Hybrid Cars Auto Industry Hybrid Gasoline Hybrid Diesel Hydrogen
Hybrid is a relatively new term in the auto industry; it refers to a vehicle that has two sources of power that propel the vehicle. In a true hybrid, either power source can operate independent of the other, or the power sources can work in sync to deliver performance and gas saving benefits. Hybrid automobiles are referred to as green cars because they give off fewer carbon emissions while consuming less gasoline.
Hybrid vehicles have been in mass production for several decades but the first hybrid was built over a hundred years ago. One of the first hybrid car was built by Dr. Ferninand Porsche around 1899. It used an internal combustion engine and electric motors located in the wheel hubs. The US produced electric andhybridcars in the early 1900s but Henry Ford eventually won the auto market with gasoline powered cars.
The US auto industry came on board with mass production of modern technology hybrids about a decade ago, but they appear to be lagging behind foreign cars based on vehicle performance, mpg, and sales. The recent economy meltdown left US automakers at a decided disadvantage in playing catch-up caused by what some experts say is Americans love affair with the gasoline internal combustion engine.
Electric motor/gasoline engines
Most common in the current offering of hybrids are gasoline engines combined with electric motors. In thishybrid, advanced electric motors double as generators with the ability to recharge. When necessary, the motor draws energy from the batteries to accelerate and acting as a generator, it slows the car returning energy to the batteries. The technologically advanced engine is smaller.
This hybrid allows the electric motor and gasoline engine to work together or independently of each other in power synchronization. Hybrid owners realize more miles per gallon of gasoline. The Toyota Prius is leading the field at about 40 to 50mpg, but it should be noted that driver habits contribute to the gas economy of the vehicle.
The electric motor/gasoline engine is one of many automobile hybrids that are planned to achieve superior gas mileage and cut down on carbon emissions. Pure electric cars and hydrogen cell automobiles are in production as cars of the future also but hybrids appear to have a future for a long time to come in the US auto industry.
Diesel and electric hybrids
Diesel engines work much like internal combustion gasoline engines with differences in how fuel is delivered and ignited. Diesels use highly compressed air and fuel is delivered directly to the cylinder. Hybrid technology for diesel fuel is essentially the same technology used in gasoline/electric motor hybrids.Diesels are more fuel-efficient and produce more torque but they are much more expensive to purchase than gasoline engines.
Some experts claim regular diesel engines and a hybrid diesel would achieve about the same mpg and, if true, would make it uneconomically feasible to develop diesel hybrids for personal autos. Because diesel produces nitrogen oxides, a few states are against diesel hybrids. Currently trains, industrial trucks, and some mass transit systems use diesel hybrid technology.
Gasoline and compressed air technology
Recent developments feature a new type of car that will run oncompressed air. If air cars live up to the claims we've been hearing, they could dominate the auto industry in the next few years with the extended milage we can expect.
MDI Industries, founded by Guy Negre, features a car that uses compressed air technology and an internal combustion gasoline engine that is said to give 106mpg. His first generation MiniCat was built in 2002. Guy (pronounced gye) Negre is the engineer who once worked on Formula One cars. He and son Cyril run MDI Industries in Nice, France.
Another impressive fact about the MDI air car is that unlike some other hybrid cars costing twice the price on non-hybrid cars; this car will be very affordable for all consumers. However it's possible that prices could change if big auto companies build and exploit the car prices.
Zero Pollution Motors
This company has a car that runs on air and electric power and they're working on a hybrid version that uses fuel in combination with air technology. For details showing how air cars work seethis page.
Future and concept cars are being developed and tested all over the global community. The US should begin mass production of hydrogen cell cars in the coming year, and all electric cars are available. The old gas guzzling cars are past their prime and it's onward to better, cleaner, and more economical cars that break our dependence on foreign oil.
Impressed with the benefits of hishydrogenpowered automobile, actor Jack Nicholson was filmed driving a hydrogen solar powered car back in 1978. Additionally, nuclear submarines, mining trucks, and some city public transportation make use of various hybrid technologies. Over the next decade, hybrid vehicles should dominate the roadways along with other future cars.
