Hybrid Cars An Introduction

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Have you been thinking about hybrid cars and maybe wondering what a hybrid is anyway? Well, in this article we will hopefully help you understand them a little better.

A hybrid is very similar to the gasoline powered automobile most people drive today, the big difference is the hybrid also uses batteries as part of their power supply, most hybrid cars on the road right now are gasoline-electric hybrids although, there are some that are diesel-electric, but for the sake of this article we will concentrate on the gasoline-electric powered car.

A gas powered car has a fuel tank, which supplies gasoline to the engine, which turns the transmission, which turns the wheels. The hybrid is a compromise, it attempts to significantly increase mileage and produce fewer emissions than the gas powered car, to be useful for you or me, a hybrid must be able to be refueled quickly and deliver around 300 miles or better between refueling. The fuel tank on a hybrid is very sophisticated. Advanced electronics allow it to act as a motor as well as a generator. It can draw energy from the batteries to accelerate the car, but acting as a generator, can slow the car down and return energy back to the batteries. It takes 1000 pounds of batteries to equal a gallon of gasoline in energy. This combination can and is cutting gasoline consumption substantially. I am sure things will only get better in the future for hybrid cars; they were a long time in coming and will not be for everybody. The cost for the hybrids is not as much as one might think although some do get quite expensive depending on the extras and options added, the same as any new automobile

Here is a list of what is available in gas powered hybrids on the market today and some that will be coming soon,
Honda Accord, Honda Civic, Honda Fit expected in 2008, Honda Insight, Hyundai Accent, expected in 2009, Chevrolet Malibu expected 2007 Lexus GS 450h, Nissan Altman, expected in 2007, Toyota Camry, Toyota Plus,
SUVs & Minivans- Chevrolet Tahoe, expected 2007, Dodge Durango, expected in 2007, Ford Escape SUV, GMC Yukon, expected 2007, Lexus RX400h SUV, Toyota Highlander SUV, Mercury Mariner SUV, and others will be coming in the near future.

Right now there are enough on the market to look at to see if maybe a hybrid automobile is for you. At first, the designs seem a bit different, they do take a little time to get used to, but after awhile though they do seem to fit right in and some will get you looking a second time at the smart design. Take a look and maybe a test drive, I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the ride and concept of the new hybrids. They are different and will take some getting used to, but they are much needed and will do away with some of the other gas guzzling automobiles that are on the road today. I hope after reading this article you will have a better understanding of what a hybrid car is all about, they seem to be here to stay.

Did you know you could be eligible for an irs hybrid rebate? Find out more at http://www.hybrid-rides.com.