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Competition for developing the most modern and contemporary utility vehicle is tough, and in recent news this type of car has
gained a lot of attention. Many of us are aware of the hazards automobiles omit
into the air, contributing to many environmental hazards,
such as the greenhouse effect. To pave the way for new transportation that is
environmentally friendly and easy on the wallet, a new type of car -- known as
the hybrid car -- has been introduced into the market.
The name "hybrid" seems modernistic to the eye, doesn't it? Hybrid vehicles are
created when there is a combination of two or more sources of power. For
example, let us examine the moped (which is a motorized petal bike, a popular
transportation method across the globe). A moped combines the power of a
gasoline engine with the power of the person who is riding it. This is what
makes it hybrid. In fact, the term hybrid is defined as "something of mixed
origin or composition".
There are many types of hybrid vehicles; one example is a
gasoline-electric hybrid car. This is a cross between a gasoline-powered car and
an electric car. Although the transmission works the same in a hybrid car
as a conventional car, some things are different. Batteries in a hybrid
car are important because they are the energy storage devices for the
electric motor. What is eccentric about the hybrid is that it can put energy into the batteries, as well as draw energy from them.
The gasoline engine in a hybrid car is very different from a
regular car's gas engine. It is smaller and uses advanced technologies to increase its efficiency
and to reduce emissions. The electric motor makes the hybrid special; it can act as a motor,
of course, but also as a generator. It can draw energy from the batteries in
order to accelerate the car (therefore, making it go quicker) and, when acting
as a generator, it can slow the
car and return the energy to the batteries.
The generator's job is to produce electrical power, and is usually found in a
series hybrid.
An Internet website, Forward Drive, describes the differences between how the
two types of hybrid cars -- series and parallel -- work in comparison to one
another. To find out for yourself, visit the website
http://www.forwarddrive.com/archive/primer_hybrid.html.
Deciding if hybrid cars work better than pure electric cars is a discussion that
currently involves a lot of personal opinion. Both have their positive (as well as their negative)
aspects. However, an article by Jay Lehr in Environmental and Climate News
declares that hybrid cars are destined for failure in the future. This is
because the added costs for hybrid technology, the amount of power that is
needed for running the cars -- the production of ethanol gasoline additives and
bio-diesel fuel -- makes the car less energy efficient. Finally, the public does
not seem to care about the fuel economy, especially when it affects purchasing a new vehicle.
With all of the advanced technology available, researchers suggest that more
automobiles, even more advanced from the hybrid, need to be produced in the
years to come. Therefore, purchasing the right vehicle for you can become an
awkward situation, especially if it will become "old news" sometime in the
future.
You & I,
TIKE
Work Cited
"How Stuff Works". 23 May 2002.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/hybrid-car.htm (15
July 2003).
"Hybrid Cars a Fairy Tale & Caf?? Kills." 15 July 2003.
http://www.r21online.com/archives/000188.html
The New Lexicon Webster's Dictionary of the English Language. New York: Lexicon
Publications, Inc. 1987.
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