Posts Tagged ‘motors’

Hybrid Vehicles In The Early Twenty-First Century.

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

You would probably be surprised to know that hybrid cars have been with us since the very earliest days of automotive history, but you will not be astonished to be told that the technology has come on in leaps and bounds for the last ten years. In fact, the technology in hybrid cars has reached the degree where fuel consumption in a hybrid can be half that of in a conventional internal combustion engine only car.

Half or even less than half under sure circumstances like driving in town, especially in busy traffic. In fact, when a hybrid is either cruising on electric or stopping and starting in heavy traffic, there will be no use of petrol or diesel whatsoever, which means that you are driving ‘without cost’.

I put without cost in parentheses because a hybrid vehicle is still substantially more expensive than a car with a traditional engine. However, even given the added price of a hybrid vehicle, you can save that excess cost during the average life time of the vehicle because of the saving on fuel. Of course, the higher the price of fuel, the sooner you will recoup your extra initial outlay on the price of the hybrid.

Maybe you are thinking that hybrid vehicle manufacturers are profiteering on the backs of car drivers who want to do their bit for the environment. Well, you would not be alone in thinking that, yet the cost of developing hybrid technology was and still is expensive and someone has to account it.

That is you and me, the end-users. Well, that is standard, but in some countries, the government has stepped in to subsidize individuals who purchase a hybrid vehicle, because governments all over the world are under an oath to reduce their country’s carbon footprint.

That means that now is as good a time as any to purchase a hybrid vehicle.

There are other reasons why a hybrid is costly though. The hybrid actually has two engines. A hybrid has a traditional engine run on traditional fuels, and it also has an electric engine which runs off costly batteries. It is not that you have to replace the batteries as with a radio. The batteries are costly because they are very heavy duty rechargeable units.

The technology for recharging these batteries is also ground-breaking. The car uses traditional alternators to recharge them but it also uses braking power to recharge them too. Not just that but the car’s on board computer switches between the two motors automatically, depending on the quantity of power that is needed by the driver.

Keep an eye on the hybrid car market because prices are declining and together with subsidies, the time to buy a hybrid car may come sooner than you imagine.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on a number of topics, but is now involved with how to compare tyre prices. If you want to know more, please visit our web site at Car Tyres For Sale.

Hybrid Car Myths

Monday, February 15th, 2010

If you are considering a hybrid car, you may be hearing quite a bit of “gossip”. Some people think the hybrid car is the best thing since sliced bread. Some people say it will just pass. Yet other people again say they think they can save a lot of money, but you’re not sure it’s really worth it. What’s the truth, and how do you separate myth from fact with all of the stuff that is being thrown at you? Below, you can read and consider the usual hybrid car myths.

Hybrid cars are just the same as electric cars: This is not true because hybrid vehicles are fuel-powered most of the time. But they have what are called ‘battery assists’. The assist is powered by a nickel-metal hydride battery pack that is rechargeable.

You are guaranteed to economize with a hybrid vehicle: If you are doing city motoring, you may save fuel and you may not. The same goes for motorway driving. There are just too many different factors involved. It has been said that if everyone bought hybrid vehicles, the gas consumption would decrease by just 10%. That’s not a very big difference, is it?

A hybrid vehicle’s battery can run flat: A hybrid car battery should not run flat while you are actually driving it. The engine of a hybrid vehicle does not idle when stopped (at a red traffic light for example). What does it do then? Well, it recharges its battery. So there is no need to worry about a hybrid vehicle stopping on that score.

A hybrid vehicle’s rechargeable battery lasts only for two years: A hybrid vehicle definitely would not be worth purchasing if this was the case. A hybrid vehicle’s rechargeable batteries usually come with an 8-year guaranty.

If I run out of fuel, I can continue driving on the hybrid vehicle battery: Keep in mind, a hybrid car’s battery is an assist. That means that hybrid car’s still run on fuel. After you run out of gas, the battery could keep the car running for a short while. However, the vehicle will stop running very soon.

Hybrid vehicles will soon put normal car dealers out of business: This probably won’t happen very soon. The reason for the delay has to do with the how much hybrids cost. Many people simply can’t afford one. Furthermore, people just aren’t certain whether they will really save money by buying a hybrid car. Therefore, they are slow to join the rush of people who want to buy a hybrid vehicle.

Hybrid cars will only save you about 88USD per annum: I did hear something on the news the other day, but it may not be true. If there’s something you really want and there’s a lot of gossip surrounding it, you simply have got to start digging around and do some research yourself. There are many different types of hybrid car, and many different manufacturers make them. This means that there may be much more involved than we have discussed here. A hybrid car may help you, and it may not, but the final decision is up to you.

Therefore, please don’t worry a great deal about what people say. They probably have only listened to others passing on rumours Do your own research and think it out for yourself. Try the Internet to get your information. The manufacturer’s advertising is also rather useful, if you stick to reading the facts and gloss over the gloss. Check that what the literature claims is also in the warranty.

If you are interested in the working parts of New Hybrid Vehicles, just visit our website on http://new-hybrid-vehicles.com

Myths about Hybrid Cars

Sunday, September 27th, 2009

If you are considering buying a hybrid vehicle, you may be hearing quite a bit of “gossip”. Some people think the hybrid car is the best thing since sliced bread. Other people say it’ll just pass. Yet other people again say they think they can save a packet, but you’re not sure it’s really worth it. What’s the truth, and how do you separate myth from fact with all of the stuff that is being thrown at you? Below, you can read and consider the usual hybrid vehicle myths.

Hybrid cars are the same as electric cars: This is untrue because hybrid vehicles are fuel-powered for the most part. But they have what are called ‘battery assists’. The assist is powered by a nickel-metal hydride battery pack that is rechargeable.

You are guaranteed to save money with a hybrid vehicle: If you are doing town driving, you may save gas and you may not. The same goes for long-distance driving. There are so just many different factors involved. It has been said that if everyone bought a hybrid car, the gas consumption would decrease by only 10%. That’s not a very big decline, now is it?

A hybrid cars battery can run out: A hybrid car’s battery should not run flat when you are actually driving it. The engine in a hybrid car does not idle when stopped (at a red light for example). What does it do instead then? It recharges its battery. So there’s no need to worry about a hybrid car stopping on that score.

The hybrid car’s rechargeable battery lasts only for 2 years: A hybrid car definitely would not be worth purchasing if this was true. A hybrid car’s rechargeable batteries usually come with an 8-year guaranty.

If I run out of fuel, I can keep driving on the hybrid vehicle battery: Keep in mind that, a hybrid’s battery is an assist. That means that hybrid vehicles still run on fuel. After you run out of gas, the battery may keep the car running for a short while. However, the car will stop running pretty soon.

Hybrid vehicles will soon put conventional car dealers out of business: I’m sure that this won’t happen anytime soon. The reason for the delay has to do with the how much hybrids cost. Most people simply can’t afford one. Furthermore, people just aren’t sure whether they will really save money on a hybrid car. So, they are loathe to join the stream of people who want to own a hybrid vehicle.

Hybrid cars will only save you about $88 a year: I did hear something on the news once, but it may not be true. If there’s something you really want and there’s a lot of gossip surrounding it, you simply have got to do of your own research. There are many different types of hybrid vehicle, and many different manufacturers make them. This means that there may be much more involved than we have time to discuss here. A hybrid car may be of use to you, and it may not, but at the end of the day, is up to you.

So, just don’t worry too much about what other people tell you. They probably have only heard others passing on gossip. Do your own due diligence and make up your own mind. Use the Internet to get your information. The manufacturer’s literature is also rather useful, if you stick to reading the facts and skip over the gloss. Check that whatever the literature claims is also in the guarantee.

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Hybrid Car Battery Packs

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Those thinking about purchasing a hybrid car may be more than a little concerned about what lies under the bonnet. Hybrid cars have partially battery-powered motors. Since a battery powered engines is not something that typically comes to mind when you think about what is powering a car, it’s a good idea to get some sort of an understanding of hybrid car battery packs. You will find a few salient details about them underneath.

Hybrid car battery packs do not require to be replaced like flashlight batteries do. They are made to last over the lifetime of the vehicle, and therefore a hybrid car’s warranty covers the battery pack for a time period that runs between eight and ten years. In terms of mileage, a hybrid car battery pack is expected to last between 150,000 and 200,000 miles, and it probably will last even longer than that.

The toxicity of hybrid car battery packs is a worry, but not a major problem, since hybrid car batteries use NiMH batteries, not the cheaper rechargeable nickel cadmium ones. Nickel cadmium batteries can be detrimental to the environment if not disposed of correctly, but the NiMH batteries that are sold in in hybrid car battery packs are very safe and fully recyclable.

Hybrid car battery packs contain hundreds of cells. Hundreds of cells means that hybrid cars have a complex battery underneath their hoods, and complexity does usually mean expensive, but with the generous warranty car manufacturers are giving on these cars, there is little risk of additional massive expense from the battery pack involved in purchasing a hybrid car.

The number of hybrid car battery pack failures reported has been really very low. When I say low, I mean negligible. If failure does occur, it is usually before the hybrid car even leaves the lot. Toyota has even declared that some of its first Prius hybrid models have battery packs that have gone more than 300,000 miles.

The cost of replacing hybrid car battery packs isn’t really even an issue. It isn’t an issue because the hybrid car battery packs are built to last. The Department of Energy inspected hybrid cars, but stopped its tests when the capacity was determined to be “just like new” after 160,000 miles. So, very few people really seem to know for sure what it costs to replace hybrid car battery packs.

Hybrid car battery packs are being developed very quickly. If we look into the near future, we can see the next generation of hybrid car batteries is already in the works. The goal is, naturally, to develop a technology that gives lots of power, lasts for the hybrid car’s lifetime, and costs less to make than it does today.

If your hybrid car battery pack does develop a problem, there is an easy solution. Toyota has put out some advice on what to do, should your hybrid battery pack run out after the warranty has expired. Their advice is to have the battery reconditioned. This solution works well because if something does go wrong, the problem usually lies with only one of the 28 modules that make up the battery.

So, if you simply replace the problematic module with one that matches the chemistry of the other 27 modules, your hybrid car’s battery should be back in good shape. You can find a match by getting a battery pack from another car that has a similar mileage and age.

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The History Of The Hybrid Vehicle

Saturday, July 4th, 2009

Just where did a hybrid car get it’s start? Well, read on to find out. Hybrid cars are very popular to today’s car buyers, and there are many reasons why. But before you even think about choosing a hybrid car to buy, you might want to know a little bit about the history of the hybrid car first.

Surprisingly, hybrid cars were around even before gas-powered cars. Back in about the year 1665, a Jesuit priest by the name of Ferdinand Verbeist began plans for a certain type of vehicle. That vehicle would be very simple, nothing complex, or intricate. Simple was all he wanted.

So it was that Ferdinand designed a vehicle that would have four wheels and would run on steam. It took roughly fifteen years of work for Ferdinand to go through with his plan. He worked to perfect his dream car. But no one knows for certain if he ever finished it because there is no physical evidence that his concept ever came into reality.

Then in 1769, a man with the name of Nicholas Cugnot designed and developed a carriage that was powered by steam. This vehicle really did go and it went at six miles per hour. This project was all well and good, but it was difficult to get the amount of steam needed to make the car to go any significant distance.

A break through in hybrid car design finally came when Robert Anderson developed an electrically powered car in 1839. It was the first of its breed and was built in Scotland.

This electric car was a highly applauded innovation of its time. However, the only problem was that it was very difficult to recharge the car’s battery. Some pioneers came after Anderson, but they too had a hard time getting the battery recharged easily.

Eventually, in the year 1898, Porsche developed an electric and fuel combination combustion engine that was the first of its type. The car was called the Lohner Electric Chaise and it could go for up to 40 miles just using its batteries.

Within a short space of time, pioneers combined both gas and a battery powered engines to power what would become today’s hybrid vehicle. In 1999, Honda made its jump into the US market. It came out with the Honda Insight, which was a lightweight two-door hybrid. Since then, hybrid cars have been evolving and improving into what we see on the market today. Hybrid cars are no longer just for the techies who think it’s nice to combine battery and fuel power to get them where they want to go. Hybrid cars started out simple, and they are still quite simple today.

These days hybrid vehicles are becoming more and more popular as people understand them better. In the 21st century, hybrids saw a boom in sales when the Toyota Prius came out on the market. It was the first hybrid with four doors that was marketed in the USA.

Soon after, the Ford Escape hybrid became the very first SUV hybrid ever made. So there it is in a nutshell, the history of the hybrid car – today’s modern car.

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Electric Hybrid Vehicles

Thursday, July 2nd, 2009

People use various forms of travel. Among these is the choice of the electric hybrid car. The various makes of electric hybrid car allow people the choice of having a stylish looking vehicle which at the same time conserves gas.

Furthermore, the environment benefits from an input of less pollution from electric hybrid cars. The kinds of hybrid cars you will see in the range of electric hybrid cars will be the popular SUVs, sports cars and pick-up trucks. You will be able to see the latest electric hybrid cars due to come on to the forecourt. As there are many types of electric hybrid cars you should try to see whether there are any comprehensive reviews available.

This information will help you when you are trying to make up your mind about which electric hybrid car to buy. You will need to understand that some of the electric hybrid cars are not be that easy to repair or have their components replaced. This is one major fact that you ought to bear in mind while you are shopping for the electric hybrid car that suits you.

Sure, there will be occasions when you will not be able to find the exact model of electric hybrid car that you want. In order to reduce this frustration, make a list of several different models of electric hybrid car. Tip: include some of the better known electric hybrid car types.

You may also want to make a list of the other most important qualities that you are looking for from an electric hybrid car. Don’t forget that you should visit the car showrooms to see the electric hybrid car of your choice, as I’m sure you may appreciate seeing what sort of cars are available before you buy one.

Because there will be occasions when you can not get hold of the details of all of the electric hybrid cars on the market, you ought to find some other way of getting this information. Out of the many ways that you can use to look up the many models of electric hybrid car, the Internet can provide you with pictures, specifications, descriptions and reviews of the different makes of electric hybrid car. For instance, you can access the information for the currently available batch of hybrid Honda cars or the previous models too. Amongst the plethora of information that you can look up are: the number of seats and the safety and engine specifications of these hybrid cars.

There are, as you can guess, many different kinds of hybrid car on the forecourts. These will, for the most part, be from the well-known car ,manufacturers. You will find that Honda, which is a world-renowned manufacturer of cars using modern technology has their own versions of hybrid cars too. One of their most popular hybrid cars with the general public is the electric hybrid car.

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Will Buying a Hybrid Car Save on Petrol?

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

As you drive up to the petrol station pump and fill your car up with $10-$70 worth of gas, you may find yourself releasing a long drawn out sigh. How on Earth did petrol become so expensive? Should you consider one of those new hybrid cars you saw on the television? Everyone’s talking about hybrid cars anyway. Hybrid cars and other types of cars may seem to be a good idea, but before you go out and do something you’ll regret, maybe you should ask yourself a few basic questions about how you can start saving money on gas.

There are so many options now including everything from not going out to purchasing a hybrid car, but you have to find out what is best for you. You can only do that by posing yourself the following questions.

Perhaps you should drive less often?

Of course, you could spend the rest of your life in the house on the couch, but how would you eat then? I know what you’re thinking! You will walk more and so get more exercise. That may be true, but what will happen when you get bored with walking and riding your bike? How are you going to be able to get to the gymnasium then? And, have you forgotten about work? You know you just love listening to your books on tape while you are sitting in the traffic jams at the end of the workday. Should you drive less? Perhaps not then. But what should you do? Well, have you ever considered buying a hybrid vehicle?

Perhaps, I should buy a car that is more economical on gas?

Yes, you could do this, but what about when the vehicle starts to depreciate with age and it becomes less fuel-efficient than you thought it would be? Moreover, subconsciously, because you know you have a car that gets more mileage per dollar, you are going to start travelling more miles than you traveled before.

How about getting up earlier each morning to look for the cheapest gas prices in the area?

Honestly, who has the time for that? If you think about it, you would probably spend your time more profitably finding the right answer to the real question. Do you really want to spend extra time looking for a cheap gas station? What will your boss think if you arrive late for work and tell him you were trying to save money on gas? And really, how long do you think you’ll keep doing that?

Should I find a way to run my car on electric batteries?

Let’s see, you certainly don’t want to have to recharge your car’s batteries every day before you go to work because that might make you late as well. However, with a hybrid car, that would not be a consideration. Therefore, the next question should be obvious.

Should I purchase a hybrid car?

Maybe you should. It’s possible that buying a hybrid car would be a sensible way to avoid high gas prices. Does your car depreciate after you drive it off the forecourt? A hybrid won’t do that so readily. It brings the buyer in more and more money as they save on gas. A hybrid car just might be a good choice here. However, it’s still a good idea to conduct further research on a hybrid car.

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Hybrid Car Battery Packs Info

Saturday, June 20th, 2009

Those considering purchasing a hybrid car may be more than a little concerned about what is under the bonnet. Hybrid cars have partially battery-powered motors. Since a battery-powered motor is not something that typically comes to mind when people think about what’s driving a car, it’s a good idea to get a good understanding of hybrid car battery packs. Below you will find a few facts about them.

Hybrid car battery packs do not need to be replaced like torch batteries do. Made to last over the lifetime of the vehicle, a hybrid car’s warranty covers the battery for a time period that lasts between eight and ten years. In terms of mileage, a hybrid car battery pack is expected to last between 150,000 and 200,000 miles, and it probably will last longer than that.

The toxicity of hybrid car battery packs is a concern, but not a major concern, since hybrid car batteries use NiMH batteries, not the rechargeable nickel cadmium ones. Nickel cadmium batteries can be detrimental to the environment if not disposed of correctly, but the NiMH batteries that are used in hybrid car battery packs are fully recyclable.

Hybrid car battery packs are made up of hundreds and hundreds of cells. Several hundred cells means that hybrid cars have a complex battery structure underneath their hoods, and, it is true, complexity usually means expensive, but with the generous guarantee hybrid car manufacturers are giving on their vehicles, there is not much risk of additional massive expense from the battery pack involved in purchasing a hybrid car.

The number of hybrid car battery pack failures has been really low. When I say low, I mean negligible. If failure does occur, it’s usually before the hybrid car even leaves the lot. Toyota has even declared that some of its first Prius hybrid models have battery packs that have gone over 300,000 miles.

The cost of replacing hybrid car battery packs isn’t really even a problem. It isn’t a problem because the hybrid car battery packs are built for longevity. The Department of Energy inspected hybrid cars, but halted its tests when the capacity was determined to be “just like new” after 160,000 miles. So, very few people really seem to know for sure what it costs to replace hybrid car battery packs.

Hybrid car battery packs are evolving quickly. If we look further into the future, we can see the next generation of hybrid car batteries is in development. The goal is, of course, to discover a technology that gives lots of power, lasts for the hybrid car’s lifetime, and costs less to make than it does now.

If your hybrid car battery pack does develop a problem, there is a solution. Toyota has given some advice on what to do, should your hybrid battery pack run out after the warranty has expired. Their advice is to have the battery reconditioned. This solution works well because if something does go wrong, the problem usually lies with only one of the 28 modules that make up the battery.

The solution is to simply replace the depleted module with one that matches the chemistry of the hybrid car battery pack’s remaining 27 modules, your hybrid car’s battery should be back in good shape. You can find a matching module by getting a battery pack from another hybrid car of a similar mileage and age.

About the Author:

Electric Hybrid Cars

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

There are different forms of transport that people can make use of. Among those is the electric hybrid car. The various models of electric hybrid car afford people the choice of having a stylish looking vehicle which at the same time conserves fuel.

Furthermore, the environment is kept more pollution free by these electric hybrid cars. The types of hybrid cars which you see included in the range of electric hybrid cars will be the popular SUVs, sports cars and pickup trucks. You will have the chance to see those latest electric hybrid cars which are due to come on to the market. As there are many types of electric hybrid cars you should look to see if there are any performance reviews available.

This knowledge will help guide you when you are trying to make up your mind about which electric hybrid car to buy. You will need to realize that some of the electric hybrid cars will not be that easy to repair or have their components replaced. This is one factor that you should keep in mind while you are shopping for the electric hybrid car that suits you.

Certainly, there will be some times when you will not be able to find the exact make of electric hybrid car that you want. In order to reduce this possibility, make a list of several different models of electric hybrid car. Tip: include some of the better known electric hybrid car types.

You may also want to make a list of the most important qualities that you are looking for from an electric hybrid car. Don’t forget that you ought to visit the car showrooms to see the electric hybrid car of your dreams, as I’m sure you may appreciate seeing what sort of hybrid vehicles are out there before you take the plunge.

Since there will be times when you will not be able to see details of all of the cars which can be bought, you should find some way of getting this information. Of the many ways that you can look up the many models of electric hybrid car, the Internet can provide you with pictures, descriptions and reviews of the different makes of electric hybrid car. You can access information for the current stable of hybrid Honda cars or the previous models. Among the many details that you can find are the seating, safety and engine specifications of these hybrid cars.

There are, as I’m sure you already know, many different types of hybrid car on the market. These will, for the most part, be from well-known car ,manufacturers. You will find that Honda which is a world-famous manufacturer of cars employing modern technology also has their version of a hybrid car. One of their hybrid cars that is very popular with the public is the electric hybrid car.

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Buying A Hybrid Car to Save on Gas

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

When you pull up to the gas station pump and fill your car up with $10-$70 worth of gas, you may find yourself heaving a long drawn out sigh. How on Earth did petrol get to be so expensive? Should you consider one of those new hybrid cars you saw on the TV? Everyone’s talking about hybrid cars anyway. Hybrid cars and other types of cars may seem like a good idea, but before you go out and do something rash, maybe you should ask yourself a few basic questions about how you can start saving money on petrol.

There are so many options now including everything from not going out to buying a hybrid car, but you have to find out what is best for you. You can only do that by asking yourself the following questions.

Perhaps you should drive less often?

Sure, you could spend the rest of your life at home on the couch, but how would you eat then? I know what you’re thinking you will walk more and get more exercise. That may be true, but what happens when you get bored with walking and riding your bike? How are you going to be able to get to the gymnasium? And, have you forgotten about work? You know you love listening to your books on tape while you sit in traffic at the end of the workday. Should you drive less? Probably not then. But what should you do? Well, have you ever considered buying a hybrid vehicle?

Should I buy a car that gets more miles for less gas?

Yes, you could do this, but what about when the vehicle starts to depreciate with age and it becomes less fuel-efficient than you thought it would be? Moreover, subconsciously, because you know you have a car that gets more mileage per dollar, you are going to start travelling more miles than you traveled before.

Should I get up earlier each morning to look for the cheapest gas prices in town?

Come on, who has the time to do all that? If you really think about it, you could probably spend your time better finding the right answer to the real question. Do you really want to spend extra time looking for a cheap fuel station? What would your boss think if you arrive late for work and tell him you were trying to save money on fuel? And anyway, how long do you honestly think you’ll keep doing that?

Should I find a way to run my car on electric batteries?

Well, let’s see now, you certainly don’t want to have to charge your car’s batteries every day before you go to work because that might make you late as well. However, with a hybrid car, you wouldn’t have to worry about that. Therefore, the next question should be quite obvious.

How about purchasing a hybrid car?

Perhaps you should. It’s possible that buying a hybrid car could be a sensible method to avoid higher fuel prices. Would your car depreciate as soon as you drive it off the forecourt? A hybrid won’t do that so quickly as it brings the buyer in more and more money as they save on petrol. A hybrid car really might be a good choice here. However, it’s still a good idea to conduct further research before buying a hybrid car.

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