Why Buy A Hybrid Car

If you are among the many other automobile owners who are coming to the conclusion that automobile exhaust is contributing to the phenomena of global warming, then you might wish to consider purchasing a one of these little powerhouses. But there are many other reasons why people might wish to purchase a hybrid even though they are significantly more expensive than cars with traditional combustion engines.
Hybrids are different from cars with combustion engines because they have two motors. The first is an electric motor, the second is an engine powered solely by gasoline. They also have been equipped with a special system that is able to capture the excess energy which is generated when the car's brakes are applied. They are capable of storing this excess energy in a battery.
Most people are resistant to the idea of purchasing a car that contains two motors because they worry that it will break down twice as many times as a car with just one motor. This is a difficult question for most automobile experts to answer. A car with two motors certainly has its positive and negative features. The biggest positive feature is that hybrids require no energy when they are idling in traffic at a red light or while waiting for a train to pass. They simply shut down. They also require less energy than combustion engine automobiles when running at lower speeds. This means that when you find yourself in stop and go traffic, your automobile will not emit exhaust because it will be running solely on battery power. When travelling at higher speeds, the gas engine will begin to operate. The engine powered by gasoline is the one that charges the battery.
People who drive cars which are powered solely by electricity have found themselves stranded on the side of the road simply because they did not have an extension cord handy. A hybrid will never need an electrical charge. It will always be ready to go whenever you are!
Owning a hybrid car is not an inexpensive proposition. Installing two motors and a storage system for the battery is expensive. Because the operating systems in hybrid cars are fairly complex, hybrids require very sophisticated internal computers. Thus, if you own a hybrid car you can expect higher repair bills when it has to go in for service. This is offset, however, by the lower day-to-day operating cost. Hybrids are the most efficient automobiles available in the mass-market today. They can get as much as 60 mpg which is very good gas mileage.
The only reason that hybrids have not become more popular is because most North American automobile owners are extremely reluctant to relinquish their fast cars. But if you question any owner of a hybrid car, they will most likely tell you that any loss in speed is made up for in efficiency in gas mileage. They know that even the smallest savings in fuel economy will add years to the life of their car's life.
As most people know, the Japanese automobile industry is way ahead of the US industry in manufacturing hybrids. Despite the high cost of gasoline, American drivers are still staunchly committed to their inefficient SUVs. This mentality may be starting to change itself, though. Ford has recently brought out its Escape which is a hybrid SUV. This car is rapidly becoming very popular with automobile buyers across the United States.

Smart ForUs - Another Unintelligent Concept?

Embracing a never-say-die business strategy and attitude with regards to the smart fortwo brand, smart GmbH a division of Daimler is once again displaying yet another smart concept vehicle. For those who have followed the smart car brand, know smart GmbH is the smart fortwo's manufacturer. This time around, they've revealed the worlds very first eco-friendly pickup truck - the electric powered smart For-Us concept motor vehicle.
This is a tiny mini-micro truck follows in the smart fortwo tradition and designed to carry two-passengers. However, it is substantially larger than the company's mainstay - the smart fortwo coupe. The increased bulk makes the For-Us approximately three feet longer, rendering it just a few inches short of a Mini Cooper. Additionally, the pickup bed of the For-Us is sized and setup to transport 2 all-new smart electric bikes, while being able to charge them - on the move. This makes the For-Us much like the Geely IC current model.
The quirky and appealing smart For-Us utilizes the identical lithium-ion battery along with the same electric drive in the smart ED electric-powered car due this spring.
But the question about this smart offer is becoming a recurring concern - Is this one more terrific smart concept car that will never make it to the street?
smart GmbH has produced or attempted manufacturing no fewer than 8 distinct models. These have consisted of the smart crossblade, forfour, Roadster as well as the 4-door forfour. None of these models is manufactured any longer and can only be assessed as total financial calamities.
Additionally, there were the engaging concepts of the smart concept vehicles. Beginning with the crosstown, the formore SUV, forvision, and finally the ForspeED. All came and exited without a plan for implementation or success. As a result, all must be considered as failed attempts for the automaker to grow and diversify.
The core auto for smart, has always been the original fortwo design. We believe, like the majority practical consumers - why not get the first one right? It would then be possible to proceed to greater and improved models.
Mercedes-Benz USA is now in charge of sales and service for the fortwo in the USA. Plans were for a re-launch of the smart car U.S. with potent marketing campaigns behind it. However, it appears the company is providing us with yet another reproof concept flop which was displayed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit called the For-Us.
Mercedes-Benz (Daimler) is coming off its best year in the past decade, but their smart GmbH division remains a challenge - The initial smart car was manufactured and sold nearly 13-years ago.

Electric Car Sales Ramp Up - Is Change Coming?

Electric automobile sales have yet to disrupt the dominance of internal combustion.
Electrics at this point would appear bound for a niche market, hardly living up to President Obama's pledge to encourage their proliferation to about 1 million plug-ins on the road by 2015.
That prospect had gop.com's research division saying: "Another day, another broken promise from President Obama."
Fisker flounders
And Fisker, the manufacturer of the much-ballyhooed Karma and recipient of a half billion-dollar U.S. Department of Energy loan, has announced layoffs after issuing recalls in prior weeks of its more than 200 cars sold. John Voelcker of greencarreports.com says Fisker and fellow electric car builder Tesla are vulnerable to the same type of criticism surrounding failed photovoltaic panel manufacturer Solyndra, which also was on the DOE's loan list.
None of that taint appears to have landed on Tesla, which is coming off a raft of positive press with increased sales, a deal with Daimler for an electric Mercedes-Benz and the debut of its electric SUV, the "Falcon Wing" Model X. If this latest round of news is any indication, the appetite for electric cars may prove more robust as consumer options and infrastructure to keep the cars charged increase.
Tesla shines
The sector remains unproved. Tesla, despite its evolution, continues to lose money. But revenue is increasing. Chairman Elon Musk says in the company's 8K report to shareholders that "net losses will continue as planned until we reach volume sales of Model S in 2013."
The Model S is a high-end family sedan built in Tesla's Fremont, Calif. factory. The price is expected to be somewhere north of $60,000. Musk says about 8,000 orders for the car have been placed so far. It accelerates from 0-60 mph in about 4.5 seconds, which is faster than my friend Al's built-up 1977 Trans Am.
The Model X is a media darling, getting coverage all over the Web and in the automotive press. Huffingtonpost.com's Sharon Silke Carty says it "has struck a chord with wealthy, environmentally conscious customers" who snapped up about 500 reservations after its recent debut.
Production is expected to begin in late 2013 with customer deliveries starting in early 2014, Musk says. Volume is targeted at 10,000 to 15,000 units per year.
EV sales lackluster
EV sales currently are dominated by General Motors and Nissan. The Volt closed out 2011 with a minor sales flurry. It sold 7,671 units for the year, with more than 1,500 of those in December, according to figures compiled by Martin LaMonica of cnet.com.
Nissan sold 9,674 units of its all-electric Leaf, with 954 of those in the final month of 2011, according to goodcarbadcar.net.
Other nameplates sold fewer cars.
Electrics find a place
But battery power is making headway on the highway. At least in California, the cars have become more commonplace. The other morning as rain pelted me in the health club parking lot, a Leaf quietly rolled past. The thing moved like an oddly shaped ninja. And all lit up in the darkness, it even looked graceful.
Soundless electrics certainly would reduce road noise, until a Harley with straight pipes pulls up alongside.
Gas prices make a difference
Gas prices, which could push $5 per gallon this summer, may influence some buyers. Oil-price.net reports oil per barrel prices above $100 for West Texas Intermediate and its one-year forecast price climbing $20. That's not a big deal. Crude prices have hovered around the centennial mark for a couple years now.
But it's the rapid rise nationally in gas prices in the first months of the year that has some worried about what the summer holds. Summer is usually when more people are on the road and prices increase at the pump.
Ronald D. White of the LA Times quotes analyst Brian L. Milne as saying the early increase may point to higher prices later in the year. "There's a chance that the U.S. average tops $4 a gallon by June, with some parts of the country approaching $5 a gallon," Milne says.
Nothing inspires change like price increases. Of course, electric cars remain very expensive.
Hydro Gene makes a prediction
Automotive enthusiast and hydrogen energy activist Gene Johnson says as long as the price point for electric cars sits so far above the average consumer's means, the segment will remain somewhat exclusive. Johnson, a big clean energy proponent in California's San Joaquin Valley, offers a better method -- retrofits.
He and some friends took a Toyota RAV4, removed its gas-burning stock engine and replaced it with an electric drive train. They sold it on eBay for more than $20,000, easily covering the retrofit cost with a tidy profit.
He says that's the way to go. Johnson predicts more companies will enter the conversion business. He even goes so far as saying Fresno would be a great place to start.
Solar shoulders in
At some point, on-board solar may play a role in recharging electric cars.
The solar-powered SolarWorld GT started the U.S. leg of its round-the-world trek at the University of California, Santa Barbara and plans to drive across the country, according to gizmag.com. The car, a collaboration between solar panel manufacturer SolarWorld, and Bochum University of Applied Sciences in Germany, is hardly a production vehicle.
But its sojourn may be the start of something. The car and its team are to head to Florida, where the GT will be shipped across the Atlantic Ocean to continue driving across Europe, Asia and Africa and back to Darwin, Australia. Assuming the car returns, "it will set the Guinness Record for the longest distance covered by a solar car -- approximately 34,000 kilometers, or 21,080 miles," Ben Coxworth writes.
Such accomplishments are but interesting footnotes. However, should solar panels some day be incorporated cheaply into a car's surface and still be efficient enough to provide a continuous charge, there's no stopping the electric car.

Electric Motors Lead To Energy-Efficient Cars

Environmentalists have long been promoting the use of green products, and cars operated by electric motors are just one of those products.
Electric cars differ from the typical gasoline-based car and the hybrid car in many ways. To begin, the car is run electrically, rather than by gasoline, which means that there are no emissions from the tailpipe, there is no need to rely on oil and without the costs of buying gas, the cars are cheaper to operate.
Electric motors operate these cars. According to the website for the U.S. government source for fuel and economy, this means that 75 percent of chemical energy from the batteries to power the wheels of the car. Compare that to an internal combustion engine, and the amount of energy converted drops to 20 percent.
These vehicles reduce the energy dependence people have on the environment by switching the focus to a domestic energy source, according to the website.
This is accomplished because the vehicles are battery-operated and take anywhere from four to eight hours to charge, however a 'quick charge' to regain 80 percent of power can take a mere 30 minutes.
Another positive factor of these vehicles is the way that they operate. The electric motors that are used provide many benefits for the owner.
The motors provide a quiet ride, smooth operation and stronger acceleration, usually from zero to 60, as reported by many manufacturers of these cars.
One downside to these vehicles is that the amount of mileage the car can be driven for is anywhere between 100-200 miles, while a car operated by gasoline can go more than 300 miles without refilling the tank.
Despite this, the Environmental Protection Agency advocates for the car.
According to an article put out by the EPA, research has shown that cars with electric motors have, in some instances, prove to be safer than gasoline-powered cars. This is because of the car's lack of a gas tank or oil, so the danger of fire in an accident is greatly reduced. These cars also have a lower center of gravity, making them less likely to roll over in an accident.
These vehicles can be found at many car dealerships. As more technology is being developed, these cars continue to improve in design and efficiency.
Cars powered by electric motors are beneficial in more ways than one when it comes to the environment, and investing in one would certainly help reduce the carbon footprint of the Earth.

Keep On Trucking With Natural Gas

Electric cars and hybrids get all the media coverage.
Lots of people have taken the hybrid plunge, purchasing a Prius, Ford Escape or a number of other models that couple battery power with a small gas engine to maximize gas mileage. And electric cars have captured the imagination of a nation interested in cleaner air despite the fact that their permanence in the consumer pantheon remains to be seen.
But what's the potential of a natural gas-powered car? America would seem to answer with a collective yawn.
There is an alternative
Does it matter that this country likely has enough natural gas to fill every single commuter's tank for decades? It should. The U.S. Energy Information Administration lists some 35.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in Alaska's North Slope. And analysts at the Potential Gas Committee say that when they combine their findings with that of the EIA, they believe U.S. natural gas reserves to be a future supply of 2,174 trillion cubic feet.
That's an estimated 100-year supply.
And why should we care? There are a number of reasons. President Ronald Reagan put it this way: "Energy independence is the best preparation America can make for the future."
Another is air quality.
Cutting emissions
Exhaust emissions from CNG vehicles are cleaner than their gasoline- or diesel-burning compatriots.
Natural Gas Vehicles for America says the only production natural gas-powered passenger car, the Honda Civic CNG, produces 95 percent fewer emissions of non-methane hydrocarbons, and 75 percent less emissions of nitrogen oxides than its gasoline counterpart. The EPA rates it as the cleanest internal-combustion car on the market.
Imagine this contrast: Stand behind a city bus that blows by burning diesel. The fumes can be noxious. CNG or LNG buses on the other hand have none of the soot and are much less likely to cause riders to hold their breath until they turn blue.
Finding opportunity
Companies are beginning to see opportunity, especially since the EIA says the fuel, on average, costs 42 percent less than diesel fuel on an energy equivalent basis and is expected to cost 50 percent less by 2035.
A Belmont, Mass.-based company has developed a duel fuel system for heavy-duty diesel trucks that allows them burn up to 80 percent natural gas.
"Because heavy trucks use so much diesel and there is such a dramatic price differential between diesel and natural gas, the systems will pay for themselves in only about 12 months of typical use," says Doug Thomson, a company vice president, in an email.
Thomson says the main hurdle is that his company has to certify the emissions for each family of engines. He says the company is working its way through the process with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board. He says the emissions are "definitely better... but for now we are focused on just showing off the operating cost savings."
Range is not a problem
And for the popular misconception that CNG trucks have limited range? Thomson says with new large tanks and his company's technology, "that's no longer a problem."
The alternative won't end the dangerous climate warming build-up of carbon-dioxide in the atmosphere, but it does provide an inexpensive and cleaner alternative while innovators work the kinks out of other energy delivery systems. It's obviously not the most popular on Wall Street, but it's got a shot and should have a place in the mix.
Fleets going natural
Municipalities, small governments and public entities are certainly paying attention.
Fresno, Calif., which is my neck of the woods, is on board. The city has 66 buses that run on CNG, four trollies, nine light duty trucks, eight street sweepers and a bunch more.
City officials adopted "Operation Clean Air" in 2003 with other counties, cities, businesses and nonprofits in the region. Fresno continues to update its fleets. The initiative is committed to improving air quality in the San Joaquin Valley, which ranks near the top for worst air pollution in the United States.
Perhaps the highest profile West Coast move to clean trucking has been at the Port of Los Angeles, which estimates it has reduced emissions 80 percent compared with 2007 average air emissions data. Port officials say that as of January 2012, 100 percent of the "cargo gate moves" at port terminals are made with trucks meeting EPA clean truck standards. Many of those trucks use liquefied natural gas or compressed natural gas.
Sharing the highways
Natural Gas Vehicles for America reports that there are about 112,000 natural-gas vehicles on U.S. roads and more than 13 million worldwide. However, there are only about 1,000 domestic fueling stations with about half open to the public.
About 30 different manufacturers in this country produce 100 models of light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles and engines, according to Natural Gas Vehicles. The organization says industry data shows that natural gas consumed by vehicles "nearly doubled between 2003 and 2009."
And demand is growing, especially from bus fleets, at airports and in private fleets.
The EIA shows relatively stable natural gas prices despite recent inventory draw downs that spiked prices. "Natural gas working inventories continue to set new record seasonal highs and ended January 2012 at an estimated 2.86 trillion cubic feet, about 24 percent above the same time last year," EIA analysts write.
Carving out a consumer market
Despite inroads, acceptance of the fuel by the average consumer faces an uphill battle.
For instance, Greencarreports.com offers on its home page a menu that says "car types."
The photo-heavy drop-down offers the latest news on hybrids, electrics, clean diesels and fuel cells with a more specific cluster off to the right drilling down into posts about Chevy's Volt, Nissan's Leaf, Tesla's Roadster and Toyota's Prius.
Nothing on natural gas. Of course, I'm just referring to the menu listings and not the coverage. Writer John Voelcker offers some of the best green car coverage on the web, and his piece on the Honda CNG is a great backgrounder on the only production natural gas vehicle offered in the country. The page design reflects interest.
Honda enters the fray
Yet, the Civic CNG, which just received its nationwide rollout in late 2011, may change some minds. James R. Healey of USA Today gave one a test drive and debates its the pros and cons. He says the main downside is price (at $26,925 still cheaper than a Volt, Leaf or average hybrid) and finding a fueling station.