Best Hybrid Car



             


Thursday, May 22, 2008

Hybrid Car Market Hyper-Hysteria

We have all heard a lot about hybrid cars lately and with gasoline prices between two dollars and three dollars per gallon we are reading many articles in the newspapers, magazines and industry trade journals too, but where are all these hybrids we have been promised? There were only 12 hybrid models on the market in 2005 - 2006.

It appears that there are now some 52 models in the works and slated for 2012 as our research indicates. There is significant demand, but still the price point is off over $15,000 over reality for the average new car buyer.

More and more Americans are considering buying a hybrid car, in fact when surveyed 33% of all Americans say they would consider buying a highbred for their next car. Since the average person buys a car every three to four years that means if there were more hybrids available to buy that we would see a whole lot more on the road, but production is not keeping up.

The problem is; is that very few of the cars being built today are hybrids and part of the reason is that they cost more to build. In fact the percentage of hybrids to regular models was less than 1% of the 17 million cars built in 2005 and 2006.

Why are people interested in buying hybrid cars? Well when asked nearly all of them said their number one reason was to improve fuel economy. And only a few really were considering their number one reason was the fact that it would help the environment.

L. Winslow is an Automotive, Environmental and Economic Advisor to the Online Think Tank, a Futurist and retired entreprenuer. Currently he is planning a bicycle ride across the US to raise money for charity and is sponsored by http://www.Calling-Plans.com and all the proceeds will go to various charities who sign up.

 

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Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Federal Tax Credit For Hybrid Cars

One of the big incentives to buying a hybrid is the Federal Tax Credit that rewards you for your 'green efforts.' The reason why the Federal government suddenly became so generous is because of the higher prices that hybrid buyers were faced with. This meant that far fewer cars would be sold.

And since the U.S. hybrid car program was started by the Federal government to begin with, they have an obligation to the American public!

Especially since our Japanese friends out-engineered us shortly after President Clinton commissioned the hybrid-electric car program back in 1993. Japan's total domination of hybrid car technology resulted in the complete withdrawal of U.S. auto manufacturers from the hybrid car program by 2001. Because by this time, the Toyota Prius was everywhere, with Honda not far behind.

Where was the U.S? Ford and a couple other Detroit automakers were quietly making deals with Toyota to license their technology. It's no secret that the U.S. has been playing "catch up" to Japan in nearly all automotive technologies for many years. And hybrid technology is definitely no exception.

Anyway, the Federal tax incentive program is a pretty good deal, and it's written to reward those good folks who elect to go for the really "good" hybrids. That is, the hybrids that substantially improve on their gasoline-only counterparts. The bigger the gas savings, the bigger the tax credit.

Here's how it works:

Every person who bought a hybrid vehicle after JAN 1st, 2006 is eligible for a tax credit up to a max of $3400, based on how the particular vehicle that he bought compares to the average car of its class and weight from 2002. Specifically, buyers will receive a $400 tax credit for every 25% improvement in efficiency.

In addition, you may be credited more money (to a max of $3400) based on how much fuel the government anticipates you will save based on the size and weight of the car.

But, there is a catch:

This credit is given to only the first 60,000 vehicles sold by each different manufacturer. Some--like Ford, for instance, don't even plan on making 60,000 hybrids through half of 2007. So each and every person who buys a Ford hybrid will get the credit.

Toyota, however, is a whole other story: They'll blow through their 60,000 quota in no time flat, leaving the remaining buyers federal tax credit-less. But then again, the Toyota Prius gets so much better gas mileage than most of Ford's larger hybrids that Ford's buyers don't stand to get anywhere near the max $3400 tax credit anyway.

The hybrid tax credit system is likely to change in the not-too-distant future, though. Hopefully, it will cover everyone until everyone is driving a hybrid!

Charles Brown is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Hybrid-Electric-Car.net. You will find more information on the federal tax credit for hybrid cars on his website.

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Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Hybrid Cars - Fast Becoming The People's Choice

Buying a new car is a big and pricey decision for most people, and on top of that, the ever rising oil prices make it an even more expensive proposition to maintain and run your own car. With unstable oil prices, which keep shifting with the war, the gold, politics or the rains, it is not strange that the market is eager to be offered more fuel-efficient cars. As if this is not enough, our conscience is now being totally badgered day in and day out, by the awareness that the large scale use of fossil fuels like gasoline, oil etc. is making the environment go kaput. Throwing away the gasoline powered engines would perhaps be easy on our scruples. But is the answer so simple?

Rising out of the need, to find an answer to this question mark and for a solution to the looming oil crisis is a new breed of cars, which combines the best features of electric cars with that of the conventional gasoline, powered ones. These types of cars are called hybrid cars, and you are likely to hear a great deal about them in the near future.

More than Just an Electric Car

At the first go, the electric car sounds like a great idea since it has no emissions while it runs. However, this is only partially true as the total emissions depend on how the electricity to be used is produced. If it comes from a coal plant for example, it isn't very clean after all said and done. Furthermore, the storage of large amounts of electricity is problematic at best and in practice, turns electric cars to pure bred city cars-at least with the ways we currently store electricity.

Hybrid cars merge an electric engine with a gasoline powered one. It means that although the use of gasoline can not be abridged to completely zero levels, it can still be greatly reduced. The twin engines also allow for smaller engines to be used and take advantage of things like regenerative breaking. Also, as a direct result of the need to reduce the energy needed to run them, the hybrid cars are extremely lightweight and aerodynamically well designed. In slow traffic, the conventional engine automatically shuts off, producing no emissions whatsoever. When more speed and power is needed, the conventional engine is allowed to seamlessly kick in partially or fully.

Hybrid cars are here to stay because it protects environment

In this domain, the Japanese have taken the lead by developing attractive looking hybrid vehicles, such as the hybrid powered Honda Accord and Toyota Prius. Contrary to what one might hear, these cars have got on very well in the market as the idea of saving on gas is clearly appealing to many people. Most well established North American manufacturers are also expected to jump on the bandwagon of this new idea very soon. Those who have already launched hybrid-powered version of some of their models include- Ford, Chevrolet and Mercury.

As this is a rapidly growing market, many of these cars can be expected to appear more commonly at local car dealers. Because this is considered an innovative technology, one can expect the initial prices to be on the higher side. But then again, a hybrid car will mean considerable savings on gas expenses. No doubt, the competition will be quite severe so it will be fascinating to see how the pricing of these cars develops during the next few years.

The best thing for Mother Nature would be to wipe gas fumes out of the picture completely; and bringing us a step closer to this are the hybrid cars. They represent one of the best alternatives for automobile purchase right now- combining the cleanliness of the electric engine with the mileage of a conventional combustion engine. Rather than the eccentric, they represent innovation; rather than the anarchic, they signal revolution. Hybrid cars are here now- and here to stay.

Visit Hybrid Vehicle to know why it an Alternative To Conventional Gasoline And Electric Cars http://www.hybridcarinformation.info/hybrid_vehicle.phphttp://www.hybridcarinformation.info/electric_vehicles.php

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Monday, May 19, 2008

Save the Environment - Buy a Hybrid Car & Save Money as Well

For most of us these days there's so much publicity & news coverage over the Green House Effect that maybe you?ve been thinking about how much your car contributes to this and wish to help the environment. Or maybe you are sick and tired of paying high gas prices and want to buy a car that is better on gas. Whether you want to help the environment, or want to cut down on how much you spend on gas, the hybrid car is a great solution.

What is hybrid car?

Hybrid cars are autos that run efficiently on both fuel (normally gasoline) and electric energy. The combination of using fuel and electric energy makes hybrid cars both environmentally-friendly and cost-efficient.

The vast majority of hybrid cars are powered by two different engines: a gasoline engine and an electric engine. The gasoline engine is responsible for starting and stopping the car, while the electric engine is responsible for actually making the car move. By using the two engines in this way, the car is not totally dependent on gasoline. This, in turn, cuts down on the environmental pollution & the amount & therefore cost of gas used.

Types of Hybrid cars

If you've done research on hybrid cars on the Internet, you've probably seen that there are two types of hybrid cars currently available. These are the Series hybrid car and the Parallels hybrid car. There are slight differences between the two types of hybrid cars, which we will go over here.

With the Series type of hybrid car, the gasoline engine is used to start and stop the car. Then, when the car reaches a specific speed, the electric engine automatically takes over. Also, in the Series type of hybrid car, the gas engine is used to charge the batteries of the electric engine. With the Series type of hybrid car, both engines never really work together as a team.

The Parallel hybrid, just like the Series hybrid, uses both a gas and electric engine. Even though the Parallel and Series hybrids are similarly configured physically, they are distinctively different in terms of operation. The big difference is that, in the Parallel hybrid, both the gasoline and electric engines can be used to start and stop the car. The other difference is that the electric engine in a Parallel hybrid is only used to boost the power of the vehicle when needed. Parallel hybrid cars are more fuel efficient than are the Series hybrid cars.

How does the hybrid car increase fuel efficiency?

Hybrid cars are made up of lightweight materials. Thus, the load on the hybrid car is greatly reduced. Because of the lightweight materials, the car doesn?t require as much fuel to move. Also, the tires of hybrid cars are firmer than are those found on regular cars.

Since the gasoline is burnt at a low level in hybrid cars, it produces lower toxic emissions than those produced by conventional vehicles. Green house emissions, as we previously mentioned, are a real threat to the environment. Hybrid vehicles, because they release less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, cause far less pollution than regular cars do. In fact, some studies have shown that hybrid cars can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by as much as fifty percent, and tailpipe emissions by as much as ninety percent.

To sum up, hybrid cars are much more economical because they consume fifty to sixty percent less fuel than regular vehicles do. Also, they are very environmentally-friendly. The only drawback to hybrid cars is that currently they tend to be a bit more expensive than traditional cars to initially purchase.. However, this will change over time because more people will purchase hybrid vehicles due to the benefits and the pressures placed upon Governments to reduce pollution.

Toby Russell & his information website http://www.hybridcarlatest.com gives information, news and views for all those interested in the Hybrid Car Market.

 

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Saturday, May 17, 2008

Advantages of a Hybrid Car

With a proper introduction to the operation of a hybrid car automobile and an explanation of the energy saving benefits that can be enjoyed through car ownership, the advantages of hybrid car operations will be realized and ultimately understood. Thus, before buying a car, a hybrid car especially, it is important to discuss and find out more about the many nice advantages of Hybrid car performance with friends and family.

The hybrid version of automobiles offers the customer an interesting assortment of engine features that are supplemented with power options through the use of electrical motor and battery participation. These engine features are not available in every hybrid automobile currently being sold at automobile dealerships or through private sales in society today. The hybrid engines are equipped with gas powered, or dual powered engines, as well as an electrical motor that renders power support when needed. There is a heavy duty battery that serves as a source of power as well.

Within the hybrid breed of automobile engine varieties, there is a mild hybrid category and a full hybrid category. While each of these categories contain the same equipment, the performance of that installed equipment can cause your automobile to operate on entirely different principles. The mild hybrid category consists of a gas powered automobile engine that serves as the propulsion mechanism to move your automobile down the street.

Paired with this gas powered automobile engine is an electrical motor, as well as a heavy duty battery that are snuggly connected throughout the engine maze of pipes and mechanisms that when energized can provide propulsion to move your automobile forward. The hybrid car engine is the only source of propulsion power in the mild hybrid engine model, and the electrical motor remains in standby mode to provide spurts of energy and power to aid the gas powered engine in passing vehicles on a highway or wherever else a sudden surge of power will be of benefit.

The full hybrid category consists of a gas powered automobile engine that is considered the propulsion mechanism as well as an energy saving device. An electrical motor and a heavy duty battery are also part of this full hybrid engine power force. The gas powered engine works hand in hand with the electrical motor to provide the necessary boosts of energy to cause the car to propel through traffic. When the car is stopped at a traffic light, the gas powered engine will cease to operate, and the electrical motor will take over in providing propulsion power for the car to move from the site. Once the car achieves a good level of speed, the gas powered engine in the hybrid car will automatically engage and cause the car to continue down the street under gas engine power. The heavy duty battery is continually charged by the electrical motor at the same time.

The energy savings are accumulated during the different stops and starts that the vehicle might experience as the automobile moves toward its destination. Whenever the gas powered engine is not engaged there is a cost savings realized in its lax state of operation. The hybrid motor is quite capable of consuming energy and generating the right amount of power at the same time. These moments of non-engagement will save the consumer money in gas cost every time the automobile is driven down the road.

In conclusion, there exist more logical advantages of owning a hybrid car which is an unstoppable growing trend and unconfrontational facts.

p.s. More quality information on hybrid car can be found at hybridcars.simpleusermanual.com/.

p.s.s. Come and witness (My Success Roadmap after quitting my 10 years MNC job - http://www.thisisjusta.com)

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Friday, May 16, 2008

Best Hybrid Car

It would be easy to figure out which of the current automobiles today were ranked with the best energy efficiency ratings in gasoline powered car engines, model design, and those rated with the best safety features per car class. There is a wide opinion spread of rankings that can be provided by most major automobile manufacturers' reviews.

It would probably be difficult, if not impossible to find same rankings for the dual-powered hybrid automobile that is emerging like gangbusters on the automobile market today. It would also be near impossible to figure out which of these models would be considered or ranked as the best hybrid car available on the market today because with the energy saving features that save people money at the gas pumps, all of these hybrid car models are a winner.

The best hybrid car would provide versatility and style to the consumer. With mild hybrid and full hybrid car models available, there is a good selection of features that consumers can choose that will meet their individual driving needs and styles. Some of these hybrid car varieties have the capability of driving from a dead start on electrical power, while others require the gas powered motor feature to engage first to perform this part of the drive train operation.

There are three components in all of the hybrid cars that are manufactured today. To be considered a hybrid car, the automobile must have a gas powered automobile engine, an electrical motor and a car battery or battery pack underneath the hood. The manner that these components work together or singularly to move your car further down the highway depend greatly on the type of hybrid it is. The best hybrid vehicle would be one that used all three, but if that is not typical of your driving style, you will receive better fuel usage through the mild hybrid style which would render the car more economical.

The ease in use would also qualify a hybrid car into being considered one of the best on the market today. The keyless operation option is a highly valued feature that most consumers would prefer not to do without. These hybrid automobiles do not have a regular ignition switch, but feature state-of-the art technology in a push button ignition switch. All hybrid cars that have this feature built into their consoles will definitely be considered on the best hybrid automobile list that anyone creates.

Another feature that would be hard to vote on, in this best hybrid dual-powered car list would be the hybrids that give you a touch screen with interactive displays that give you a realm of information at your fingertips. The energy efficient power cars give multi-dimensional information across the console of the automobile, where you can tell at a glance what the climate control temperature is, or the radio settings are.

The simplistic pampering that these hybrid cars offer can give car owners back the control that they have in their cars. Drivers can now stay informed on the flow of power that goes through the electrical components and can now tell when this flow is affecting fuel consumption. With so many modes of operation to keep you informed and entertained, the hybrid automobile is hard to separate if you are trying to identify which one of the many manufactured brands are the best car in its class.

p.s. More quality information on hybrid car can be found at hybridcars.simpleusermanual.com/.

p.s.s. Come and witness (My Success Roadmap after quitting my 10 years MNC job - http://www.thisisjusta.com)

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Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Top 3 Hybrid Cars on the Road

Most of us rely on our cars to get us from A to B, but the fuel to mark these cars run are constantly changing and even if the petrol/gasoline goes up by just a few pence or cents a litre it makes all the difference as families live on a very small budget and the slightest change to this budget makes it so hard for a family to survive, but that does not matter to our governments as they still do not mind taxing the fuel high, especially in Britain

There has not been much of an alternative and we have all had to endure the huge price increases, but for the past for years there has been a small light at the end of the tunnel in the form of Hybrid Cars which use both Petrol/Gasoline Engines and they work in conjunction with an electric motor, so when you are at a stop or you pull of slowly the electric motor is doing all the work then once you are at a certain speed then the petrol/gasoline engine kicks in, but many people have already wrote about this which is nothing new

But what many of do not know is what are the best hybrid vehicles on the market as more and more car manufactures jump on the band wagon, when I say to you what are the best hybrids at the moment I mean in terms of what gives you the best fuel efficiency so how many MPG Well the car that is taking up the number one spot has always been the Toyota Prius and has helped Toyota get so big in America, all you have to do is look at the figures to see why the Pirus is the number one, 60 MPG in the City and 51 MPG on the motorway/highway Number two has to go to the Honda Civic where you are able to achieve around 49 MPG in the city and 51 MPG on the motorway/highway

And third is also taken up by a Toyota but this time the Camry Hybrid which will give you 40MPG in the city and 8 MPG on the run

The only problem that the Hybrid car has at the moment is the performance, do not expect it to be super quick, but I am sure as time goes on the technology inside will just keep getting better and better, but on the plus side second hand values of the hybrid car do not fall as much as a petrol/ gasoline version of the same model which is another way to save money as well

If you want to know more about Hybrid Vehicles, how they work, the latest information and all the latest news then visit http://www.hybridcars.org.uk

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Monday, May 12, 2008

Future of Hybrid Cars

There are many design concepts being considered for maximum public exposure and benefits on the drawing board of car designers today that look to the future hybrid car needs and considerations that will serve the public well in the course of the next century. Many of these hybrid car designers are taking past and proven sales performers and have begun reworking their designs from the ground up.

Instead of a front wheel drive platform, there are automobile designers that are building on a rear platform design for one of the nation's best selling and widely recognized car frames in America and worldwide. The hybrid car designs of the future are including sports car models that have been all-time favorites with the world in the past and are now being revived with the brand new hybrid engine in mind.

There is an aggressive training program in place at one of Americas largest car manufacturing companies that is preparing their technicians to repair the growing styles and variations of hybrid cars that are emerging onto the automobile market.

With the extreme difference in battery features and dramatic variance in voltage levels, there is a void that needs to be filled by someone who is equipped with the necessary battery cabling devices that can handle 270 volts instead of the normal 12 volt battery systems. Regular car technicians are typically capable of handling battery recharging requirements, but with the futuristic applications that are applied in hybrid battery design, the best service these car technicians can provide at present is that they can still provide oil changes and tire rotations should the need arise.

With a mindset of grasping and expanding the propulsion features that are somewhat limited in today's hybrid car designs, there are retro styling efforts that are focusing on providing hybrid cars with optional V8 engine capacities.

There are considerations in place to use solar cells in the framework of hybrid automobiles. The electrical power will be produced through the boot lids and bonnet placement of these solar cell modules. Through the use of solar cells it will then be possible to utilize the battery charging capabilities when the car is not turned on or in motion to replenish batteries that have been depleted through the use of air conditioning or through continuous operation when the hybrid automobile is delayed in traffic jams at different times of the day. This lightweight body structure design would benefit the energy savings to the consumer and make the car more manageable on the highway.

There is an effort in hybrid car design that is turning the out of the ordinary hybrid vehicle into a replica of what is parked in the driveway every day of our life. This blending in effect is meant to bring the hybrid full circle into the acceptable graces of the American public.

The future hybrid car will need to focus more on greenhouse gases that negatively effect the environment as well as a hybrid car that will be even more fuel efficient. Without these changes, the production and sales of any type of vehicle will not be possible due to the degradation of our atmosphere.

There are many views about hybrid cars in the futures that will change its fuel source from the heavy duty batteries in use today, to hydrogen-power fuel cell. This will take away the need for hybrid cars to have to use gasoline completely in order to transverse down the major highways.

p.s. More quality information on hybrid car can be found at hybridcars.simpleusermanual.com/.

p.s.s. Come and witness My Success Roadmap after quitting my 10 years MNC job =>http://www.thisisjusta.com

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Saturday, May 10, 2008

Benefits of Using a Hybrid Car in 2007

Natural resources in the world are becoming more and more scarce and now we are having to find ways that we can conserve the natural resources and use other methods to meet our needs. Often we put various resources together to get one thing and often this is known as creating a hybrid.

Many times plants are put together to create a hybrid crop that is better than other crops and that can withstand more weather and pest problems. The creation of hybrids can help make sure that there is plenty of food to go round in the world today. Animals are also bred together to create hybrids that are healthy and hearty as well.

In today?s world, transportation is changing since gas prices have soared and environmental changes have occurred. A new car that is being used is a hybrid car, which uses two types of power to make driving more beneficial.

One type or power that is used in a hybrid car is battery power. Batteries are placed in a hybrid car and they can be recharged. While these batteries are a bit like other automobile batteries, they have many differences as well. Most cars only use the battery in the car to get the engine started. The battery produces enough energy to get the engine to start and then helps to operate various powered options throughout the vehicle such as power locks and radio features. Even if the car is not running at the time you can use the electric features of your car. The charge of the battery is kept fresh by the alternator that is located in the car as well.

A hybrid car has batteries that are very different than those in regular automobiles. At first the hybrid batteries were very large and cumbersome, but now they are lighter and smaller. Nickel-Metal-Hydride is what these batteries are made of and this allows them to be light weight and to hold a great deal of power. A hybrid car also has a combustion engine and it works with the battery to give the car the power that it needs. You can use the electric batter to power the car by itself or you can use the engine and the battery together in the hybrid car.

Since a hybrid car does have a combustion engine you still have to use gasoline, diesel fuel, or other types of fuel to operate the engine. Using the hybrid car leads to a variety of benefits since the electricity and fuel options can be used together. This car is so efficient that you can get over 60 miles per gallon. The hybrid car also preserves energy by shutting off instead of idling and by using only the electric when it is going slow. This type of car is also better for the environment since is puts out much less emissions than a normal vehicle usually does.

Are you looking for some guide lines to buy a new hybris car?

Helpful Information for buying a new hybrid car

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Thursday, May 8, 2008

Your Guide to Tax Breaks for Hybrid Car Owners

Encouragement to drive a Hybrid

The U.S. government has begun to offer tax breaks to those who purchase hybrid cars and trucks. Naturally this is being done to encourage people to buy the slightly more expensive vehicles, and to cut down on the U.S. foreign oil dependency. Not every car, however, qualifies for these tax deductions. Thus, it is a good idea to check with your local tax department before purchasing a hybrid to ensure that it will qualify for the deduction.

The value of the tax break for a hybrid car depends on the make, model and year of the car. Hybrid cars made before 2006 do not qualify for the tax break. If you decide on a particular make and model of a hybrid car, be sure to check with your local department of taxation to see how much of a tax break you'll get.

Meeting the right standards

In order to qualify for tax deductions, the hybrid car purchased must meet certain standards. Once again, you must check with your local tax department to find out the particular requirements in your state.

Some standards for hybrid cars to qualify for a tax deduction include averaging at least 45 miles per gallon and complying with ATPZEV emission standards. Only some models actually meet the 45 mpg standard. These include the Civic Hybrid, Prius, and Insight CVT.

Hybrid cars such as the Ford Escape, Honda Accord, and Lexus RX 400h do not qualify for the U.S. tax deduction because they don't fit miles per gallon criteria .(However the Honda Civic, Toyota Prius, and Honda Insight CVT do). They also do not currently comply with the ATPZEV emission standards. This further hurts their chances of qualifying for the U.S. tax break. So Choice of make & model is essential to qualify.

How much will I get?

So how does this all apply to you? Well, it depends on where you live. For instance, if you live in Colorado, you'll be eligible for a hybrid tax credit of up to $4713. You get this credit once only, in the year of purchase (so if you purchase a car in 2007, you'll get a tax credit that same year).

The value of your tax credit depends on the emissions of the car and the miles per gallon the car gives.. If it gets 40 or more MPG and emits very little pollutants, you can expect 100% of the credit. If it only meets one of the state standards, you'll get 50% of the tax break. In either case, you will get a tax credit.

But what if your car is ultra low emission? Well, then you'll get 75% of the full tax credit. If the hybrid car is super ultra low emission, you'll be able to get 85% of the maximum tax credit. This means that if the max U.S. tax credit is $4,000, you?ll get a $3,400 deduction.

As has been mentioned earlier you must check with your state department to determine how much of a hybrid car tax break you?ll be eligible for.

More Affordable

Hybrids were once out of reach for most people. However, these tax breaks now make hybrids more affordable for everyone.

Toby Russell owns and operates an information site called http://www.hybridcarlatest.com offerings tips, advice, news and information on all aspects of the hybrid car market.

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Wednesday, May 7, 2008

History of Hybrid Cars

In 1905, the application for a patent for a hybrid gasoline and electric motor power train brought the hybrid technology motors into existence. At that time the energy saving features were not the main focal point of this dual power model but, nonetheless, the history of hybrid car technology had been born. This application dealt with supplementing a gasoline power engine to the point that it would have an increase in speed to go from zero to twenty-five miles an hour in ten seconds. Unfortunately, by the time the patent was approved three years later, car speeds had already reached this acceleration speed.

There were quite a few people interested in hybrid technology, and some were long before the application for this particular patent was submitted. There were some inventors that realized the effect that hybrid technology could give electric running automobiles an added speed boost if they were combined with the horsepower that was afforded through the use of gasoline engines. The difference in these speeds jumped an amazing 15 miles per hour. The history of hybrid car products on the highway was just emerging to the forefront of American minds during this time.

There were hybrid trucks being built as early as 1918. Consumers chose speed over gas savings in 1914, when a company developed a hybrid that would offer an astounding 70 miles to each gallon of gas, an amount that is available in some models being offered now in the year 2007. It was the top speed of 30 miles an hour that changed consumers mind to pursue models that were a bit quicker.

The health effects that were caused by internal combustion engines were noted by health officials in the late 1960's. In 1966, the United States Congress recognized the need to reduce air pollution and recommended bills that led to interest in the production of electric vehicles. The first car manufacturer to jump on the band wagon to perform research and develop these electric cars.

Further development interests led to the production of an advanced battery that would allow the electric vehicles the opportunity to be suitable for highway use. Experimentation was done to enhance the number of charges these batteries could take to prolong their time on the roadways. The concentration on developing hybrid automobiles had reached a worldwide effort by the time the oil embargos were affecting the prices of fuels around the world.

With the effects of pollution becoming worse in large cities, countries such as Germany and Japan took the production levels of the hybrid car center stage, with developments by Volkswagen and Toyota featuring prototype hybrid taxis and engines. The state of California was the first government to require a certain percentage of sales be automobiles that met the new Zero Emission Vehicle policies. This made the advancement of hybrid automobiles more prevalent in our society. Toyota was the first company to offer hybrid automobiles for sale to the public in December 1997. It was marketed solely to Japanese people.

For hybrid car sales in the United States, Honda was the first to offer a two-seated hybrid car in year 2000 and further expanded the offering of hybrid vehicles to the United States only two months later with a compact car model, the Prius. The classic style of the ever popular gas saving model, Civic, was then offered in hybrid car form in 2002 and received great reviews.

Other automakers followed suit, with Ford offering the Escape Hybrid in 2004. This was also the first hybrid that had a sports utility vehicle feature. The production of the hybrid car will continue, as popularity intensifies, and the American public will relish in the tax saving and economical features that the hybrid automobile brings to the benefit of the American people.

In conclusion, hybrid cars will be the next alternative to fuel vehicle. The trend is spreading, not only in American, but worldwide. Asia countries, such as Japan, Korea and Singapore owners of hybrid cars are enjoying tax relief from switching to hybrid motor. It is inevitable that fuel motor cars model will be going down to history and hybrid cars is making a history.

p.s. More quality information on hybrid car can be found at hybridcars.simpleusermanual.com/.

p.s.s. Come and witness "My Success Roadmap after quitting my 10 years MNC job - http://www.thisisjusta.com

 

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Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Increasing Demand for Hybrid Car

Environment consciousness has been growing in the public and this is what a recent survey shows. PULS, a German-based trend and market researcher conducted an online survey so as to find out what the public?s preference in car is.

They have polled more than 3,500 people who have either recently bought a car or is planning to buy one in the near future. They have conducted the survey in the different countries - United States, Germany, France, Great Britain, India, and China. The result shows that a large number of their respondents would go for hybrid vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles over gasoline or diesel powered units.

The survey shows 42.7 percent of the respondents will opt for a hybrid car and further said that hybrid vehicles are the cars of the future. The hybrid car got the most votes from the US where the Toyota Prius is already making waves in the market and significantly increasing its buyer base. 50.9 percent of respondents from the United States said that they will go for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) over any other kind of vehicle. Meanwhile, 46.9 percent of French respondents also said that they would opt for a hybrid vehicle. The further improvement in the Toyota Prius and the development of Honda of their hybrid car will definitely increase the interest of the public in such vehicles.

Taking the second place in the online survey is vehicles with hydrogen fuel cell technology for 41.9 percent of the respondents chose it. This alternative form of fuel used in vehicles has received much of the votes from China where more than half of the respondents see a future where hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles will be the ones to rule the roads. India?s public also found these hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles the way to go in the future. The result of the survey on these Asian countries contradicts the common belief that they are satisfied by just using traditional fuel.

Other alternative fuel-powered vehicles that have received much attention are those that use plant derived fuels. 38.1 percent of the respondents think that plant-derived fuels will replace fossil fuel which we are so dependent on today. Great Britain motorists show their strong support to the use of plant derived fuels with 45.6 percent of them giving their nod to these kinds of vehicles. The positive acceptance of respondents in Great Britain may be in fact due to the availability of cars in the European market which are powered by plant derived fuel like bio-ethanol. Bio-ethanol after all can already be used to power vehicles like some models by Volvo with FlexiFuel technology onboard.

Of all the respondents polled by PULS, only 11.5 percent said that the world will still be dependent on gasoline or diesel for our fuel. Overall though, the result of the survey shows how huge the demand for vehicles that will run on alternative fuels or will depend on renewable sources of energy. Indeed, the demand has been growing sharply that if the trend is like a car, the momentum it has would be quite hard to stop and would take only a high performance brake to stop, like an EBC rotor coupled with a high performance caliper. Furthermore, the survey shows the way for car makers to see the direction their consumers would want them to take.

Car manufacturers need to step on the gas to give the public what they want and to sum it up, Dr. Konrad Wessner, owner and general manager of PULS said ?If potential buyers perceive a certain engine type to have a capacity for the future, they will in turn prefer manufacturers who are leaders in their respective field.?

Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive.buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop. You can visit EBC rotor for more information.

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Buying Hybrid Cars-What You Should Be Aware Of

The hybrid car is an attempt to reduce our dependence on gasoline while at the same time protecting the environment from pollution. The hybrid car combines the use of gasoline with battery power in one car. The extent to which this has been achieved efficiently, is subject to serious debate presently.

There are some very vital things you should be aware of before deciding on purchasing a hybrid car. Having this information at your finger tips will help you make a well informed decision whenever, you finally take the plunge.

1. The price - the price of the hybrid car is the much talked about of all the other things of the hybrid car. With hybrid car prices ranging from $20000 to $40,000 and difference with pure gasoline car being $3,000 to $10,000 no wonder price is the issue with hybrid car. Generally, the decision to buy is predicated on whether it is worthwhile in savings considering the difference in price. In periods of high gas prices significant savings could be made.

2. The battery cost. Hybrid car batteries cost between $2000 and $4000 depending on the manufacturer. Even though the battery is made up of many cells you can't just replace individual cells. The whole battery has to be replaced. This is so because the weak battery cells will drain power from the good ones if individual bad cells are replaced. even though the price of the battery is high it has a longer lifespan than the conventional car battery.

3. The battery life - The life time of a hybrid car is something you should be aware of since the batteries cost a lot. On average the batteries last from up to 7 to 9 years. The Honda, for example, gives a 8 year per 80,000 mile warranty while Toyota gives 8 year per 100,00 mile warranty. so you are covered for some considerable time before you begin to think of renewal of battery. Also, don't forget that the battery could exceed the warranty period. Most manufacturers should cover cost in case of failure during warranty period.

7. Few specialists, parts price are available - There are few specialists presently on the hybrid cars. Parts may not be readily available and the prices of parts could be very high indeed. All this is as a result of the fact that it is a new technology. As more and more people buy hybrid cars there will be more parts available and more specialists would emerge.

8. Price of gas - You may not really see the expected savings if you are using a hybrid car when gasoline price is low. But if there is any cause for gasoline prices to go as high as $4 or $5 per liter you may begin to see some considerable amount of savings because then you should be using the battery powered side of your hybrid.

9. Credit on purchase - You can get tax credit on your federal tax return with the purchase of a hybrid car. This is an incentive by U.S. government to encourage people to patronize hybrid car manufacturers. The general logic is that with more purchase of these cars manufacturers are encouraged to intensify research on these cars as well as use of alternative energies. To know how much credit you can get on the various brands of cars go to the IRS site on hybrid cars

To conclude - If you are looking for prestige, savings on gas in periods of high gas prices and you have the money to buy it, please go ahead and you will be glad you did.

For more timely guide and reviews on the advantages of hybrid cars and vehicles in the market checkout http://www.hybrid-car-site.com

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Monday, May 5, 2008

Hybrid Car's Poses Threat to Safety of Blind Persons

In the recent American International Automobile Dealers Association newsletter, they pointed out the threats posed by hybrid cars to blind people. The report stated that crossing the street has become more challenging for those who are visually impaired. This is due to the fact that hybrid electric cars like the Toyota Prius switch to its electric motor during low-speed driving or idling. This feature has endeared the car to some of its users because not only it reduces noise pollution but also reduces the car?s fuel consumption. These cars are efficient on city driving where frequent accelerating and decelerating are required, and the city streets are where most blind persons roam.

In consonance with this, the Wall Street Journal reported that some blind people already had close calls with hybrid vehicles. It is a common knowledge that visually handicapped persons relies on their sense of hearing to navigate busy streets. And since hybrid cars produces almost no sound at all just as silent as an EBC brake rotor when engaged, on low speed driving, blind people will not know if there is a car within the vicinity. This heightened the risk faced by blind people in traversing a city?s walkways. The quietness that hybrid cars may be a strong selling point for the car manufacturer but it poses a constant threat to blind people and this fact should not be ignored.

In response to the increased risk that blind people is now facing with the growing number of hybrid vehicles on our streets, the National Federation of the Blind has been lobbying for car manufacturers to take action with regard to the thereat posed by hybrid cars. The advocacy group stressed out those quiet hybrid vehicles not only poses threat to those people who are blind but for other sighted pedestrians. Cyclists and elderly persons also rely on a car?s sound to determine the position and speed of a vehicle. They also pointed out that while there are still no fatalities or injuries caused by the relative quietness of a hybrid car, the increasing popularity of hybrid cars may soon have a negative impact on the safety of pedestrians.

The National Federation of the Blind proposes to car makers that hybrid cars should at least emit a sound audible to pedestrians who rely on car sounds in navigating a city?s thoroughfare. The Committee on Automobile and Pedestrian Safety under the NFB suggested that a device may be integrated to a hybrid car?s axle which will produce an audible sound as the wheels of a car rotate. They also recommended that a sensor be developed that will warn a blind person if a hybrid car is in the area. These suggestions though are still to be relayed formally to car manufacturers since a meeting between the NFB and representatives of the automotive industry has yet to take place.

The call for action of the NFB has yet to be addressed by the automotive industry. In connection with this, the spokesman for the Alliance of Automotive Manufacturers, Charles Territo said that they are willing to look into the problem. ?We?re interested in hearing about the concerns of the blind community, and we?ll work with them to ensure that they?re addressed?, Territo said. Meanwhile, Bill Kwong, spokesman for Toyota also said that he was not aware of the problem and further said that drivers and pedestrians share the responsibility of watching out for each other. But the NFB pointed out that the Toyota spokesman did overlook the fact that blind pedestrians cannot watch out for hybrid vehicles since they are after all, blind.

Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive.buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop. You can visit EBC Brake Rotors for more information.

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Saturday, May 3, 2008

Hybrid-Electric Cars

Hybrid-electric cars got their name because they run on two different power sources--often at the same time. Contrast that with an electric vehicle or a gasoline only vehicle, which run on only one source.

One dictionary definition of the word, "hybrid" is "something of a mixed origin or composition." This pretty much describes hybrid-electric cars, which come from the marriage of two entirely different technologies--electricity and internal combustion.

Hybrid Cars, otherwise known as HEVs (Hybrid Electric Vehicles) or Gas Electric Hybrid Cars, are fast becoming the choice of more and more people. Many folks just want better gas mileage. And some folks not only want better gas mileage, but want to do their part to fight global warming along with fossil fuel dependency and depletion. Now, while that's a noble concern, are their efforts nothing but tree-hugging idealism?

Well, you don't have to be a tree-hugger to appreciate this: Many U.S. citizens are realizing that hybrids are one way to help the U.S. escape the choke-hold that the Middle East has on our economy. But it turns out that other hardcore 'non-tree-huggers' are starting to buy hybrids. Why? For better gas mileage? No, performance. That's right, you read that correctly--performance! Read on, you may be surprised.

1st Generation Hybrids were weak as a kitten and slow as molasses. They had small gasoline-powered engines--often 2-cycle like in lawn & garden equipment--that helped charge hundreds of pounds of lead-acid batteries. This sent power to the electric motor. The electric motor propelled the vehicle. These were called "series" hybrids. The little little gasoline engine's job was to charge the batteries, making the series hybrid more of a pure electric vehicle than not.

They were low on power, cramped, and had a short range. They weren't very practical and it would be unrealistic to think that these early designs would be accepted by the public--especially Americans who are used to going fast and far in their cars.

Now, however, most hybrids are made with a "parallel" setup; they can be propelled by the electric motor alone or the gasoline engine alone or by both working together. With much better battery technology, hybrids are now becoming very practical indeed.

The new hybrid electric cars have been designed to take advantage of the best features of the electric motor in combination with the best features of the gasoline engine. What am I talking about here?

Some of today's "muscle car hybrids" have large gasoline engines--not much smaller than non-hybrid cars. As a matter of fact, some have gas engines up to 200 hp or so. The 2007 Lexus GS Hybrid has a total of 350 hp, with 192 hp coming from the gasoline engine. Yet it gets 32 mpg on the highway and accelerates faster than their big V-8 gasoline-only Lexus!

So no longer do you have to settle for low power to enjoy the benefits of owning a hybrid car.

Charles Brown is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Hybrid-Electric-Car.net. You can find more information on hybrid electric cars and other hybrid car facts on his website.

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Thursday, May 1, 2008

Hybrid Vehicles Rise To The Top Of The Car Market

For many years people have often owned or driven cars that are not only to help for transportation purposes but are also there for improving the overall mobility experience.

In recent past times, people also drove cars to show off or flaunt their status symbol or just for the sake of casual and fun joy rides.

But those good times are turning into rare dreams now. For every motorist, it's really getting harder and harder each day. Almost everybody, may it be a student or a retired senior person, is troubled and concerned about the zooming up gasoline or oil prices.

Given the constantly rising increases in gasoline prices, which come almost on a weekly basis, there is no wonder why people are forced to limit the use of car to a basic necessity.

Hybrid vehicles

During the start of the new millennium, giant car manufacturers had heralded great news about the development of modern cars that would significantly cut oil consumption.

Japanese car makers Toyota and Honda started with their research on alternative fuel efficient transmission systems and soon became the pioneers in this particular endeavor. Their United States and German counterparts followed the trend soon.

That was the emergence of hybrid vehicles in the now sluggish global car industry.

But what exactly are hybrid vehicles? Literally, the word 'hybrid' means a crossover or integration of two systems or components. Applying this term for vehicles, it means a combination of two types of cars, the gasoline powered cars and the electric powered cars.

Before understanding the hybrids further, let's get familiarized with the two mentioned car types.

The gas-powered and electric-powered vehicles

The gas-powered cars are the predecessor of all the other types of cars that came after it. The first invented car and all the other cars and modifications that follow it until the end of the 20th century are all gas-powered cars.

Gas powered cars are, you guessed it right, run by gasoline or oil. These cars have made oil exported fro the Middle East and other nations valued like gold, because of its volatile pricing.

Many years of research and development has enabled the manufacturers to add key improvements in the newer models of the gas-powered cars. Some of them are truly superior over the others. However, their owners and users have always been complaining about their increasing bills for oil consumption.

At the same time, the environmentalists are complaining about such cars' air pollution. They are raising strong concerns over the combustion process that produces bi-products that are harmful to nature.

The first attempt of car makers to address the increasingly rising and agitating concerns about higher oil prices and depleting ozone layer in the atmosphere was that of electric cars.

But alas, on practical grounds, those efforts were proven futile and non-feasible. Electric powered cars were turned down as impractical because their mileage and speed would not match the capacity of the gas-powered vehicles by a great margin.

A powerful combination

So, if the gas-powered vehicles were too expensive and pollution causing to maintain but really fast and reliable, and if the electric cars are not fast and reliable, but significantly cut costs of oil expenses and reduce pollution, why not combine both?

Smart integration and the 'meeting half way' option for the electric and gas powered cars paved the way for the rise of the hybrid vehicles.

Hybrid vehicle system consists of both gas powered engine and battery set powered motor, and a fine balance of the two power sources to manage the transmission. It truly combines the strength of both car types and addresses the concerns arising from each car types too.

However, many experts and car fanatics are still disappointed with the hybrid car's inability to reduce oil bills as massively and tremendously as anticipated by the public before its introduction to the market.

A big concern is about the purchase price for hybrid vehicles. It's still way, way higher. Also, due to their complex designs, many people fear that their maintenance costs will be significantly more than the gas powered cars.

It has been just a few years since the emergence of hybrid vehicles. In the future, very soon, as the production cost would go down, the prices of hybrid cars would certainly be dragged down to an affordable level.

To collect your free book that will provide you with all the information you'll need to know about hybrid vehicles and electric cars visit: what are hybrid cars. To read more articles about hybrids then go now to: facts about electric and hybrid cars.

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