| Buying a new car is spending a considerable amount | | | | reduce the energy needed to run them. In slow city |
| of money for most people, and with the ever rising | | | | traffic the conventional engine is automatically shut of |
| oil price it is becoming a more and more expensive | | | | completely, producing no emissions whatsoever. |
| affair to own your own car too. With an oil price that | | | | When more speed and power is needed, the |
| works in a way so that a rain in north America raises | | | | conventional engine is allowed to seamlessly kick in |
| the price people in Finland pays for gasoline from | | | | partially or fully. |
| Russia, it is not strange that the market is eager to | | | | You could own a hybrid car tomorrow |
| be offered more economical cars. | | | | Like much of the car market today, it is the |
| To further complicate matters, we are today well | | | | Japanese who have been fastest to develop |
| aware that the large scale use of fossil fuel like oil is | | | | attractive looking hybrid vehicles, such as the hybrid |
| very bad for the environment. Getting rid of all | | | | powered Honda Accord and Toyota Prius. Contrary |
| gasoline powered engines would be great for the | | | | to what one might believe, these cars have also |
| environment. | | | | gotten a warm reception on the market. |
| All of the above has resulted in a new breed of cars | | | | The idea of saving on gas is obviously appealing to a |
| being rapidly developed. These cars combine the best | | | | lot of people. |
| features of the electric cars with that of | | | | Most well established North American manufacturers |
| conventional, gasoline powered cars. These type of | | | | are also expected to jump on the bandwagon of this |
| cars are called hybrid cars, and you are likely to hear | | | | lucrative market very soon. Many of them, including |
| a lot about them in the very near future. | | | | Ford, Chevrolet and Mercury have in fact already |
| The electric car revisited | | | | launched hybrid powered version of some of their |
| The electric car first sounded like a great idea, since | | | | models. |
| it has no emissions while it runs. However, this is only | | | | Since this is now a phenomenon that all big |
| partially true as the total emissions depends on how | | | | manufacturers are getting into, you can expect to |
| the electricity for the electric car is produced - if it | | | | see many of these cars appearing more commonly |
| comes from a coal plant for example, it isn't very | | | | at local car dealers. As this is considered cutting edge |
| clean at all. | | | | technology, one can expect the initial prices to be |
| Furthermore, the storage of large amounts of | | | | rather high though. But then again, a hybrid car will |
| electricity is problematic at best and in practise turns | | | | mean considerable savings on buying gas. As the |
| electric cars to pure bread city cars. Storing large | | | | competition will no doubt be stiff, it will be interesting |
| ammounts of electricity is unfortunately a rather | | | | to see how the pricing of these cars develop during |
| clumsy affair. | | | | the next few years. |
| Hybrid cars combine an electric engine with a gasoline | | | | While the best thing for the environment would be |
| powered one, which means the use of gasoline isn't | | | | to cease using any kinds of fossil fuels, hybrid cars |
| gotten rid of completely but it can be greatly | | | | represent one of the best alternatives one can right |
| reduced. The dual engines also allow for smaller | | | | now - combining the cleanliness of the electric engine |
| engines to be used, and they take advantage of | | | | with the mileage of a conventional combustion engine. |
| things like regenerative breaking. | | | | Hybrid cars are certainly not to be considered |
| Naturally the hybrid cars are also extremely | | | | unorthodox or overly futuristic - they are here NOW. |
| lightweight and aerodynamically well designed, all to | | | | |