Hybrid Cars Information
With gas prices rising significantly every year, we're finally starting to come around to the idea that we don't need to drive around 5,000 pound SUVs to get from point A to point B. Now hybrids are all the rage.
Only a few years ago talk of hybrid cars had consumers stepping back unsure; but today hybrids offer a practical choice for consumers, and more and more consumers are jumping on board.
A hybrid car has a small engine that is fuel efficient, which is combined with an electric motor that aids the engine when additional power is needed during acceleration. The electric motor gets its power from battery banks which continuously charge while you are driving.
Energy is conserved when you stop because the engine is shut off automatically. Then, when you apply gas, it automatically restarts which is a pretty nifty trick because it all happens so seamlessly
Hybrids also use a more advanced aerodynamic lightweight body, and combine it with low roll resistant tires that are stiffer and narrower to help reduce drag.
In 2004, out of the 17 million vehicles sold there were around 80,000 hybrid vehicles sold. By 2005 that number had increased by 1.2% to 200,000, and now manufacturers can't keep up with the demand for these vehicles.
There are several hybrids currently available in North America. They include the Honda Civic, Honda Accord, Honda Insight, Toyota Prius, and the Mercury Mariner. There are also Hybrid SUVs available - the Ford Escape, the Lexas 400H and the Toyota Highlander. Pretty much every manufacturer has at least one entry in this market.
The Toyota Prius is the uncontested king of hybrids with over 1,000,000 on the road.
Every year more and more hybrid models are introduced. 2010 is shaping up to be an especially good year with a slew of plug-in electric hybrid vehicles coming out. Gasoline's days are numbered.
If we had a crystal ball that could see into the future, there's a good chance that what we'd see 20 years down the road would be freeways, highways, and streets that were full of hybrid vehicles. In fact, it's likely that our gas guzzling vehicles of today are about to go the way of the dinosaur as more hybrid cars make it to market.
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