What SUV hybrids are coming out?

Over the next two years-2006 through 2007-several SUV hybrids will be released. Among those are the Saturn VUE SUV, the Chevy Equinox SUV, the Chevy Tahoe SUV, the Chevy Trailblazer SUV, the GMC Yukon SUV and the Honda Pilot SUV. Although no one is expecting the SUV hybrids to compare in mileage to the hybrid sedans, the fuel economy will be considerable. As an example compare the Ford Escape at an EPA rating of 20/25 MPG (city/highway) to the Ford Escape Hybrid at 36/31 MPG (city/highway). With the hybrid you could save several hundred dollars a year on fuel costs. And you'll be doing the environment a big favor!

What 2005 hybrids were released?

Several 2005 hybrids were released during the year. These include the Ford Escape Hybrid SUV, the Lexus RX 400h Hybrid SUV, the Toyota Highlander SUV, the Dodge Ram, the Mercury Mariner SUV, the Chevy Silverado pickup, the Sierra pickup, and the Dodge Ram pickup. By 2008, a total of 28 hybrid models-18 truck and 10 car models-are expected to be on the market.

What other fuel sources may be used in the future?

Hydrogen-powered fuel cells hold the promise as a clean source of power for electric motors, without the limitations of batteries. In a fuel cell, hydrogen is burned in a pollution-free chemical reaction where the fuel cell combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, water and waste heat. Since hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, it seems like the best replacement for more limited resources like oil. However, due to production costs and refueling limitations, manufacturers estimate that road-ready hydrogen-powered vehicles are at least a decade away. In addition to hydrogen fuel cells, engineers continue to experiment with alternative fuels such as biodiesel, natural gas, ethanol, methanol and propane-as well as fuel made from corn, soybeans, grass and sugar beets. Concept vehicles are being tested and some are even being used in commercial situations, like buses and other commercial vehicles that run on diesel. These fuels may represent a new breed of hybrid beyond the still gas-polluting engines of the current crop of HEVs.
Read more on alternative fuel vehicles

How much money can I save on fuel costs by buying a hybrid automobile?

How much you will save on fuel costs by driving a hybrid car instead of a non-hybrid depends on several factors including how much you drive, the cost of gas and how long you plan to keep your car. If you compare the Honda Civic Hybrid to the Civic non-hybrid, for example, at $2/gallon you'd save $100/year for every 10,000 miles. This is based on a difference of 10 MPG between the two cars. If your new hybrid got 20 MPG over your conventional car, all other factors remaining the same, you'd save $250/year. Whether or not you will save as much on fuel costs as the additional cost of a hybrid automobile will be based on the previous factors mentioned as well as which hybrid automobile you buy. For a comparison to the current models, take the Fuel Cost Savings Test.

What are the disadvantages of electric cars?

Some of the disadvantages of all electric cars have been their limited range, long recharge times or exorbitant costs associated with continual powering of the battery that runs the electric motor. Although solar-powered electric cars, which are equipped with batteries that are charged by the sun, have longer ranges, they are still dependent on batteries, which have size and weight limitations. To meet public acceptance, a car must include specific conditions: drive a minimum of 300 miles (482 km) between re-fueling, fill-up promptly and drive fast enough to match traffic. An electric car cannot go more than 100 miles (161 km) between re-charging, is difficult to re-charge in some instances and doesn't drive beyond 60 mpg as yet.

With all the current emphasis on going "green" and protecting the environment, it is no wonder that the electric car has come center focus. Especially now with soaring gas prices, consumers want to know their options. Traditional gas powered vehicles have long been the focus of those concerned with environmental issues, and so invariably inventors and car manufacturers look to improve the technologies available on the electric car.

If you are considering the purchase of an electric car, you need to be realistic about their benefits. They've come a long way recently but they still have some significant disadvantages, and there are still limitations to their use and wide spread availability. Here are some disadvantages you may want to consider when evaluating if an electric car is feasible for your transportation needs:

1. Electric cars are expensive to own. If you've checked into the price of an electric car, you know they are not "low end". It's not so much the price of the car as it is the price of the batteries which they run on. If you've purchased batteries you know how the costs can add up quickly, and the batteries used in electric cars are lithium-ion, which are expensive. Also keep in mind that eventually the battery packs will need to be replaced, as they have a life of approximately 3 to 4 years.

2. The batteries will need to be recharged. A second disadvantage to an electric car is that the batteries will need to be recharged. This will require advanced planning because you'll have to allow adequate time for the batteries to be fully charged. Now this might not sound like that big of a problem but if you are thinking of purchasing an electric car then you will need to make an honest assessment of how much you will use your vehicle. An extended or unplanned trip could be problematic if you haven't had time to fully recharge the batteries.

3. Limits on driving distance. If you drive long distances, an electric car might not suit your needs, so you will need to consider how far you plan on driving your car. Most of the electric cars have limits on how many miles they can go before needing a recharge. Electric car maker ZAP recently announced that their electric car could travel up to 100 miles per single charge, but many people drive more miles than that round trip on a daily commute to work. This is definitely a limitation for those who intend to use the vehicle for getting to and from their place of employment. You certainly would not want to run out of batteries if you got stuck in a rush hour traffic jam.

4. Lack of power. Another disadvantage to the electric car is the lack of power, specifically quick pickup. If you do a lot of interstate driving there are going to be times when you will need to accelerate quickly to merge into traffic.

Electric cars have come a long way in recent years but still have to overcome a few more obstacles before becoming widely embraced as a solution for many consumers.

What are the advantages of electric cars over hybrid automobiles?

Electric cars are 100% emission-free, having no polluting byproducts, therefore they are cleaner than hybrid automobiles. They secure their power from batteries, the sun or hydrogen fuel cells. Battery-powered electric cars, besides being cleaner, are more fuel-efficient, get better mileage and have less moving parts to wear out. Cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells are emission-free, lightweight, compact, three times as efficient as gas engines, have excellent ranges, easy refueling and are totally safe. Therefore the primary advantages of electric cars over hybrid cars are their lower emissions and higher efficiency.

These days, increasing numbers of people are actually thinking about getting rid of their gas-guzzling traditional automobiles and buy a whole new type of vehicle offered in the marketplace today known as hybrid cars. You might question the reason why hybrid cars are gathering popularity everywhere in the America, but you should contemplate that hybrid cars will surely offer you a lot more advantages compared to standard vehicles.

Hybrid cars may cost more than conventional vehicles when it comes to retail price. Even so, if you feel in a long-term time frame, hybrid cars will tend to be a whole lot inexpensive than you can think about. Hybrid cars are generation x vehicles currently you can purchase which will allow you to save a lot of money by getting good kilometers on a quart.

Due to the regularly soaring cost of petrol, lots of people have a tendency to buy hybrid cars to save money on fuel. Think of, a hybrid car are able to reduce gasoline usage by 50 percent when compared with typical cars. Obviously, you will put away much more cash in the long run. What you spend for the hybrid vehicle is going to be worthwhile. The reason being regular cars will tend to become more costly over time.

Hybrid cars utilize both fuel and the most clean power source attainable, that is electricity. Additionally, it offers smaller fuel engines, designed with lighter substances and is made to be aerodynamic to lessen drag so that you can get total overall performance potential.

Hybrid cars work by making use of both the gasoline-powered engine as well as the electrical engine to operate the vehicle. Once the vehicle is running idle or when it is not in movement but the engine is working, it instantly turns off the fuel engine and the vehicle will operate on electrical energy. When you stepped on the gas pedal, the hybrid car will instantly switch on the gasoline engine again. With this particular idea, you will not spend loads of fuel if you are caught in a congestion. Also, once the vehicle is in motion, the electrical engine and the fuel engine will split the actual propulsion.

An excellent benefit of gasoline-electric vehicles or hybrid cars is the fact that it operates on clean power. Remember that it is found that hybrid cars give off less harmful gases than standard cars. Also, because it operates on a little fuel engine and an electric motor, it is far less noisy than standard cars. Which means that it may efficiently assist in decreasing air pollution and noise too.

Hybrid cars don’t need to be plugged in like electric cars to recharge. This is because the batteries are charged when the car itself is running or when the car is braking. Recently, the President of the United States has signed an agreement in 2005 that states tax incentives for hybrid car buyers. This means that when you purchase a hybrid car, you will get huge tax relief depending on the hybrid car you purchase. It will depend on the amount of fuel it can save compared to a conventional car made in 2002 with the same weight class.

With all these benefits, gasoline-electric cars or hybrid cars is definitely the car of choice in today’s world. You will never be affected with constant oil price hikes and erratic movement in prices in the fuel industry.With hybrid cars, you can benefit a lot more than you can imagine.

                                    

BMW works toward an electric future

The Concept ActiveE will serve as the basis for a test fleet of BMW electric cars.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

DETROIT--In search of what it calls a MegaCity vehicle, BMW launched a concept electric car at the 2010 Detroit auto show. The Concept ActiveE, an electric car built on the 1-series platform, will serve as the basis for a test fleet of electric cars that will further BMW's research toward its ultimate goal.

Currently, BMW is running a test fleet of 600 electric Minis, the MiniE, with vehicles in the hands of private users. The Concept ActiveE is the next car BMW intends to test, planning an even larger fleet.

Starting with the 1-series chassis and body, BMW fitted an electric motor onto the rear axle. A lithium ion battery pack is separated into two components, one near the motor and one under the hood, keeping the car balanced to a 50:50 weight distribution, preserving BMW's handling ethos.

With its current technology, the car has a range of about 100 miles, and the battery pack takes 4.5 hours to charge off a 32 amp source, according to BMW. Performance figures are not stunning, with acceleration to 60 mph in about 8.5 seconds.

The car is designed to drive very similar to the Tesla Roadster. Lifting the foot from the accelerator engages a generator, rapidly slowing the car and generating electricity for the battery pack. With this system, the friction brakes are rarely used, especially in urban areas.