The types of vehicle technologies that are out there today continue to confuse and multiply. Since the early 20th century, gasoline-powered automobiles have been quite popular, but in recent years an alternative emerged in the form of hybrid cars, which are more cost efficient and environmentally sound. From the 2011 alone, there are over forty different models of hybrid cars that are competing eagerly for U.S. market share, which includes not only compacts, but hybrid crossovers, pickup trucks, sedans and SUVs.
Hybrid vehicles basically have an engine that is a combination of the internal combustion engine of gasoline automobiles and an electric engine. As a result, fuel costs are reduced, gas mileage is increased and pollution is decreased by all hybrid cars. In fact, the fuel economy of hybrid cars ranges from a high of 53 miles per gallon in the city and 48 miles per gallon on the highway, to a low of 15 miles per gallon in the city and 20 miles per gallon on the highway ("Hybrids - fuel,"). However, there is a lot more that distinguishes a hybrid from a gasoline automobile.
It is true that in comparison to the average price of a gasoline automobile, the average price of a hybrid vehicle is anywhere between $3,000 and $6,000 more ("Gas price influence,"). However, one advantage of owning a hybrid of automobile is that some of them of them qualify government benefits, such as the “clean fuel” federal tax deduction. For instance, owners of hybrid cars who got their automobile serviced prior to January 1st, 2005 will be able to save as much as $2,000 in tax credits, and those who get their automobiles serviced between January 1st, 2005 and December 31st, 2005 will be able to save $4,000 ("Gas price influence,").
Unlike traditional automobiles, hybrid vehicles have an electrical motor, which during low load times assists the engine to make power or supplement power. The assistance of an electrical motor enables hybrid cars to more fuel efficient, and fewer emissions are produced by them. The additional features that only become available through the electronic motor not only makes hybrid automobiles more fuel efficient, but they also startup and shutdown automatically when they are idle, which prevents the loss of energy and energy is recycled back to the battery by regenerative breaking. There was a slight lag in early hybrid automobiles such as the Honda Insight, as a result of which the gasoline engine turned on after a slight delay. However, the acceleration of new hybrid models, such as the Honda Accord, is actually faster than gasoline-powered automobiles.
Hybrid vehicles are wide available and it is possible to purchase as easily as any other brand new automobile. As of 2009, there were about one and a half million hybrid automobiles on the road. Between November, 2008 and November, 2009, there was a 21% rise in the sales of hybrid automobiles, while the overall market remained stagnant ("Reported us sales," 2009). Everyone knows that air pollutants, such as carbon dioxide, are created by traditional gasoline vehicles. On the other hand, less pollution is created by hybrid automobiles because of their dual engine design. As mentioned, not only is additional power provided by the electric motor, but fuel is also conserved by it.
The bottom line is that two different ways in which vehicle emissions are achieved are represented by hybrid and natural gas automobiles. Natural gas automobiles are already becoming less common in the United States considering the fact that the filling stations that carry the compressed methane fuel are becoming relatively rare. Thus, it seems that hybrid automobiles have quite a bright future as gasoline vehicles once had when they were made an appearance in the early 20th century. Thus, it would not be wrong to say that hybrid automobiles and their successors are likely to end up in more general use.
References
Gas price influence on hybrid car sales. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.carseek.com/articles/hybrid-vs-gas.html
Hybrids - fuel economy. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/hybrids.jsp
Reported us sales of hybrids up 21% in november; new vehicle market share of 2.7%. (2009, Dec 8). Retrieved from http://www.greencarcongress.com/2009/12/nov-sales-20091208.html
