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by Bill Kuhl |
Taking the Leap to a Hybrid Automobile
After 10 years and 100,000 miles I thought it was time to replace my minivan with a more fuel
efficient vehicle. I have been fascinated by the hybrid technology but also a little hesitant because
of the added complexity. I decided to purchase a Toyota Prius because of their long track record
and excellent customer satisfaction among owners.
Hopefully the following will explain in fairly simple terms how the hybrid car may be more fuel efficient:
At a very simplified level a hybrid like the Prius is using both a gasoline engine and an electric motor to
move the car. Energy normal wasted as heat during braking is used to recharge batteries that power the
electric motor which helps move the car. When the car starts moving the electric motor tries first to get the
car moving to overcome the inertia first and then starts the gasoline engine if needed. The switching
between gas and electric is all done by computer control.
The gasoline engine operates in a more efficient manner in a hybrid car. With the help of the electric motor
it can operate at a more efficient rpm and is completely shut off much of the time. The gasoline engine can
be sized smaller which is more fuel efficient because the electric motor is available to help with peak demand.
Actual gas mileage that you will obtain is dependent on many variables but in general hybrid cars will do better
for city driving with the frequent starts, stops and periods of idling. Idling can be a rather big waste of fuel and
there are some non-hybrid gas cars that start and stop the engine when idling. The real time data provided on
the dashboard of the hybrid car gives feedback to train you to drive in a more fuel efficient manner.
Batteries are probably the biggest concern of people not familiar with hybrid vehicles, how long will they last and
how expensive will the battery be to replace. Projected life of the battery is really pretty good because it is never
charged to maximum capacity or drained down too far, this prolongs battery life. Manufacturers feel confident
the batteries will last and offer warranties normally around 8 years. Weight of the battery is another concern
but in the case of the Prius is just around 100 pounds.
There are other smaller factors that can make the hybrid more fuel efficient some which might be unique to the
Prius. No belts are used on the gasoline engine, everything is run through electric motors. Other factors are the
sleek styling of the car for less drag, tires designed for better mileage, and saving hot coolant to warm the
engine up again quicker for the next start.
Just hit the 50 m.p.g. mark. This summer the car displayed 51.5 and 51.8 mpg.
Hybrid and Electric Trucks
By now everyone has seen hybrid automobiles driving on the nation’s roadways on a daily basis, but less
likely is the chance that you have seen a large hybrid truck but that is changing. Many large corporations
such as Coco-Cola, Frito-Lay, and many others have either hybrid electric or pure electric trucks in service.
These are not just pickup trucks but every size of truck and buses as well. Hybrid components normally are
manufactured by one of several companies and installed in trucks for all the major manufacturers such as
Mack, Freightliner, Peterbuilt, or International to name a few.
Hybrid trucks are normally diesel-electric using the more energy dense lithium batteries. In one system the
110 pound lithium battery was said to be the equivalent of 1900 pounds of lead acid batteries, the type of
battery normally found in all vehicles. With enough electricity, electric motors produce a tremendous amount
of torque right from the start which is what is needed to move heavy loads. In that the direct current from the
batteries is converted to alternating current it is also possible to power many types of electrical components
off the truck such as the refrigeration or the lift in a boom truck.
The type of truck that will realize the best fuel savings is probably the type of truck that makes many starts
and stops on a route. Pure electric trucks are used for this also but have a range limited to 100 miles. For
many routes this is adequate range for the day and the truck is charged overnight. Fuel savings is part of
the reason but pollution and noise are also major benefits in some urban areas.
Widespread use of the technology depends on the economics of the payback period, the figure often quoted
is 4 to 7 years at current fuel prices. Lithium batteries are expensive to manufacturer but should come down
in price with enough demand and new technology.
Pro and Cons of Alternative Energy - http://alternativeenergy.procon.org/ Someone suggested this site. I
believe it is good to study the pro and con although I believe science should be finding facts instead of opinions.