assume that the notion that electric cars will decrease emissions is a fiction unless we hypothecate that the UK electricity generating industry will be de-carbonised.

But if we want to consider this issue carefully, we will find a huge advantage of electric vehicles.

And now, let us consider some definitions:

• Hybrid-electric vehicle: This uses an internal-combustion engine for most of its power, but also has an electric motor run from batteries recharged by the engine. Typically the engine shuts off when the car is stopped. Hybrid Electric Vehicles include the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight.
• Plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle: An Hybrid Electric Vehicle that can charge its batteries by plugging into a charger, permitting all-electric short trips. The forthcoming Chevrolet Volt is such a car.
• Battery-electric vehicle: an electric car powered solely by batteries.

All three can charge their batteries using regenerative braking, which recaptures energy otherwise lost as heat when bringing the car to a stop. That’s a huge advantage of electric vehicles.

How much energy is lost getting electricity from the power plant to your Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle? Plenty. In the U.S. right now, about 70 percent of the energy used to make electricity – more than four million gigawatt-hours – comes from fossil fuels. About 70 percent of that amount is wasted generating the power and transmitting it to your door. Other energy is lost when charging batteries and operation electric motors. Overall, electric cars use fossil fuel at 20 to 25 percent efficiency, but dismal as that sounds, it beats an internal-combustion car, which typically operates at about 15 percent efficiency. An HEV uses around 0.48-0.74 kilowatt-hours per mile, while PHEVs in electric mode and BEVs use 0.18-0.46 kWh per mile. By contrast, a conventional car getting 25 MPG uses 1.35 kWh/mile. To put the issue in more familiar terms, a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle offers fuel economy equivalent to as much as 188 miles per gallon.

Now let’s talk pollution. A huge advantage of electric vehicles is that their energy can come from renewable sources, such as hydroelectric, wind, or solar. Even if the energy source is fossil fuel, installing state-of-the-art emission controls on a few big power plants is way easier than installing ’em on hundreds of millions of motor vehicles. What’s more, since many electric plants use natural gas, Carbon dioxide emissions from power generation are a modest 1.27 pounds of Carbon dioxide per kWh – 1.9 pounds per productive kWh once we account for losses during battery charging and so on. Evaluate that to gasoline, which produces the equal of 3.9 pounds of CO2 per productive kWh.

Not until there are, the battery electric car is far more environmentally friendly than conventional car batteries. For example, Tesla’s Electric Roadster Battery can make the most of the amount of materials that can be reused, recycled, and minimize energy consumption utilized during the transportation and recycling process

They can divide the elements and re-use what can be re-used (cobalt, aluminum, nickel, and copper, etc). So the battery pack saves thousands of gallons of gasoline/diesel over the life of the vehicle, it is less toxic than the lead-acid batteries that are in regular cars, and at the end of its life it is recycled. That’s a huge advantage of electric vehicles.

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Hybrid cars are planning to use electric propulsion systems which prove to be very efficient and also environmentally friendly. There may be various methods and approaches to complete the movement that uses electrical energy, but the main idea is unchanged.

These systems are already working and will further help develop alternatives to the internal combustion engine.

hybrid electric car

What is Electric Propulsion?

Electric propulsion is the acceleration of gases in order to produce propulsive thrust through electric and magnetic body forces, electric body forces or electric heating. Electric propulsion system theory is normally considered to be part of rocket science where the propulsion system manages to generate enough energy to produce a strong thrust. An electric propulsion system is an alternative to a nuclear propulsion system. The total thrust is less powerful compared to a nuclear rocket but still enough to generate effects.

According to several studies, any engine used as a primary source of such dominant propulsion must generate exhaust velocities of around 10 to 20 km/s. There are also storable chemical orders used in rockets with an exhaust rate of around 5 km/s but in general is fewer not wasteful.

Propulsion systems that do not necessitate power through chemical responses are still required. There are electricity propulsion thrusters able to generate exhaust velocities around 10 to 20 km / s which step up payload and decrease the propellant mass. The consequences, however, are less powerful thrusters consuming bigger quantities of power.

The 3 Categories of Electric Propulsion

Electro thermal propulsion

Electric Propulsion Systems

Electro thermal propulsion strikes when the propellant is electrically heated after that isentropically expanded, producing a gas that is sent through a Convergent/Divergent (C/D) nozzle to generate thrust. Catalyzed hydrazine or an alternative neutral gas is used in thrusters similar to arc jets and resisto-jets.  An arc jet can be used to heat the propellants through an electric arc discharge. The arc in the arc-jet electron beam is generated from the cathode and the anode in the tip.  A constrictor is also present providing a narrow pathway between the two charges.

Electrostatic thrusters

Electrostatic thrusters also called ion thrusters. These use an ionized propellant accelerated through electric areas applied in a straight line like gridded ion thrusters and Hall thrusters. The method of propulsion is also recognized as ion propulsion method since ions are mainly used in the process. Electrostatic energy is used to produce propulsion.  With electrons from the atoms stripped off and converted to ions. The ions are accelerated by electric forces to a high temperature without needing thermal energy producing thrust. The atoms after losing electrons become positively charged.

Electromagnetic thrusters

Electromagnetic thrusters produce thrust using electric and magnetic forces that interact with charged plasmas like ions and electrons. An example of this is the magnetoplasmadynamic thruster or MPD. The system heats the propellant to a plasma state before being accelerated. A large current is passed by electromagnetic forces through gas in order to ionize the propellant. Plasma is the ionized propellant which is then accelerated by Lorentz force, an electromagnetic force producing thrust.

Effect on Gas

Decoupling engine speed and power output from the propeller will supply the opportunity to get better effectiveness.  Since electric forces and electromagnetic forces kick in for support, gas and diesel propulsion systems in vehicles will reduce the chances of wasting a huge part of power and energy.  The chance of engine overload is eliminated resulting in better fuel economy and better gas mileage.

A study conducted to check how much electric propulsion systems can help gasoline and diesel engines indicates that at least 10% fuel savings achieved only with the engine allows to move together with the burden inefficiency because of low load with high speed.  Larger propellers can also save as much as 7% of fuel compared to traditional models.

With the total load split between multiple generators, as much as 20% of fuel can be saved plus another 13% by matching the power produced by the engine to the power required by the propeller. A variable-speed generator will help accomplish this. Overall, 30% to 50% can be saved compared to a highly efficient diesel-electric or gasoline-electric system.

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Lithium Ion Battery – Why It’s Appealing

Besides more compact, lighter, and more powerful than nickel-metal-hydride— NiMH batteries, lithium-ion battery is also high in power and energy density. Because the cells weigh less and do not take as much space as that used in other hybrid systems, equipped with lithium-ion battery in the car can help increase fuel efficiency. The end goal – even though technology has a ways to go – is to produce hybrid and electric cars are very efficient with quick acceleration, stamina, and an affordable price.

Lithium Ion Battery – The Concerns

Lithium-ion battery is not new technology. They can be found in everything from phones to camcorders, iPods, and laptops. However, they are viewed as not stable when filled and, as usual, has been known to spontaneously short-circuit and explode or burn. So, automakers and developers to find batteries to fail-safe option for obvious reasons. One problem with lithium-ion batteries is that their ability to continue to charge dropped after a certain period and may not last the life of the car, although this could also be problems with other batteries, depending on how “car life” is measured. Adding that to the fact that, for now, they are much more expensive than NiMH batteries. As production and increasing demand and improving technology, however, the cost of lithium-ion batteries are anticipated to decline.

Lithium Ion Battery – The Integrating

In addition to finding the most suitable battery for the car, it will be important that the outcome of sync with the drive system of each model. So, that means the manufacturer must first obtain the proper chemical battery, battery handling stability, build the cell, and combine them into algorithms and software that is embedded in the vehicle.

Lithium Ion Battery – When to Expect Major Production

Because there are still significant hurdles to overcome, the version is fully drivable car powered by lithium-ion batteries are limited in number. There are many companies who claim the car is almost ready to hit the production line, but more conservative estimates target 2010 or 2011 when the cars become available to the public.

Adopt from Jennifer Olvera, a graduate of DePaul University in Chicago, and now she has become one of superior dining, food, and entertainment writers in Chicago. He has regularly been published in Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Citysearch.com, Gayot.com, and Zagat.

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Ethanol cars may be better for the American farmer and the environment, but E85 has some drawbacks.

Less Energy

Ethanol is less energy than gasoline. This means that your fuel economy will decrease about 20-30 percent and your car won’t go as far on a gallon of E85.

Lack of Availability

E85 is widely available only in the Midwest. The Department of Energy lists most of E85 ethanol infranstructure are in two states: Illinois and Minnesota. Other areas, have little E85 infrastructure.

Higher Price

Ethanol can be more expensive than gasoline, depending on where you live.

List of Ethanol Cars

Sort by:	Name	Combined MPG	Type	MSRP	Available
	Dodge Caravan E85	18 MPG	Van	$22,400	Now
	Chevrolet Impala E85	17 MPG	Sedan	$22,400	Now
	Chrysler Sebring E85	16 MPG	Sedan	$29,300	Now
	Chevrolet Silverado E85	13 MPG	Pickup	$29,400	Now
	Ford F-150 E85	11 MPG	Pickup	$22,100	Now
	Saab BioPower Hybrid	n/a	Sedan	n/a	Conce

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As the name implies, a gasoline powered vehicle uses a combustion engine as a source of power. It has a fuel tank that stores gas to the engine which drives the transmission and turns the wheels.

Pros

Through a single filled tank, a gas-powered vehicle can run more than a few time longer than an electric automobile.

A gallon of gas is much denser than batteries in terms of energy. For instance, 1 gallon of gas (7 pounds) produces the similar sum of power as 1000 pounds of batteries.

It can keep up with the traffic on the highway.

You have the widest vehicle options. From compact to full-size automobile, from pickup trucks to SUVs, from minivans to luxury automobiles, you can jump from one vehicle dealer to another and still get the best vehicle varieties.

gas and electric combined

You can also choose from different kinds and sizes of engines.

Cons

With the soaring prices of gaseum, getting a gas tank full is very expensive. Combustion engine wastes a lot of energy and consumes a lot of gas. It also produces pollutants that contribute to the depletion of the natural environment.

Electric Automobile

An electric vehicle has a battery that supply power to the electric motor, which then drives the transmission and turns the wheels.

Pros

Since it does not consume fuel, an electric vehicle emits no toxic fumes which are good news for the environment.

Although the battery pack is expensive, electric power is cheaper as compared to pump prices.

Cons

The battery can power the car short distances on a single charging.

Batteries of an electric car take several hours to charge.

Electric vehicles cannot store up with the traffic.

Its top speed is slower than gas autos.

Hybrid Vehicle – Problem resolved

Hybrid vehicles become the best of both engines. It uses both an electric motor and a combustion engine to push the automobile. That means that a hybrid can either run on an electric motor and use the advantages of an electric automobile, or run on a combustion engine and use the edge of a gas powered vehicle. Or, it can run on both at the same time. Depending on the variety of hybrid car, you can have the best fuel efficiency with a performance similar or even better than its non-hybrid counterpart.

The concepts of electric and hybrid vehicles have been around for a long time, even before the invention of the gasoline engine.  Few moving parts and simpler technology gave the electric automobiles a head start.  And issues with the electric automobiles technology provided opportunity for hybrid technologies to make improvements.  However, the development of the internal combustion engine revolutionized modern transportation as it is today.  Now with the rise of health-threatening pollutants caused by gasoline powered engines, new age electric and hybrid vehicles are now truly becoming a reality.  And Hybrid automobiles are getting more and more popular.  Because of their growing popularity, car manufacturers are competing for the “green car” market with the winners surviving in the new economy.

electric automobiles

When Electric Automobiles Ruled the World

Robert Anderson of Scotland created the first electric car during the 1830s.  Professor Stratingh of Groningen from Holland designed a simple electric auto. It was Stratingh’s assistant,  Christopher Becker, who built the model in 1835. In 1842, Thomas Davenport from the United States and Robert Davidson from Scotland built more advanced electric vehicles using non-rechargeable electric cells.  Gaston Plante from France improved the storage battery and created a better model in 1865. Sixteen years later, improvements in the storage battery were made by Camille Faure.  During late 1800, several European countries such as England and France began distribution of electricity all the while the electric vehicle was being innovated for better design and performance.  The United States followed with the creation of electric tricycles.

At the turn of the century, electric automobiles were selling better than their gasoline engine counterparts due to less vibration, noise and pollutants.  In 1916, Woods invented the first hybrid consisting of an electric motor and combustion engine.  The cost of electric vehicles were quite expensive so that only those belonging to the upper class were able to afford them.  Price would reach $ 2000 to $ 3000 depending on the interior and the materials used. Production peak for electric vehicles were from 1910 to 1912.  During the 1920s, road systems were significantly improved so people needed vehicles that traveled farther than electric automobiles.  The price of gasoline also decreased making it more affordable for everyone. Charles Kettering invented the electric starter for gasoline cars taking away the tedious hand crank.  Henry Ford and the idea of mass production continued to put pressure on sales of electric automobiles. Gasoline cars at this point were only about one-third the price of an electric vehicle.

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