Electric Car Photos

Hybrid vehicles are becoming very popular. They are very environmentally friendly automobiles. A hybrid vehicle uses two power sources in order to operate correctly. 

There are many different types of hybrid cars. The hybrid car was invented by Victor Wouk. In the 1990’s people started to notice hybrid cars in the market place. Hybrid vehicles that are gas and electric have a gas engine and an electric motor. The engine and the electric motor convert the gas to energy that is in the battery. The engine and the motor then make the car drive and operate. These hybrid cars are very popular and many automobile manufacturers have produced gas and electric hybrid vehicles.

Electric Cars. Another type of hybrid vehicle is called an electric car. Electric cars were invented many years ago. The first electric car was designed in Holland in 1835 by a man named Professor Stratingh. Electric cars have not been popular but now they are being designed because of the need for more environmentally friendly cars. An electric car does not have a gas powered engine; it only has an electric motor. It uses a controller to regulate the car’s power. It uses rechargeable batteries to get energy. You can recharge these batteries using electricity from home. In the next few years many electric cars will be manufactured.

A plug in hybrid vehicle uses a gas engine and an electric motor. It differs from regular hybrid vehicles because it uses large battery packs. These large battery packs can be recharged by using electricity that is in homes. It has twice the fuel economy of regular hybrid vehicles. Examples of plug in hybrids are: Venture One and the Fisker Karma. There will be more plug-in hybrid models made in 2009 and 2010.
—> See also Electric Hybrid Car.

Fluid power hybrids use an engine to charge a pressure accumulator to drive the wheels by using compressed air drive units. Ford makes a hydraulic Ford Expedition that can get thirty two miles per gallon.

An E85 Ethanol car uses ethanol to operate it. Ethanol is a renewable energy source. Farmers create Ethanol E85 usually by growing feed stocks. Ethanol causes less pollution than gasoline does. Examples of ethanol cars are: the Dodge Caravan E85, Chevrolet Impala E85, Chevrolet Sebring E85, Chevrolet Silverado E85, and the Ford F-150 E85.

Stop start hybrid cars have an energy storage device that is similar to a battery and a start up motor. It does not burn fuel and emit pollutants when it is idling the way that normal cars do. When the car stops the engine is not running. This is a very creative type of hybrid. Example of stop start hybrids are: Saturn Vue Green Line, Saturn Aura Green Line, and the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid.

Hybrid cars are very beneficial to the consumer. You can save a lot of money on gasoline by purchasing a hybrid car. Gas prices constantly fluctuate and transportation costs can really affect your finances. Hybrid cars get better fuel mileage than regular gas power engines. This can be a huge cost savings because you are stretching your dollar.

Hybrid cars help to make the environment healthier. Hybrid cars are much more environmentally friendly than normal gas burning vehicles. They usually use two forms of energy such as gasoline and electricity to help reduce the pollutants that are going into the air. We need to be making purchases that help our environment survive. We all need clean air and water to be healthy.

The future for hybrid cars is bright. President Elect Barack Obama has promised to invest in alternative forms of energy and he has said that he wants the automobile industry to make more hybrid vehicles. This would help the environment and Americans because there would be more manufacturing employees needed to make these new hybrid cars. Hybrid cars are essential to helping the world be a safer and cleaner place.

Here is a list of some hybrid cars:

• Toyota Prius- this is a very popular hybrid car. It can get at least fifty miles per gallon. The hybrid uses nickel metal hydride batteries. It is a very sporty hybrid to own. The engine is currently 1.5 liters; in 2009 it will increase to 1.8 liters. It is a great economical family vehicle to own.

• Honda Civic Hybrid- it can get forty miles per gallon in the city or forty five miles per gallon on the highway. It is a very attractive looking car. The hybrid has a four cylinder engine with an electric motor. This helps it save gas and remain a great source of horsepower. The hybrid has a 1.3 liter four cylinder engine and a twenty horsepower electric engine. It has a total of one hundred and ten horsepower. It can save gas by deactivating its cylinders when they are not needed. This is a great and efficient hybrid vehicle. It has a great design and is a very modern and hip looking hybrid.
• Toyota Camry Hybrid- this hybrid gets about thirty three miles to a gallon. This is a gas and electric hybrid vehicle. It has a 2.4 liter gasoline engine. It also has a one hundred and five kilowatt electric motor. In total it has one hundred and ninety two horsepower. It is a great family vehicle.
• Ford Escape Hybrid- this vehicle is a great hybrid sport utility vehicle. It is a gas and electric hybrid vehicle. It has a 2.3 liter engine but in 2009 it will have a 2.5 liter engine. It gets thirty four miles per gallon in the city and thirty one miles per gallon on the highway. It has one hundred and fifty five horsepower but the 2009 model will increase the horsepower to one hundred and seventy seven horsepower. In 2009, the hybrid will include a one hundred and ten volt ac power outlet. Its new braking system is great for braking and traction control. It feels heavy because it has three hundred more pounds of weight. It is not very effective for towing and rough road conditions but for every day use it is a great hybrid sport utility vehicle to own.
• Mercury Mariner Hybrid- this is a gas and electric hybrid vehicle. It gets about thirty two miles per gallon. It is a very stylish sport utility vehicle. You can use the gas pedal, brakes, and gears to move energy to and from the rechargeable batteries. You can also fully charge the batteries by going thirty miles per hour and then putting the shifter on low. It is a great and rugged sport utility vehicle hybrid vehicle.
• Mazda Tribute Hybrid- it has a 2.3 liter engine with an electric motor. It is a sport utility vehicle. It has one hundred and fifty five horsepower. It has a boxy and traditional design. It can go up to twenty five miles per hour when using only electric power.