| Editorial: Hybrid car profile - Publication: Calabasas Magazine
Back to Editorials Whether its the war on Promising mileage of around 40 miles per gallon, key auto manufacturers including
Hybrid cars from
For 2005, Hybrid sales are expected to climb to 200,000, leaping to 260,000 in 2006 and 535,000 in 2011. The reason? A flurry of new hybrid models, including pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles will be available.
Meanwhile a one-time federal tax deduction of $2,000 is a nice incentive. Any car shopper who purchases a new hybrid through 2005 is eligible for the full tax deduction, though unfortunately his tax break will drop to $500 in 2006 and disappear in 2007.
Hybrids are typically certified to very stringent tailpipe emission levels defined by the California Air Resources Board. Beginning in 2004, both
The hybrid cars currently on the market cost from $3500 to $6000 more per car than comparable cars with conventional gas engines. This means that the amount of money you save, or don't save, by buying a hybrid is very much dependent on gasoline prices. If gas is priced at $1.80 per gallon (we wish), it could take the average driver (15,000 miles per year) between 10 and 15 years to amortize the $3500 increase in the initial price. However, the higher gas prices go, the less time it takes to recoup the higher price tag. Another cost factor is battery price, ranging from $1,000 to $3,000, and in some cases $4,800 to $8,000.
To date
With its much revered Prius having been around since 2003,
Like all hybrids, his Prius increases fuel efficiency by harnessing small amounts of electricity generated during braking and coasting. Priced at $21,275, there's no key, either. To start the car, you press the Power button. The Ready light comes on, but the gasoline engine doesn't kick in until you reach 10 or 15 mph. The 2005 Toyota Prius sedan, with its 1.5L Inline 76hp hybrid engine gets 60/51 mpg according to the EPA. A ‘Smart Keyless Entry system,' automatically unlocks the doors when you near the vehicle.
HONDA All round quality of engineering and industry credibility places the Honda in second place in the hybrid marketplace. Honda offers three key models, including the Civic Hybrid, Accord Hybrid, and Insight. The Honda Insight, introduced in early 2000 in the The Honda Accord sees excellent hybrid technology added to one of
Like the iconic Accord, the Civic Hybrid is a proven formula. Honda's Integrated Motor Assist powertrain means up to 650 miles on one tank. A leader in innovative technology and social responsibility, the Civic Hybrid seamlessly pairs a super-efficient gasoline engine with a lightweight, high-output electric motor.
CHEVY
For those still firmly ensconced in gas guzzling, Chevy are captaining an innovate new genre known as the “ mild hybrid.” Not fully blown hybrid as in switching from gasoline o electricity, these trucks instead use an idle-stop function (found in current hybrids), which shuts off the gas engine when the car is idling at a stop. This feature adds about 2 mpgs in city and 1 mpg on the highway—about 18 town, 21 highway mpg The “mild” hybrids act as power generators, with two conventional, three-prong plug-ins under the rear seat, and two more in the back of the bed. According to GM, their new hybrid pickups could maintain power for up to 32 hours non-stop before needing to fill the tank. The batteries (three 14-volt units plus the standard 12-volt) that make this magic happen cannot power the truck forward at lower speeds, and don't give any extra oomph for passing. In 2006 GM plans to launch the Chevrolet Equinox hybrid SUV, which will provide improved fuel economy in stop-and-go driving. GM is also developing a Chevy Trailblazer utility vehicle with "displacement on demand" (DOD) eight-cylinder engines, which shut down cylinders when a driver needs less power. GM says it predicts 1 million DOD engines, on the road by mid-2006.
In 2007 GM will likely offer a Chevrolet Malibu sedan hybrid that features GM's Belt Alternator Starter (BAS) hybrid system coupled with a continuously variable transmission, which will achieve fuel savings of between 12 percent and 15 percent. If successful, the system could be readily available on other mid-size models as demand In 2007 the Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid SUV is expected to roll onto dealers' lots. The Tahoe will use a version of the Allison advanced hybrid bus technology and Displacement on Demand cylinder deactivation technology. Together the technologies will achieve a fuel economy improvement of about 30 percent. DODGE The Dodge ESX3 sedan builds on the knowledge and experience gained from its predecessors, the Dodge Intrepid ESX in 1996 and the ESX2 in 1998. It draws on technology developed through the government-industry collaboration known as the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV). The progress in fuel efficiency and cost stem from several major improvements in technology: The ESX3's mild hybrid electric (or "mybrid") powertrain combines a clean, efficient diesel engine, electric motor and state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery to achieve an average 72 miles per gallon (3.3 liters/100 km) fuel efficiency (gasoline equivalent). That is two miles per gallon better than the fuel efficiency of its predecessor, the ESX2 in 1998, and close to PNGV's goal of up to 80 mpg (2.9 liters/100 km).
A unique electro-mechanical automatic transmission (EMAT) developed by DaimlerChrysler engineers provides the fuel efficiency of a manual transmission with the convenience of an automatic. The lightweight body makes use of another DaimlerChrysler innovation - injection-molded thermoplastic technology that achieves significant improvements in weight and cost. The ESX3 weighs in at just 2,250 pounds (1020 kg) while meeting all federal safety standards. The entire vehicle is more than 80 percent recyclable.
Written by Craig Stephens |