It now appears that hybrid car technology could markedly improve fuel economy in this country and could therefore delay the problems to be faced by the arrival of Peak Oil. The reason for this is simple. The family car is the major user of fuel in the U.S. and is largely responsible for the energy crisis we find ourselves in.
Based on the above, hybrid cars are better than most alternative energy sources in combating the energy crisis. In theory, hybrids are the best alternative energy source.
If only we can hold off Peak Oil until we get a few million of the hybrids on the highway! Fuel consumption by U.S. cars would then go down appreciably.
The first hybrid cars on the market increased gas mileage substantially and future models, most notably diesel hybrid models, may double gas mileage. That helps the pocketbook as gasoline and diesel prices rise.
There is hope!
Unfortunately, the Japanese (Toyota) are eating our lunch with their hybrid cars (Toyota Prius) as they did with small cars a few decades ago. Many of the most popular hybrid cars are Japanese and, of these, the Prius is the run-away winner. Are the Japanese coming out of their long slump or are American auto companies just goofing off again? If the American companies continue to lag, they had better look out. Some appear to be approaching bankruptcy as they sell the SUVs and giant pickups cheaply in an attempt to hold market share.
Of course, the bad news is that only a few hundred thousand hybrid cars are on the road in this country. It is going to take some time to replace a large percentage of the 200,000,000 non-hybrid vehicles presently on the road.
What's with the American automobile companies? They are like the mule that you have to hit over the head with a "2 by 4" to get its attention. In regards to hybrid cars, the foreign car manufacturers, especially Japan's Toyota, are eating the Detroit auto companies lunch again.
While the Detroit car companies have been pushing SUVs and pickup trucks so obscenely large that they can serve as small school buses or carry small cars in the pick-up truck bed, Toyota saw the need for the hybrids, got busy and engineered a great hybrid car - the Prius. The Toyota Prius was the first mass-produced hybrid. The technology for the Prius, when examined, looks amazingly simple. But then, so do most inventions when looked at retrospectively. From my experience working in the patent field, I remember the often-repeated tale of how the whiskered expert reacts to a new invention (someone else's invention):
When first introduced, the whiskered expert says, "It won't work!"
Then when it looks like it might work, "It works, but it costs too much!"
Finally, when the invention is a success, "It works, it doesn't cost too much, and I thought of it first!"
Toyota has jumped out front with the Prius and this has the whiskered experts of Detroit trying to play catch-up to the Japanese engineers. The Detroit experts still don't have all the message. For example, I saw a photo of some of the hybrid designs they are coming up with and they are planning to produce over-sized hybrid pickup trucks . The large trucks look funny when called "hybrids" and the gas efficiency is only slightly improved over conventional pickups because of the size of the pick-ups. The Detroit experts just don't get the message, yet! They are still in the dinosaur age.
And America is where Project Management has been so effective in accomplishing major projects, e.g., Manhattan Project, Apollo Project, etc.
But maybe we should hold off on judging Detroit until the new designs of U.S. hybrid cars such as the Mercury Mariner and the Ford Escape (Ford Escape licenses Toyota hybrid technology) hit the market and can be compared to the Toyota Prius. There are some good reports on them.
The American people have gotten the message alright. There are long waiting lines for the Toyota Prius and for other hybrids largely of foreign make. Design Improvements are coming thick and fast and prices appear to be holding or are only slightly higher than comparable non-hybrids. (A nice low-priced hybrid car appears to be the Honda Civic).
In summer of 2006, I read an article noting that 30% of Americans would consider buying a hybrid car. In 2005, that figure was 3%. A ten-fold increase in one year!
Additionally, there are some tax breaks to be considered when a person is looking at possibly buying a hybrid car.
The hybrids are on their way.
Question for Americans. Why couldn't the US have been out front with the hybrid car technology or, for that matter, out front with any energy saving technology that would help with the energy crisis? After all, we are largely responsible for causing the energy crisis with our large consumption of oil and natural gas (25 % of world's total). It appears that this administration, instead of initiating any peaceful realistic programs that might solve the energy problem, prefers to put a gun to the head of oil-rich foreign countries and tell them, "Give me your oil!"
Hybrid Cars vs. Hydrogen Powered Cars. Many experts say that the hybrid is just the first step on the road toward hydrogen-powered cars which are the ultimate energy saving vehicle. President Bush has endorsed the hydrogen car as the way to beat the energy crisis. All our problems will be over when we finally enter the "hydrogen" era! Maybe so.....and then again maybe not. Several decades ago, I also heard that our energy problems would be over when we entered the solar energy era. Driven any solar powered cars lately? How far away is the solar era? (To be fair, solar energy is beginning to look more competitive.)
Also, remember the big shale oil push of the seventies. Both industry and the US Government poured billions into that Peter Pan dream. Driven any shale oil powered cars lately? How far away is the shale oil era?
I don't want to poke too much fun at solar energy or shale oil or hydrogen-powered cars. We shouldn't give up on any type of possible alternative energy source. And as far as what my opinion is worth on this subject, It should also be noted that I didn't think much of hybrid cars when I first heard of the concept!
I was wrong about the hybrids!
However, hydrogen-powered cars are a long ways from being operational and eliminating our fuel shortage worries. They are presently estimating that it will be at least 2010 (2010 looks optimistic to me!) before the hydrogen-powered cars will be ready for the mass market. By that time, Peak Oil will almost certainly have us by the throat.
While we are waiting for the hydrogen-powered cars to be perfected, lets push the hybrid cars. They work and they are here now!
The Concept. Theoretically, a hybrid combines two or more sources of power. One of the web sites I reviewed points out that the mo-ped is a hybrid vehicle because it uses both leg power and gasoline engine power.
Sources of Power. The gasoline engine and electric motor are the two most common sources of power for hybrids.. But batteries play a major role in most hybrid cars providing an energy storage device for the electric motor.
Car Prices. The prices of hybrid cars is substantially higher than the price of equivalent conventional cars. That said, the prices are not outrageous and are predicted to go much lower as production of the hybrid cars is increased
In the long run, price will not be a problem.
Power Split Device of Toyota Prius. The generator and the transmission also perform important functions in the hybrids. In particular, it should be noted that the power split device of the Toyota Prius functions as a gear box and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The CVT eliminates the need for either an automatic or manual transmission.
The power split device is the heart and soul of the Toyota Prius and is largely responsible for the outstanding performance of the hybrid car. The device is something an American should have invented but didn't because the Americans design engineers were busy trying to make SUVs and pickups a little roomier. Will we ever learn?
Regenerative Braking. One of the neat tricks many hybrid cars perform is to recover energy from the braking operation. The electric motor helps to slow the car down and is responsible for this regenerative braking operation. While the electric motor is assisting the brakes in throttling down the car, it acts as an electric generator and uses the energy collected in slowing the car down to charge the car's batteries. This, of course, improves the fuel efficiency.
1. Alternative Energy Sources. Hybrid cars and other alternative energy sources will work hand-in-hand in fighting the energy crisis and global warming. So buy a hybrid car and fight global warming and the energy crisis!
2. Global Warming. Global warming is arriving with Peak Oil. Did you notice the powerful hurricane that devastated New Orleans? How about the non-winter this past year? And the past summer of 2006, we had a heat wave envelope the country. Is Al Gore right about global warming?
3. Oil & Energy Crisis. Peak Oil is approaching and your life will never be the same again! You need a hybrid to save gasoline money.
4. Alternative Energy Company Stocks Someone will make money out of the energy crisis. It might as well be you.
5. Global Warming & Alternative Energy Sources . A blog discussing global warming and alternative energy sources such as hybrid cars.
6. Oil & Gas Prices. Hybrid cars will come in handy if oil and gas prices continue to rise.
7. Germany in World War 2. Causes and major events of World War 2.
The Hybrid car has arrived and will play a role in reducing the U.S. (and world) dependence on oil. Hybrid cars are better than most alternative energy sources in dealing with the energy crisis. The Japanese have led the way in hybrid cars with their outstanding Toyota Prius. U.S. hybrid cars are beginning to be produced in volume now but the Japanese have a head start.
Last Updated: 05/08/08
e-mail me @ vanc13@cox.net