Hybrid Cars -Get Smart About Hybrid Cars Before you Buy!

Concern over the environment has many commuters rethinking their driving choices; those plush SUV's that looked so inviting years ago are now gas swigging albatrosses many would do anything to get rid of. Suddenly, hybrid cars are looking very attractive to a broad cross section of American consumers, but which one is right for you and your family? Which car manufacturer should you buy a hybrid car from; it seems they are all getting into the business of building hybrid cars and trucks.

Let us help you with your hybrid vehicle research and eventual purchasing decision by doing some of the leg work for you. Included here is some background information on hybrid cars and the resources that will ultimately help you make a smarter purchase decision. Happy reading!

WHAT IS A HYBRID CAR ANYWAY?

Let's start with the basics. Namely, what is a hybrid car? At a base level, a hybrid car or hybrid SUV is one that uses two or more distinct power sources to propel it (or provide locomotion). The use of two power sources results in greater gas mileage, or overall vehicle range. Note: this does not include flex-fuel or E85 vehicles.

Hybrid cars typically achieve greater fuel economy and lower carbon emissions than conventional Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles (ICEVs). Most hybrids share four design elements that help them realize gas and environmental savings:

• they recapture the energy normally wasted during vehicle braking;
• have considerable battery storage capacity, which enables the vehicle(s) to store and reuse recaptured energy and propel the vehicle without using the ICE;
• have the ability to shut down, or partially shut down the gasoline or diesel engine during traffic stops, while cruising at highway speeds, coasting, or other idle periods;
• they rely on both the gasoline (or diesel engine) and the electric motors for peak power needs, such as acceleration, or towing, resulting in a smaller gasoline or diesel engine sizes, but there are exceptions.

The above detailed features make hybrid cars particularly efficient for city traffic wherein there are frequent traffic stops, braking, coasting, and idling periods. Hybrid cars have the added benefit of reducing noise pollution (in comparison to ICEVs), particularly at idling and low operating speeds when the ICE is off and the vehicle is running on battery power, and or electric motor alone.

All of the principle car and truck manufacturers - General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Chrysler, and Honda, market hybrid cars of some sort. The world's largest car maker, General Motors appears to offer the most choices and is committed to presenting the consumer a hybrid choice of most of its vehicle line by the year 2020, or thereabouts.

A WORD (OR TWO) ABOUT FLEX-FUEL E85 TECHNOLOGY

Flex-fuel (FFV) or E85 vehicles were all the rage when they initially hit the market, but the shine has slowly worn off the gem of the technology as consumers learn that FFV vehicles do not offer increased gas mileage, but indeed typically get worse fuel economy than traditional gas or diesel powered vehicles. About one-third of all gasoline sold in the United States contains some alcohol-based ethanol, typically in a ratio of 90 percent gasoline and 10 percent ethanol; in Illinois that ratio is 95:5. E85 gets its name from the way it inverts that formula, using 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent conventional gasoline in its mix.

The key selling point of FFV vehicles is the benefit to the environment in the decrease of carbon emissions. And FFVs experience no loss of performance when using E85 fuel, however as I touched on above a gallon of ethanol contains less energy than a gallon of gasoline, therefore FFVs typically get about 20-30% fewer miles per gallon when fueled with E85. Not exactly what a consumer wants to hear in this year of rising fuel costs that are likely to stay above $3.00 a gallon in he near term and even approach $4.00 a gallon in the foreseeable future.

For instance according to the according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates, a V6-powered Chevrolet Impala running on gasoline will get some 21 miles per gallon in the city, and 31 on the highway. Replace the traditional gasoline with E85 and the Impala's EPA numbers shrink noticeably to 16 mpg city, 23 highway. Not exactly fuel efficient, but better for the environment because E85 runs cleaner.

THE HYBRID MIX OF TECHNOLOGY

The world of hybrid car technology is not monolithic, nor is it static; the engineering behind the various hybrid vehicles already on the market and those coming on-line in the future offer a compelling, if not dizzying mixture of locomotion choices.

Of course there is more than just increased gas mileage behind the hybrid push, there are also environmental concerns; that is where hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles come into play, anD indeed show the most promise from a purely environmental standpoint. In addition to emitting no carbon to the environment (the only emission from burning hydrogen is water vapor), hydrogen fuel-cell powered vehicles can tap into the most abundant energy source in the known universe: hydrogen. The problems lie in the handling and distribution of hydrogen; the gas and or liquid is somewhat volatile, but it has been used for decades by the military and NASA to power all manner of vehicles, such as rockets and missiles, so adapting the technology for civilian use has not proved daunting.

WHO MAKES HYBRID CARS AND SUVs?

GM, Toyota, Honda, Ford and Chrysler all make hybrid cars. It is likely that many other car manufacturers will join the hybrid revolution in future years. As with any car purchase, only you can evaluate whether or not a given car is right for you. The good news is that you have a lot of options. The hybrid marketplace is full of choices in cars, trucks, and SUVs. So, we suggest that you do some research and then test drive the ones you have interest in.

To get you started on your search, read ratings about hybrid cars with the best gas mileage (one of the biggest decision points for hybrid buyers and owners). It will also be helpful to read reviews from other car owners to find out exactly what they think of the hybrid car they own. You can find the complete mileage rating here - an impartial source run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Edmunds.com offers relevant professional reviews to consider, too.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

There are number of places to gleam information on hybrids. Most of these reside on the Internet, but other information can be gleamed from off-line sources such as Automobile, Car& Driver, Auto World, and Road & Track magazines. Other great sources on hybrid technology include Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, and Consumer Reports magazines.

On-line sources for more consumer reviews on hybrids:

• Wikipedia.org: this a great place to do general research on hybrid vehicles, their functionality, as well as terms you might want to become familiar with before starting your search for a vehicle that suits your needs.
• Fuel Economy.gov: operated by the U.S. Department of Energy, this is the place to find the fuel economy of any vehicle not just hybrids.
• Autoblog Green: Excellent source for all thing green in the auto industry.
• Edmunds.com - professional opinions on cars
• Consumer Reports