Hybrid Electric Car: To Plug Or Not To Plug
The automotive world has been reeling since the hybrid electric car was introduced in the late 1990s. Hailed as an answer to the energy crisis and the inevitable demise of fossil fuels, most experts now admit that solving our energy problems is going to take more than just one magic idea. Fuel made from renewable sources like soybeans is just one of the other ideas that seems to have merit for the future.
Still, the hybrid car is a strong component in the race. What's more, technology is bound to make hybrids more and more efficient and affordable in the future. For now, two of the most important designs are the plug-in model hybrids and the ones that don't have to be plugged into an electrical power source.
The plug-in hybrid electric car (or PHEV) has a larger battery than the regular hybrids. It can be charged up by plugging it into an electrical outlet, which means that it doesn't require gasoline at all for short trips around town. The car can be plugged in or not, depending on your needs. For instance, if you can't get to your outlet, you can add gasoline. Like other hybrids, the PHEV then recharges itself every time you step on the brake.
So are PHEV cars on the market yet? Or do you have to be a mechanical Mother Earth type and create your own 100 mpg marvel from an old VW and a kit you order off the Internet? Actually, if you're a do-it-yourselfer, you need to start with a hybrid like a Toyota Prius and spend about $6000 on parts to convert it to a plug-in hybrid. There are companies that will do the conversion to your hybrid electric car. It is not a cheap process, however. The company, Hybrids Plus, charges from $24,000 and up to turn your Toyota Prius (2004-2008 model) into a PHEV. They also convert Ford Escapes and Toyota Highlanders. One reason plug-in hybrids are not widely available yet is that they use lithium ion batteries, which do not have a very long life. Researchers are working to perfect the batteries in these cars so they can last for 10 years or so, instead of just a year or less. Converting to a plug-in hybrid electric car is so costly that simply the savings on gas probably does not justify laying out the bucks. It does make the car much less harmful to the environment, however, because electric power does not create the air pollutants caused by burning gasoline. Renault is one of the companies that is producing automobiles that run on electricity and a lot less fuel. Unfortunately, their cars are mostly available in Europe at this time. Until the technology has made PHEVs a possibility for the majority, those North Americans on normal budgets will have to be happy with the regular hybrids from the automakers, Toyota, Honda, Ford, Saturn, Lexus, and others. Fortunately, these are good cars, led by the 60 mpg Prius Hybrid.
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