Hybrid Vehicles

The conventional gasoline engine provides appropriate power, meets emission and fuel economy standards, and provides a smooth, quiet, reliable and relatively inexpensive form of transportation (Hybrid, 2003). However, almost every such vehicle on the road has an engine much more powerful than it needs most of the time. A typical vehicle has a 200 horsepower engine, but only reaches that horsepower occasionally for quick passing maneuvers and climbing hills. Only 20 to 30 horsepower is needed to keep it running when it is up to running speed. Electrical vehicles run smoothly and quietly, with no environmentally harmful emissions, but so far no one has been able to design a suitable battery, so they have a very limited range. Recharging the battery takes much longer than refueling a gasoline-powered car. Also, as the battery is losing its charge, the electric car gradually slows down.

A hybrid vehicle solves both of these issues (Hybrid, 2003). It usually consists of a fossil fuel-burning engine combined with an electrical system consisting of a motor, a generator, and a battery. Individual models vary, but both systems work together to varying degrees, usually having the gasoline engine driving the electrical system, which in turn drives the vehicle. The most basic hybrid vehicle is the diesel-electric hybrid railroad locomotive, which has a large diesel engine, which drives a generator, which in turn supplies power for an electric motor, which drives the wheel

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eway. This is a 25 percent improvement over the Civic with a conventional gasoline engine. The Civic hybrid is slightly more expensive than the conventional model, and has slightly slower acceleration. The Ford hybrid model of the Escape, using a four-cylinder engine, is expected to get 40 mpg in the city compared to 23 mpg for the conventional engine model. One current problem of hybrids is that savings at the pump are usually offset by a higher sticker price, though this is expected to come down as the models become more popular and sales volumes increase (Hamilton, 2002). For this reason, GM planned to market their GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado pickup hybrids by emphasizing their onboard electric generators and standard outlets for power tools, rather than for their fuel economy. Also, current batteries are only guaranteed for 8 years, and may cost as much as $2,000 to replace. The Internal Revenue Service has certified the 2004 Toyota Prius eligible for the clean-burning fuel deduction, which will result in a one-time tax deduction of up to $2,000 for buyers who place the vehicle into service before December 31, 2003 (IRS, 2003). This deduction will be reduced by 25 percent for vehicles placed into service i

Category: Science - H