Archive for April, 2010
Friday, April 30th, 2010
The typical gasoline powered car contains a combustion engine, fuel tank, and transmission, whereas with the gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle, it contains the following parts:
Gasoline Engine. The engine of a hybrid car is relatively smaller than its gasoline-only counterpart. This is because of two reasons: (1) the car doesn’t require a big engine since there it uses another source of power, (2) a bigger engine means larger displacement, heavier weight, and poor fuel economy; since most hybrid cars are designed for maximum fuel efficiency, the engine has to be small. (Diesel engines for diesel-electric hybrid vehicles.)
Fuel Tank. The fuel tank is the energy storage device of the gasoline engine. The size of the fuel tank on a hybrid car may be reduced since the car has to accommodate the size of the batteries.
Transmission. Most hybrid cars use the same transmission as a conventional car.
Batteries. The batteries of a hybrid car are the energy storage device for the electric motor. The batteries perform 2 functions: they send energy to the electric motor and store energy that is being captured by the generator.
Electric motor. A hybrid electric motor is very sophisticated. It can perform as a motor as well as a generator. This means, the electric motor can draw the energy from the battery to accelerate the car or to assist the gasoline engine during acceleration. The electric motor can also act as a generator by slowing the car down and store the energy back to the battery.
Generator. The generator of a hybrid car is much the same as the electric motor but it only acts to produce electric power. Generators are mostly used on series hybrids.
Hybrid electric cars can be parallel or series. Parallel hybrid cars can use the electric motor or gasoline engine to drive the transmission which turns the wheels. Or, it can use both the electric motor and the gasoline engine to drive the transmission and turn the wheels.
Series hybrids, as opposed to parallel hybrids never directly use the gasoline engine to power the vehicle. Instead, the engine turns the generator which either powers the electric motor that drives the transmission or changes the batteries.
Be it a parallel or series structure, the hybrid vehicle uses two sources of energy to provide the same performance we expect from a passenger car and increasing fuel economy at the same time.
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Monday, April 26th, 2010
There are 4 competing midsize hybrid electric vehicles on the market: Honda Accord Hybrid, Toyota Camry, Lexus GS 450h, and the Nissan Altima Hybrid.
Honda Accord Hybrid. Even before the release of the Hybrid, the Honda Accord was the second best selling car in the country. But the Accord Hybrid did not live up to the title “best-seller”. After soaring success in 2005, car sales plummeted when its rival the Toyota Camry Hybrid hit the market. In 2007, the hybrid version of the Accord was discontinued.
However, buying an Accord Hybrid will give you a good 30mpg/37mpg fuel rating. Accord is run by a powerful 3.0 L engine that produces 240-hp and 232 lb.-ft at 5000 RPM of torque. The electric motor is 16-hp with 100 lb.-ft at 840 rpm of torque. The sticker price of the Honda Accord Hybrid is approx. $30,000. You cannot buy a brand new Accord Hybrid from Honda but that’s not the only place where you can buy a car, right?
Toyota Camry Hybrid. Camry is known for its comfort, safety, and dependability. And surely, these characteristics are carried out with the Toyota Camry Hybrid. Powered by 2.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and 105-kW electric motor and 244-volt battery pack, the Camry can deliver a total of 192 horsepower. It promises to run 33mpg in the city and 34mpg on the highway. The Camry’s sticker price is at approx. $25,200. (The second generation Toyota Prius is classified as a midsize car.)
Lexus GS 450h. If you think that a hybrid should have a small engine, then, the Lexus GS 450h will change the way to think. This hybrid has 24-valve, 3.5-liter gasoline engine that produces 297-hp. That’s just the half of it. The electric motor-generator produces 197 hp giving the driver of this car the power and sheer adrenaline rush. But don’t be fooled, the Lexus GS 450h may perform like a sports car but it definitely has the luxury features you want in a midsize car. And why not? At the price of $55,000, you surely have to set high expectations.
Nissan Altima Hybrid. If you don’t like the Toyota Camry and can’t afford a Lexus GS 450h, then you can go for the Nissan Altima Hybrid. It is powered by a large 2.5-liter engine that produces 198 horsepower and 162 lb.-ft at 2800 RPM of torque. The Altima is only available in selected states including Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, and California. Fuel economy is impressive considering the size of the engine. It is rated at 35mpg/33mpg and priced at approx. $25,100.
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Friday, April 23rd, 2010
Price. One of the biggest issues of people who want to buy a hybrid car is the price. Buying a hybrid car can cost you several thousand dollars more than its gasoline-engine counterpart. The cheapest hybrid is around $20,000 while the luxury models are well over $100,000. It is predicted that the cost of hybrid vehicles will go down in the coming years as the production cost will decrease and the supply will increase.
Fuel Economy. A hybrid car is known for fuel economy. In fact, if you drive a hybrid, you can save as much as 60% on fuel. A fuel-efficient hybrid car can run from 35 to 50 miles on a gallon. However, high end hybrid models such as Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and those from Lexus that are built for performance still offer relatively good fuel economy.
Vehicle Option. Hybrid car models are very limited today. If you can’t live by the available options, you can wait a year or two as many manufacturers have announced the release of newer hybrid cars.
Maintenance Cost. With a more complicated internal structure, the common belief is that hybrid cars are more expensive to maintain. The fact is, maintenance cost for hybrid cars is comparable to conventional vehicles. Many also fear that the battery replacement is very expensive. While the cost of battery replacement is said to be between $2,000 and $5,000, there has yet to be a report of a battery needing to be replaced due to defect or malfunction.
Safety. Hybrid cars are in general, as safe as conventional cars but there is a concern that electric shock can happen. This is a possibility but hybrid cars have been around for 10 years and there are no reports of this incident.
Luxury and Convenience. Since the price of a hybrid car is 25% to 50% higher than its gasoline counterparts, most hybrids are upscale and involve the latest gadgetry and luxury amenities.
Interior Space. Hybrid has almost become synonymous with the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight. As a result the word “hybrid” is perceived as cars with small interior space and the use of electric motors and gasoline engines. While the latter is true, the former is not entirely accurate.
Since the first release of the Prius, the market has seen several hybrid cars with more interior space. The Honda has Civic and Accord (discontinued) have a good interior space. So with Toyota’s Camry, Highlander (SUV), and second generation Prius (midsize), Ford Escape hybrid, Mercury Mariner Hybrid, and Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid among others.
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Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
Hybrid vehicles have gone through many changes over the years. Ever since the Toyota Prius came out, bigger and more equipped hybrids were released. The Ford Escape hybrid came out in 2004, which jumpstarted the production of luxury hybrid cars. Apart from Toyota, Honda and Ford other automobile companies such as Mazda, Nissan and recently Lexus and Chevrolet have manufactured their own hybrid creations.
Early hybrid vehicles were limited to manual transmissions and air-conditioning. The best thing that they could do at the time of Toyota Prius was add a multiple CD changer. Nowadays customers have more options with Sports Utility Vehicles and luxury car hybrids. Apart from comfort settings and additional accessories, more formidable propulsion management systems are used.
Hybridization in the present and what lies ahead.
Last year luxury sedans and Sport Utility Vehicles were released. These environment friendly cars were also fitted with all the trappings and perks of a luxury vehicle. Apart from having the latest technology from their manufacturers, such as the Hybrid Synergy System from Toyota, they are also decked out with touch navigational systems, surround sound with DVD and VCD supporting stereo systems, ventilation seats, and multiple CD changers on the dashboard.
Hybrid vehicles released last year have V6 engines such as the Lexus GS 450 and V8 such as the Chevrolet Tahoe. Gear-ratio steering, continuous variable transmission, variable suspension, and regenerative breaking are standard among luxury car hybrids.
Hybrids that will be released in 2008 feature the Cadillac Escalade. It is a two mode hybrid with 6 liter V8 engine with two motors. The Saturn Green Line Vue will also be in the line up that promises to 45% improvement in fuel efficiency. Ford will launch its first hybrid sedan with Mercury Milan Hybrid. Mercedes will also release the hybrid version of their S-class sedan. Porsche also plans to launch its four door coupe called the Panamera, using the same technology as the Cayenne SUV.
If your head is getting dizzy with all the prices of the luxury cars Hyundai will release a hybrid available at around $10,000. This will be the first full hybrid under $20,000. Honda will release a smaller and more affordable hybrid to compete with Toyota who dominates the market.
No matter which hybrid vehicle you will choose, expect more hybrids to come. In time as gas prices soar and the demand for higher emissions regulations are implemented, hybrids will eventually dominate the market.
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Monday, April 19th, 2010
Vehicles are important tools for transportation. Unfortunately they have harmful effects on the environment, health and wallets of the people. The continuing rise of gas prices and campaigns on global warning make you want to ditch that SUV for a bike. Fortunately other power sources and fuels are being developed to serve as an alternative. Hybrid vehicles are a compromise between using a car and caring for the environment.
There are different types of hybrid vehicles.Each of them differs by what type of power source they are using. Although these cars may not run as fast as a conventional car on the highway, it’s convenient for the suburban environment where traffic is normal.
Plug and play
Hybrid vehicles can be charged by using an external source. Although this was one of the earlier developments which made it one step ahead of conventional cars, it’s not as practical as it sounds. Due to this plug-in hybrids were created. These vehicles have batteries which can be recharged through a standard wall socket.
Important developments weren’t made until 2002. Plug-in hybrids were not sold commercially until 2003. The vehicles power source still operates the same way as a conventional hybrid but modified for the owner to be able to recharge it like an iPod.
These vehicles operate in 4 different modes. Charge depleting mode relies exclusively on electricity until the battery reaches a predetermined level. There is a predetermined level that automatically signals the car to stop running on electric power and switch to charge sustaining mode. The variation of this is the blended mode used by cars that cannot run at high speeds by using electric power alone and uses the diesel engine for help.
In charge sustaining mode it uses the combination of a diesel engine and its battery so that the vehicle will not exceed the predetermined level. This type of mode is used by conventional hybrids. In mixed, all of the modes mentioned are used and the vehicle switches between the four during the trip.
The disadvantage of the hybrid is the battery. Battery packs are expensive and can be large and heavy. Customers without garages will not be ale to recharge their cars because of the absence of an electric wall socket. Although emissions are reduced by the car it will be replaced by the plants that produce electricity. On the positive side pollution will be taken away from cities and the suburbs where it has a harmful effect on the health of the general public.
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Thursday, April 15th, 2010
Hybrid vehicles were a concept of the past. Fortunately through the advancement of technology these vehicles are now available in the market. These vehicles were originally designed to help the environment. Nowadays due to rising gas prices, consumers are buying them instead of the conventional cars. The demand has prompted companies to design quality cars that also takes style and looks into consideration.
Hybrid vehicles are now available in compact sedans but also SUVs. The Ford Company has redesigned their Ford Escape to be able to please the environment conscious customer who also wants a stylish car. Hybrid technology is continually being developed so that it will be more accessible and affordable to the public.
What makes a hybrid work?
Hybrid vehicles work by using two different power sources. Although it runs on an electric motor for fuel efficiency and less emissions, it also has a diesel engine that works when needed for high speeds. It also serves as a back-up when the electric power has been used up.
The first hybrid vehicle that was sold commercially was the Toyota Prius. It was then followed by the Honda Insight. A breakthrough came when Ford released the Ford Escape. SUV’s have been known to guzzle gas with high greenhouse emissions. This time the Ford Company was able to figure out a way to redesign their famous SUV to be able to cater a stylish, environment friendly and fuel efficient vehicle.
There are different types of hybrid vehicles by the engine that makes the work. Although they may differ in structure they all work by the same purpose, reduce emissions and fuel consumption.
Hybrid electric petroleum vehicles work by having two power sources. An internal combustion engine (usually a diesel engine) and a rechargeable energy storage system are used by the vehicle. The vehicle is run by electric power most of the time and recaptures energy when braking. The diesel engine helps when more power is needed for acceleration.
Battery electric vehicles rely on battery packs which can be recharged, motor rollers and an electric motor. Unfortunately this type of vehicle is limited to battery capacity. It also tends to be more expensive.
Hybrid vehicles also operate in dual mode. Other vehicles use different types of fuel and power source. Trolleybuses can switch between a diesel engine and an electrical power. Flexible fuel vehicles use a mixture of biofuels and petroleum.
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