Hybrid Engines and the Power of Advanced Fleet Vehicles - Article Example

Global warming is real, at least according to the vast majority of scientists and all available peer-reviewed scientific research. Evidence to the contrary has been presented but appears to be less credible. Greenhouse gasses produced from man-made air pollutants such as the leading contributor, automobile emissions, is causing widespread concern demonstrated through events such as the Live Earth event that occurred earlier this year and the release of Al Gore’s film in 2006 entitled An Inconvenient Truth. The rising global temperature is and will continue to cause major changes to the environment which in turn will negatively affect the U.S. economy to an extent that can only be speculative. What is known is that the impact will be nothing short of catastrophic regarding both the earth and economy. In much of the previous century, oil was largely viewed worldwide as an economic asset and ever-expanding tool for increasing mobility needs and is today the primary cause of air pollution through the medium of oil-burning automobile engines. The dependence on oil now threatens many national economies, their security and the environment as well. Not only can the world not endure fossil fuels being pumped into the atmosphere at the current rate for the next 30 years, most experts agree that in 30 years, the world’s supply of oil will be largely depleted. Only by quickly implementing alternative sources of automobile fuel and electricity on a large scale can this looming disaster be averted. Hybrid cars seem to provide at least a temporary answer until better technologies are developed. Because they burn less oil, hybrid cars are considered a step in the right direction. This discussion will review many aspects of the hybrid car including an explanation of what a hybrid car is and how they save fuel thereby emitting fewer pollutants, their popularity and their risks. In An Inconvenient Truth, former Vice-President Al Gore demonstrates with clever use of computer graphics the extent to which the U.S. is, by far, the unenviable world leader in fossil fuel emissions. His plea to change energy use habits is good advice for everyone and every nation but is unambiguously directed at an American audience. “First, we need to make major changes in our preferences and habits concerning our personal cars, housing patterns, and consumption patterns. This is true especially in the U. S. because our nation consumes the lion’s share of the world’s fossil fuels to sustain our rich standard of living” (“An Inconvenient Truth”, 2006). Gore went on to scold his fellow Americans by citing what he and all Americans assume to be ‘lesser’ countries, such as China, Japan and others, that are well ahead in adopting tougher emission/efficiency regulations. The U.S. auto companies have objected to similar regulations stating that they would lose profits if implemented. Through his presentation, Gore shows that the nations that produce the most energy efficient autos also sell the most cars and suggests that if U.S. auto makers followed suit, their profits would rise, not fall as they claim (Thomas, 2006). He complements the State of California for passing an auto emission regulation that would match in 11 years where China is now and chides U.S. auto makers for fighting this law. Lastly, Gore points out those relatively small reductions in several areas such as car and industrial pollution would return emissions to pre 1970 levels. One of the answers that has been brought forward, at least for a temporary fix to the problem until new technologies can be developed, is the idea of the hybrid car. The hybrid car is an idea very slow in catching on but has gained increasing popularity in recent years. The first hybrid appeared over 100 years ago but the demand for rapid transportation, the need for speed, kept the concept mainly on the drawing board until lately. Concerns regarding the environment, the availability of oil and ever-rising gasoline prices have popularized these alternative fuel vehicles. The definition of a hybrid is fairly general: “Any vehicle that combines two or more sources of power that can directly or indirectly provide propulsion power is a hybrid. For example, a moped (a motorized pedal bike) is a type of hybrid because it combines the power of a gasoline engine with the pedal power of its rider” (Layton & Nice 2006). The vast majority of hybrid cars that are being driven and requested by the public today are the gasoline-electric hybrid cars. “A gas-powered car has a fuel tank, which supplies gasoline to the engine. The engine then turns a transmission, which turns the wheels. An electric car has a set of batteries that provides electricity to an electric motor. The motor turns a transmission, and the transmission turns the wheels” (Welch & Kerwin 2003). The hybrid is a combination of these two concepts. There are many motivations to utilize and advance the development of hybrids including their ability to increase gas mileage significantly and reduce the emissions of fossil fuels while overcoming the shortcomings of an electric car. “Most electric cars cannot go faster than 50-60 mph, and need to be recharged every 50-100 miles. Hybrids bridge the gap between electric and gasoline-powered cars by traveling further and driving faster” (Care 2 Staff 2006). For a car to be considered effective transportation and thus viable to produce and sell, it must meet some basic requirements of the marketplace. It should be able to travel at least 300 miles between re-fueling, have means to be conveniently refueled and has to compete with the speed of other cars. While a gasoline-only car meets the requirements of speed and convenient refueling locations, it produces a reasonably sizeable quantity of poisonous fumes and normally experiences low gas mileage. “An electric car, however, produces almost no pollution, but it can only go 50 to 100 miles between charges. And the problem has been that the electric car is very slow and inconvenient to recharge” (Layton & Nice 2006). The higher efficiency of hybrid cars allows them to have the best of both worlds, attaining higher fuel economy and lower emissions. For example, “the hybrid Honda Insight is rated at 61 miles per gallon (mpg) city, and 70 mpg highway. A gasoline-fueled Insight achieves only 32 mpg city and 37 mpg highway” (DeCico, Kliesch & Tomas 2000). “Overall hybrids can achieve fuel economy gains of 40 percent compared to their conventional counterparts and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30-50 percent” (Center for the New American Dream 2004). It has been estimated that with the massive quantity of gasoline consumed each year, “even a one percent improvement in vehicle fuel efficiency would save consumers about $2 billion annually” (United States 2005). Recently, hybrid/electric cars are quickly becoming more popular but they are not built in great enough quantities for a potential buyer to get one in immediately as they would be able to get a conventional gasoline powered car. Executives at Ford Motor Company claim that the demand for its Escape Hybrid, an SUV, is five times greater than its supply. “Today’s hybrids are far more sophisticated and user-friendly than the ones sold just a few years ago,” said Buzz Rodland, Chairman of the American International Automobile Dealers Association in a press release quoted by Singleton (2004). No longer do car buyers have to make a choice between fuel efficiency and practicality. Hybrids today are practical enough for everyday use and provide power necessary for highway driving. Hybrids are expanding their popularity base because they offer gas-saving efficiency with power, room and stylish amenities. “In the five years that hybrids have been on the market, we've seen an increase from two vehicles – a two-seater and a compact sedan – to 11 vehicles that come in almost every body style” (Mello 2005). The field has only grown in the years since, even going so far as Ford offering its new Hybrid Escape 4x4. There are some disadvantages of the hybrid vehicle. High demand has predictably pushed upward the sales price of hybrid cars beyond affordability for many. Some pre-owned hybrids, the Prius especially, sell for as much or more as the initial showroom price-tag. New hybrid drivers find that their actual gas mileage doesn’t match-up to what was listed by the manufacturer on the window sticker. “Odds are you won’t successfully haggle dealers for a bargain in high-demand areas, hybrids frequently sell for several thousand dollars more than their retail prices” (Rockhold 2005). There are also added registration fees for hybrids in some states. Hybrids cost from $2,000 to $5,000 more than the non-Hybrid version of the same car and have increased odds for breakdowns because their power-train is more complex than a conventional car. Mechanics, generally, are not trained to deal with hybrids forcing the car’s owner to pay higher prices to someone that can. Parts may cost more as they are not as widely available as gas powered car parts. Specialized hybrid tires are smaller, yet they are more costly to replace. “Consumer Reports says the extra money spent on a hybrid does not make up for what is saved in gas. It would take 21 1/2 years of gas savings to make-up the difference” (Consumers Union of U.S. 2004). “Hybrids also have an image problem. Consumers think of fuel economy and low pollution when they think of hybrid vehicles, but they do not think of increased performance” (McManus 2006). “The acceleration capability of some (not all) hybrids is less than that of comparable vehicles. High-performance electric motors are not yet available in hybrid vehicles, whose emphasis is on economy not speed” (Walczak 2006). Why then, would people chose to spend more for a hybrid? “’They want to do the right thing for the environment. They want to be seen participating in that effort,’ says Thad Malesh, a director of the alternative power technology practice at JD Power” (Lazarony 2003). Many of these reports are using statistics available a few years ago and don’t reflect the advances that have been made in hybrid vehicles in recent years, which have introduced more models, more variety and greater visibility to the vehicles. As more models become available, the prices will begin to sink to more comparable levels with gasoline-powered cars and more mechanics will become familiar with the new technology. The use of hybrid cars needs to be promoted among car makers and consumers. It is up to this generation to ensure that there is a reliable, less-damaging means of both preserving our way of life and protecting our planet now and in the future. References An Inconvenient Truth. (2006). Al Gore. Lawrence Bender Productions. Care 2 Staff. (2006). “More About Hybrid Engines.” Care 2. Available November 20, 2007 from < http://www.care2.com/channels/hybrid/hybrid-gas.html> Center for a New American Dream [with National Association of Counties]. (February 2004). “Harnessing the Power of Advanced Fleet Vehicles.” New American Dream. Available November 20, 2007 Consumers Union of U.S. (June 28, 2004). “Hybrid Cars Have Benefits, Drawbacks.” WRAL [online]. Available November 20, 2007 from DeCicco, J, Kliesch J & Tomas, M. (2000). ACEEE’s Green Book: The Environmental Guide to Cars & Trucks. Washington D.C. Jackson, Derrick Z. (July 18, 2001). “Gas-Guzzling Americans Irk Europeans.” Boston Globe. CommonDreams News Center. Available November 12, 2007 from Lazarony, L. (October 13, 2003). “Is a Hybrid Car Right For You?” BankRate [online]. Available November 20, 2007 from Layton, J. & Nice, Karim. (2006). “How Hybrid Cars Work.” How Stuff Works. Available November 20, 2007 from McManus, W. (2006). “Hybrid and Diesel Markets.” Hybrid Cars [online]. Available November 20, 2007 from < http://www.hybridcars.com/hybrid-versus-diesel.html> Mello, T.B. (September 7, 2005). “Honda Popularity Skyrockets.” Edmunds [online]. 6 Available November 20, 2007 from Rockhold, J. (October/November 2005). “Pay Less at the Gas Pump: The Hybrid Revolution.” Mother Earth News. Available November 20, 2007 from Singleton, K. (2004). “Hybrid Cars are Gaining in Popularity.” World Internet News. University of Houston. Available November 20, 2007 from Thomas, David A. (2006). “Earthcare: An Inconvenient Truth (2006).” Christian Ethics Today. Vol. 12, N. 5. Available November 12, 2007 from United States. (2005). “Annual Energy Outlook 2005.” Energy Information Association. Washington, D.C.: GPO. Walczak, J. (2006). “Cons: The Downside of Owning a Hybrid Vehicle.” About 4 Wheel Drive/Offroading. Available November 20, 2007 from Welch, D & Kerwin, K. (October 6, 2003). “The Story on Hybrids.” The Weekly Report. Vol. 2, I. 29, pp. 1-3. Read More