Hybrid Cars

The world today is going into global warming due to the greenhouses gases emitted into the atmosphere. One third of these greenhouse emissions are due to the gasoline emissions from cars and other vehicles. Often times large SUV's and other "gas guzzlers" such as Hummers give you around 10 miles per gallon. This means a lot more emissions are produced for a short amount of time. It also means people need to spend a lot more money on gasoline. There are other cars of course that don't waste as much gasoline but they still add onto global warming. There have been electric cars designed that run on electric motors, but they haven't been so convenient because there batteries have to be recharged often. A new type of car has been designed that combines an electric motor with a gasoline engine called hybrid cars. Hybrid cars give you about 30-35 miles per gallon and some Japanese cars can give you up to 50 miles per gallon.


A typical gasoline-engine car uses a fuel tank which supplies the engine with gas. The engine turns the transmission which turns the wheels. An electric car has a set of batteries which power an electric motor. The motor turns the transmission which turns the wheels. A gasoline-electric(hybrid) car combines both into one system. There are two ways to combine the two power sources in a hybrid car. In a parallel hybrid the fuel tank powers the engine and the batteries power the motor. The motor and engine are both connected to the transmission and work at the same time to turn it. In a series hybrid the gasoline from the fuel tank turns a generator which can charge the batteries or power the motor directly. In a series hybrid, only the electrical motor directly turns the transmission.


There are many advantages in Hybrid cars that make them efficient. Their engines are smaller making them more efficient. The motor can also work to slow the car down , acting as a generator to recharge the batteries. When a hybrid car stops the engine can temporarily shut off and then automatically turn back on when the car is put in gear. The advanced aerodynamics and Low-Rolling Resistance tires reduce drag. The lightweight materials increase the efficiency of hybrid cars. Many other vehicles are hybrids such as mopeds. Cities like Seattle have diesel-electric hybrid buses. Most locomotives that pull trains are diesel-electric hybrids-as well as mining trucks. Submarines are usually nuclear-electric or diesel-electric hybrids. A French car, maker PSA Peugeot Citroen is working on two diesel-electric hybrids.




Videos:

• http://auto.howstuffworks.com/hybrid-car.htm (scroll down a bit)
• http://youtube.com/watch?v=uJxNGvi-dpQ

Information Sources:

• http://auto.howstuffworks.com/hybrid-car.htm


• http://eartheasy.com/live_hybrid_cars.htm


• http://www.hybrid-cars-guide.com/

Image Sources:

• http://oica.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/hybrid-diagram-large.gif
• http://blog.ecolect.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/toyota_prius_2.jpg