The hybrid cars market is on upswing and is growing very rapidly. America spend on gasoline every minute is about $200,000. Not to say about dependence on foreign oil. Hybrid vehicles are beginning to enter the market, and represent the first step in reducing America's oil consumption.



The upcomming hybrid cars for this year and future.



1. DaimlerChrysler is going to introduce diesel electric Dodge Ram pickup which would be giving boost to mileage by as much as 15%

2. There is no details for this vehicle but Mercury Mariner SUV is going to be launched in 2007

3. Saturn Vue SUV would give a boost to mileage by 15% and would be introduced in 2006.

4. The other vehicles released in 2007 would be GMC Yukon and Chevy Tahoe which could give upto 35% of mileage boost and Chevrolet Malibu as 15%.

5. 2008 Chevy Silverado would be giving 35% boost to mileage.

6. 2004 Honda Accord Hybrid likely to be realeased in december would give V6 performance.

7. Lexus RX 400h SUV would follow in early 2005 and would have double mileage as compared to RX 300.

GM Daewoo motors introduced their 1st hybrid cars which is expected to enter mass production in 2006. It will be available as a gasoline and a diesel-powered engine. This will be the first vehicle designed by GM Daewoo since GM brought Daewoo in 2002.



These hybrid cars i.e S3X would be more fuel efficient then regular gasoline powered cars and would have a maximum speed of 100 kph which is far behind Prius and Hyundai Hybrid Click which have 161 kph and 165 kph respectively. GM Daewoo plans to boost its speed of hybrid car to 150 kph before its launch. Other then hybrid car GM also displayed "Hy-Wire" concept car which would run on hydrogen based fuel cells.

According to Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche of DaimlerChrysler’s Chrysler Group, Chrysler soon would be going to launch its front wheel drive hybrid car most probably in early 2006. With the growing demand of hybrid cars and the entry of the rivals such as Ford Motor Co., Chrysler could not overlook the importance of hybrid cars.



For long Chrysler was enphasizing on diesel vehicles as as an alternative to fuel guzzling vehicles to keep its fuel-efficiency ratings. But with the hybrid cars becomming so popular it is planning to introduce gasoline-electric powered engine to reduce gas consumtion for its vehicles.



Most likely models for the hybrid cars could be PT Cruiser, Dodge and Chrysler minivans. Zetsche also hinted that Chrysler might not go for development of hybrid engine but could licence the technology from another manufacturer.

Honda Motor Co. has recently displayed its fuel efficient line of scooters which will be available in 2 different engine types i.e gas electric, all electric and fuel cell scooters. Honda is mum about when this scooters would be launched but it said that they would continue to improve the models in future.



This is the first time when gasoline-electric engines are used for 2 wheelers. The fuel cell scooter is similar in size as 125 cc normal scooter and the hybrid scooter has 50 cc capacity engine. With the launch of these scooters Honda would have a edge on its competitors Suzuki & Yamaha. Honda would have no rival/competition if it launches these vehicles soon.



The technology for hybrid scooters is similar to that of hybrid cars where the battery for hybrid scooters are charged during deceleration and it temporarily stops the engine when vehicles have to stop at traffic.

The all new 2005 Ford Focus will be built on a modified Mazda 6 platform and would be built at Hermosillo, Mexico would be on sale from late summer 2005. In Europe the car is in the form of small wagon which is based on ford fiesta.



The hybrid or gasoline electric version of the Ford Fusion is expected to hit the roads by 2007 and would be called as CD3.

In order to provide more incentives to Hybrid car owners and let people know the benifits of hybrid cars Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn has proposed to provide free car parks to hybrid cars in city streets. The motion would be proposed to remove parking car meter fees for hybrid cars for 6 months which would start from September 1.



The electric and natural gas car are offered free parkings at present times. The step would further prove importance of hybrid cars in the age of rising prices and dependence for oil on other countries.

Toyota Prius gains 5-star Euro NCAP accolade. Hybrid car gets class-best 34 points and highest ever child protection score. Prius is first ever hybrid to be tested by Euro NCAP. A further 125 actual crash tests confirm optimum passive safety.



Toyota Prius the 1st hybrid car tested by Euro NCAP passed the test with ease and with best of results. 34 points awarded to it is the highest point awarded ever which gave the car to 5 star rating. It got 43 points in Child Protection Rating another highest score ever.



The test results shows that it is not only a strong performer but also has all the best safety features which is best then found in any other car. The major safety equipments includes 8 airbags, a dual-stage seatbelt warning system, a knee protection panel and a fascia-mounted starting button.



To confirm the data from the crash test simulations, a programme of 125 real crash tests took place for Prius - substantially more than usually conducted in the development of a new model.

Source: world.honda.com

Honda released the images for its 2005 Accord V6 Hybrid, gas electric hybrid version of Honda best selling car which will be with dealers for sale later this year. The new hybrid will have power and performance better then its current 240-HP Accord V6 with better fuel economy.



Honda's (VCM) Variable Cylinder Management increases the efficiency of the vehicle by deactivating 3 of 6 cylinder engine during cruising and deceleration with no change for performance of the car.



Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system uses high output electric motor-generator providing more efficient engine operation by capturing electrical energy during braking or deceleration and use of that energy to power the vehicle hence saving valuable fuel. The engine shut off during stops further increases efficiency of the vehicle.

Hyundai Motor Co. plans to introduce its first hybrid car in 2005. It would be a hybrid version of Verna sub-compact car and would be only available late next year. Hyundai would be investing around 1 trillion won to make a production line for gas-electric hybrid car by 2009. It aims to make 10,000 hybrid cars anually.



Hyundai claims that the hybrid car would reduce the fuel consumption by 15-20%. They plan to produce trial hybrid models by year end and would get response from users. Hyundai would also be increasing human resources in R&D to 10,000 from the current 6,200 people.

The automakers like Ford is training 1000s of mechanics at dealership for servicing hybrid cars.



If your hybrid car like Escape gets a problem you could visit any mechanic to fix tires, brakes etc. If there is a problem under the hood generally an independent mechanic would not like to fix it and a visit to mechanic at dealership is required.



Reason: Hybrid cars have high voltage cables in which batteries of a hybrid car sends around 270 volts then its regular car counterpart which only send 12 volts. 270 volts is enough to stop heart. The training is generally given to mechanics at dealership which leaves large pool of independent mechanics untrained to handle it.



Without proper training it would be dangerous to handle it. Other reason is that hybrid part for one make is entirely different then the other. So one should be trained separately for different makes. It is too early and most of the cars would be under warranty for a long time which would be between 8-10 years.

You thought "America can't build a big sedan..." Have a look at 2005 300 Chrysler." :)



With 340 HP, 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 engine 2005 Chrysler 300C has a sitting capacity of 5. A body like Lima, it would be joy to ride it on roads. It has 18 in 9 spoke chrome-coated aluminum wheels. It could hold a 15.6 cubic feet of cargo and adding to its beauty is dual exhaust pipes.



Fuel economy for the car is impressive 17 mpg city, 25 mpg highway. The interior is very comfortable. Dashboard is elegant with Chrome accents and polished metal.



Base Price: $32,370

Vehicle: 5 Passenger, All wheel drive

Powertrain: 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, 340 HP, five-speed automatic

Torque: foot-pounds at 4,000 rpm

Fuel: 17 mpg city, 25 mpg highway

Steering: Rack & Pinion(power)

Curb Weight: 4046 pounds

Brakes: 4 wheel vented discs with anti-lock and braking-enhancement features (power)

Hybrid car engines uses both internal combustion engine and electric motor for running the car intelligently. The electronic system decides when to run the car on electric motor alone, when to run it on both electric motor and engine, when to run it on gasoline alone and when to use motor as a generator and convert kinetic energy from the wheels into electricity to charge the battery.



When the car is running at low speed electric motor could alone take the charge. When the car put brakes or goes downhill the battery is charged. As the engine starts and during its initial acceleration electric motor is used for the motion and engine comes in when car needs rapid acceleration. When the car is still engine is shut down and the car runs on electric motor thus saving fuel and reducing emission. During full-throttle acceleration or under heavy load, the motor gets a power boost from the battery.

The plan is to check the emissions of gases linked to global warming in 2 steps for cars & trucks during 2009 - 2014 in California. It will be year by year level for cuts in emission for one passenger cars and two light duty trucks category.



It would start from 2.3% in 2009 to 30% in 2014. As said by Catherine Witherspoon, executive officer of the ARB " The proposal protects public health and conforms to the language and spirit of Assembly Bill 1493, which requires the ARB to limit emissions from California passenger cars that contribute to global warming " (day after tomorrow :) )



The plan is likely to go into effect by 2006 and the car makers would have 3 years to meek the guidelines.



It would be difficult for automakers to do the changes if this happens at state by state level. The change would require massive investments and if such laws are passed in only one state then the investments could be delayed.



What is needed is federal government should come forward and should pass a similar plan as a whole. California is leading the way, lets see who all will follow. Most likely next would be New York...

Ford has set base price of about $27,000, $3,300 more then 2005 Escape (V6 engine). The front wheel drive car is claimed to 35-40 miles per gallon compared to 20 miles for 2005 Escape with V-6. It would be available with showrooms later this summer. 4 wheel drive version for this car would cost $1,500 more then front wheel drive. Ford hybrid owners would get "clean fuel vehicles" tax deduction of $1,500 for 2004.



There are 4 stages in the 2005 escape hybrid cycle, Stop/Start, Electric Drive, Regenerative Braking and Cruising with Electric Power Assist.The car automatically switches between electric, gasoline, or combined operation to maximize efficiency and performance.

As announced by Nissan's luxury division the new 2005 Infiniti G35 coupe & sedan would have a new coupe model,redesigned instrument panel, new design for exterior for sedan. The major enhancement in the 2005 G35 sedan would be an increase in power to 277 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque.The sedan would also have all wheel drive version(already in 2004 model) with new exterior style which will have new hood, grille, bumpers, side sills, taillights and wheels.



The 2005 G35 Infiniti coupe would come with 5 speed automatic transmission or close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission. The power would be increased to 295 hp(not confirm but in near range). It would come with 3 models namely Coupe, Coupe Sport A/T and Coupe Sport 6MT.



The G35 coupe & sedan with automatic transmission might be available with dealers around October 2004 and manual transmission by December 2004..

If you are going to buy a Hybrid car only for cost advantage then a marginal gain could be achieved with this car. Please have a look at this data:-



Lets assume you drive 15,000 miles a year. The fuel consumed with an average non hybrid car would be around 430 gallons and with an estimated price of fuel per gallon be $2, total cost for the fuel would be $860.



If you drive an average hybrid car with the same number of miles the fuel consumption would be around 312 gallons meaning $624 worth of gas.



This means you save $236 on gas. But with the price of gas going uphill this gap could increase. Now look at the other factors,



1. Fuel saved meaning less dependence for fuel on other countries.

2. Due to less emission less damage to environment.

3. Tax deductions on hybrid cars.



In my opinion buying a hybrid car has more advantages then disadvantage. Go ahead and buy your next car as a hybrid car.

Alessandro Volta arranged zinc and copper discs in a column and invented the battery. The car name is derived from the great inventor. 2005 Toyota Alessandro Volta would have 3.3 liter V6 petrol engine located behind rear axle and would be connected to the wheel directly. It would have a carbon-fiber body with a seating capacity for 3.



The power comes from two electric powered engines which would be providing all wheel drive and a much improved safety. It would have a lightweight, carbon-fiber chassis below which would be located a 70 kg battery.



The output would be 300 kW/408 HP and the car would have a maximum speed of 250 km/hour. It could go from 0-100 km in 4.03 seconds. The mileage would be at the rate of 435 miles on a 13.7-gallon tank.

Nissan Unveils 2007 Altima Hybrid mid-size sedan prototype in San Francisco on June 2. The car will be available in the US market from 2006.



The car would have Nissan's four-cylinder gasoline engine and the hybrid components from Toyota(the first maker of cars powered by gasoline-electric engines). The acceleration is quite impressive with performance equivalent to V6 engines and with better fuel efficiency then other compact cars. Nissan is going to make 100,000 hybrid vehicles in 5 year time.



Statement from Nissan is "a breakthrough model, which provides new feeling of driving pleasure to customers with its dynamic acceleration performance, while minimizing the impact to the environment at the same time.

2004 Toyota Prius Hybrid is winning a lot of awards recently. The latest of them is "International Engine of the Year 2004" for Toyota Prius Hybrid Synergy Drive System announced in Germany with highest score ever recorded in competition. The jury comprised of 56 motoring journalists from 24 countries worldwide. Some of the other awards it got are:-



`` Best New Engine of 2004

`` Best Fuel Economy Engine

`` Best 1.4-liter to 1.8-liter



The 4 awards made Prius Hybrid Synergy Drive as the maximum awards gainer in the engine awards history. Over 28,000 Prius with Hybrid Synergy Drive have been sold world wide in the 1st quarter of 2004.



Toyota would become first manufacturer to offer both SUV and passenger car with the launch of Highlander Hybrid.



The awards show the acceptance, popularity and importance of hybrid technology worldwide.

GM will be introducing 2005 GMC Sierra hybrid car as one of its early hybrid cars. The electric motor would supplement 5.3 liter V8 engine with automatic transmission. As the truck decelerates the motor is turned into generator and also saves fuel by engine start/stop function and regenerative braking. At the red light engine stops running but other accessories runs with battery power and as driver releases brakes the electric motor provides fast starting power without any delay.



The electric motor could generate 14,000 watts of continuous electric power. GM claims, this truck would have an improvement on gas mileage by as much as 10%. Four 120 volts power outlets would allow driver to use television, compressors, refrigerators etc anywhere anytime. In case of requirements it could supply power for 32 hours non stop.



The engine is shut down before tank is emptied so that drivers are alerted and enough gas is present to reach station for refueling. Ground fault detection system protects power supply circuits which in turn prevents short circuits and overloads.



The benefit for GMC Sierra is that it could also be used as generator in case of necessity.

As on GM website here



The 2007 model for Chevrolet Equinox would be using VTi variable transmission in Ecotec four-cylinder engine. The VTi along with electric motor would increase the fuel economy for the car to as much as 15%. During deceleration or when engine is idle the belt alterator starter system will shut the engine with the use of battery power. At the time of starting the battery power would restart the vehicle very fast without any extra emission.



The fuel efficiency would further improve by the use of continuously variable transmission and charging the battery while braking.

Using advanced propulsion technologies General Motors is going to introduce strong hybrid powertrain to sport utility vehicles. Chevrolet Tahoe equipped with GM's gas-electric hybrid powertrain will debut in 2007. The car would feature Displacement on Demand cylinder deactivation technology which will improve fuel economy by 30%.



GM is also producing parallel hybrid trucks. According to Larry Burns, vice president, Research & Development and Planning, “The advanced technology race is a marathon, not a sprint,” . GM is also into development of hydrogen fuel cells.



More details here

Functionality Of the Car



`` The hybrid cars are smaller in size. What is needed is bigger cars like SUV & trucks.



`` The Hybrid cars needs to be more powerful.



`` The mileage needs to be further improved by use of some more fuel saving technologies so that people are compelled to buy hybrid cars.



`` Incentives in the form of tax reduction to make hybrid cars more popular and competitive.



`` Should be readily available as long list of waiting list is seen at booking for the car.



`` Awareness should be generated. As more car sales does not only mean profits for car manufacturers but also profits to society in terms of limited fossil fuel saved, less damage to environment, less dependence on other countries for fuel.....

Federal tax deduction



Toyota Prius — Model Years 2001 - 2004

Honda Insight — Model Years 2000 - 2004

Honda Civic Hybrid — Model Years 2003 and 2004



Detailed description is here



Colorado Department of Revenue



2004 Toyota Prius:

`` Incremental price difference - $3,150

`` Tax Credit available $2,678



2004 Honda Insight (Automatic):

`` Incremental price difference - $5,070

`` Tax credit available $4,310

2004 Honda Insight (Manual 5-speed):

`` Incremental price difference - $5,070

`` Tax credit available $3,803



2004 Honda Civic Hybrid (Automatic):

`` Incremental price difference - $3,440

`` Tax credit available $2,580

2004 Honda Civic Hybrid (Manual 5-speed)

`` Incremental price difference - $3,240

`` Tax credit available $2,430



Detailed description is here



In addition, individual states offer incentives, rebates, or grant programs to encourage purchase and leasing of hybrid and low/zero emission vehicles.

1. Hybrid car owners complain of less mileage for their car then as projected by the car manufacturers.



The mileage of the cars is tested in laboratories at perfect driving conditions .In real sense a car has to face wind resistance, faulty roads, air conditions, gizmos which was not used when the mileage was tested. However the mileage also depends on the type of driving so it may vary from person to person. Do gasoline cars not show mileage different from projected.



2. Dangerous in case of accidents for rescue workers.



Hybrid cars generate around 500 volts. But it is not that dangerous as being projected in case of accidents. However the fuel lines are more dangerous then electric lines. The 2 hybrid cars manufacturers Honda and Toyota are trying their best to educate people and rescue workers about the safety measures.



3. Not profitable



It is true. But in 3-4 years of run it would be profitable in terms of $$ saved from gasoline. The prices of gasoline is already more then $2. As the prices would increase the car would be more profitable which seems very likely. :)

The 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid engine gets power from both gasoline and batteries. More details about Hybrid cars. It gives 650 miles on a single tank of gas. The battery does not need to be recharged by power source but it recharges itself by the power produced by gasoline. The exhaust is very low hence less damage to environment.



1.3 liter, 4 cylinder, 85-horsepower, hybrid engine which gives 46 mpg in the city and 51 mpg on highways. The unique things in the car is use of latest technology as VTEC®, Dual-Point Sequential Ignition (i-DSI), Integrated Motor Assist (IMA™). Electric motor supplies extra power when car accelerates. It gives a faster start and recharges its batteries when brakes are applied.



Honda Civic Hybrid 5 speed MT



MSRP: $19,650

Invoice:$17,955

Engine: 1.3L 4 cylinder 85 horsepower

Fuel: 46 mpg city, 51 mpg highway



Honda Civic Hybrid CVT

MSRP: $20,650

Invoice:$18,867

Engine: 1.3L 4 cylinder 85 horsepower

Fuel: 48 mpg city, 47 mpg highway



Honda Civic Hybrid 5 speed MT PZEV



MSRP: $19,800

Invoice:$18,092

Engine: 1.3L 4 cylinder 85 horsepower

Fuel: 46 mpg city, 51 mpg highway



Honda Civic Hybrid CVT PZEV



MSRP: $20,800

Invoice:$19,004

Engine: 1.3L 4 cylinder 85 horsepower

Fuel: 48 mpg city, 47 mpg highway

2006 Lincoln Mark LT will have 5.4-liter, three-valve Triton V-8 engine which would output 300 hp. This car is very similar to F-150 SuperCrew with some slight changes. With high-intensity discharge headlamps would give a good look to the car in nights. The 20-inch chrome wheels could easily carry a payload of 1620 pounds. It has 5.5 foot bed to carry cargo. More details for the vehicle would be available when it would near to production which could start somewhere in the beginning of 2005.



Details:-



Engine: 5.4-liter, three-valve Triton V-8

Horsepower: 300hp

Torque: 365 foot-pounds

The joy of riding a family car with a truck like toughness. 2006 Honda SUT has a seating capacity of 5 and also has a 5 foot cargo bed which makes it favorable car for outings. It is based on Pilot/MDX platform. One could ride the vehicle with all the comforts and still could load a lot of cargo. The car is perfect for people who like the utility of a sport-utility vehicle and the look of a pickup.



It would have a VTEC V-6 engine and 240-260 horsepower. The safety features are:-



` Vehicle stability assist

` Front side airbags

` Side curtain airbags



Commercial production for this car would begin at Alliston, Ontario, plant in 2005. More information for this vehicle would be available by next year.

King County Metro(Seattle) recieved 1st hybrid bus recently. It is to recieve total of 235 diesel electric buses from GM at the rate of $645,000 per unit.



The GM hybrid buses improves fuel economy by 60% and reduce emissions by 90%(hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, particulate) and 50%(oxides of nitrogen). The hybrid bus produces better torque from its electric motors and a 50% more acceleration then conventional diesel buses.

The prices of gas has reached beyond $2 per gallon, dependence on oil from imports, environment damage due to exhaust, Time to switch to better mileage, environment friendly Hybrid cars.



43,435 vehicles sold in US last year. There is a huge leap in the sales of hybrid cars this year with Honda Civic Hybrid selling 3000 cars last month alone.



Leading the path to hybrid cars is environment conscious California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger leads with maximum number of hybrid car sales in US. Schwarzenegger is planning a "hydrogen highway network plan" that includes the installation, before 2010, of hydrogen fuel stations on the Golden State's most important motorways.



"Bigger is better" but they leave a hole in your pocket, environment... If you drive 15,000 miles a year the fuel cost for a large SUV would be $2,600 where as for a smaller car it would be around $1900 and for hybrid cars $600.

Some of the car models will be introduced in the year 2006. More Details would be available here as we get more details.



2006 Acura MDX

2006 Acura RSX

2006 BMW M5

2006 Buick Park Avenue

2006 Cadillac XLR

2006 Chevrolet Corvette

2006 Chevrolet Equinox

2006 Chevrolet HHR

2006 Chevrolet Impala

2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

2006 Dodge Charger

2006 Dodge Dakota SUT

2006 Ford Explorer

2006 Ford Fairlane

2006 Ford Mustang Cobra

2006 Ford Super Duty

2006 Ford Thunderbird

2006 GMC Envoy Denali

2006 Honda Civic

2005 Honda Odyssey

2006 Honda Pilot

2006 Honda SUT

2006 Hummer H3

2006 Hyundai Santa Fe

2006 Jaguar XK

2006 Jeep Commander

2006 Jeep Compass

2006 Jeep Wrangler

2006 Kia Optima

2006 Kia Sephia

2006 Lamborghini SUV

2006 Land Rover Defender

2006 Land Rover

2006 Lexus GS

2006 Lexus VX 470: It could replace Land Cruiser twin LX 470 and would be a luxury version of Sequoia.

2006 Lincoln LS

2006 Lincoln Mark LT

2006 Lincoln Zephyr

2006 Mazda Tribute

2005 Infiniti G35:



There is nothing concrete know so far for this vehicle. But the rumor is that it will be available in coupe and sedan, better interior, new wheels and an increase of 20 HP.



2005 Infiniti Q45:



Only one trim for this model is available which is 5 passenger luxury sedan(4 door). It has 4.5 litre V8 engine with 340 horsepower. It has standard 5 speed automatic transmission. Interior is quite luxarious made up of maple wood with chrome accents , sport contour seats.



Basic facts:

4.5L V8 340 HP engine

17mpg city /25 mpg highway fuel efficiency

Voice-activated controls

DVD navigation system

RearView monitor

Climate controlled seats

** Batteries of hybrid cars are charged by the car itself. Whenever the car slows down from high speed, energy is wasted in conventional cars, where as in hybrid cars this energy is utilized to charge batteries.



** City driving gives better mileage for hybrid cars due to regular stop and start phenomenon of driving



** Hybrid restarts the engine whenever brake pedal is released.



** Air conditions, wipers all runs same as in conventional cars.



** Light engine, light body is used but the car is very stable.



** Driver never know when the car is switching over from gasoline to electric power.

1.0-liter, 12-valve, 3-cylinder engine, Honda Insight is a light weight car as body is made up of light weight aluminum alloys and magnesium. The engine and transmission is efficient as measures are taken to reduce friction, better then conventional cars. The major attraction is that its 1st tune up could be done at 105,000 miles ( except fluid and filter changes). Honda claims the car mileage as 60mpg city /65 mpg highway thus a tank of gas could take you more then 700 miles.



Honda Insight has a starting price of $19,180. The safety equipments are:-



`` Front and rear crush zones

`` Dual side-impact door beams

`` Box-sectioned cabin floor

`` Reinforced hexagonal frame extrusions

`` Anti-lock braking system

`` Dual front airbags

`` 3-point seat belts



The trims available for Insights are:-



Honda Insight 5-spd MT

MSRP: $19,180

Invoice: $17,917

Engine: 1.0L I3 67HP

Fuel: 60/66 mpg



Honda Insight 5-spd MT w/ AC

MSRP: $20,380

Invoice: $19,036

Engine: 1.0L I3 67HP

Fuel: 60/66 mpg



Honda Insight CVT w/ AC

MSRP: $21,380

Invoice: $19,969

Engine: 1.0L I3 65HP

Fuel: 57/56 mpg

The exhaust comprising of unburnt Hydrocarbons, Oxides - nitrogen, Carbon Monoxide creates havoc with our environment. We zoom away with our car leaving behind gases, which is piling up for our future generation. If this continues to happen the day is not far when this planet would be unfit for living.



When engine is not tuned, older cars with old and outdated technology, Fuel quality adds another big load on nature. Few important points for regular car users:-



`` Change engine oil as recommended.

`` Proper use of lubricants

`` Ignition timing

`` Spark Plug

`` Tire Pressure

`` On red-light if more then 2 minutes halt is required switch off engine.

`` Try to drive at constant speed



The pollution caused by vehicles could lead to respiratory problems, cardio-vascular (agina), could affect fetuses (**), nervous system, nausea, headaches, encephalopathy in children resulting in lower IQ. Others affected are aquatic life, trees etc.



It is high time we think of alternatives such as electric cars or hybrid cars. Just give it a thought and help environment and future generations.

The first hybrid car "Toyota Prius" was introdused in Japan market in 1997 and thus the begining of environment friendly vehicles. It came to America only in 1999 with honda Insight. The car gets power from gasoline and battery hence the name hybrid car.



The 1st hybrid car concept was introduced in 1928 by Ferdinand Porsche. Where as commercial production of this car was started much later i.e in 90's. However the technology was used in other machine such as a diesel locomotive train where the source of power was both electric and diesal run motors.



The early cars where Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. The hybrid cars which is available in the market are:-



`` Honda Insight

`` Toyota Prius

`` Toyota Highlander Hybrid

`` Lexus RX 400h

`` Ford Escape Hybrid

`` Honda Civic Hybrid

One of the most fuel efficient car on earth and for the earth. The "Blue tooth technology" is really a good feature in this car. With a blutooth enabled cell phone when one enters the car it reads the phone and becomes a car phone. The fuel consumption practically is about 50-55 mpg so that means less dent in your pockets. Above all this car is also good for somebody else like mother nature, aunt environment as it emits less exhaust hence less pollution.



MSRP - $20,295

Invoice - $18,687

Engine - 1.5L 4cyl CVT

Length - 175 Inches

Width - 67.9 Inches

Height - 58.1 inches

Ground clearence- 4.9 Inches

Front Head - 39.1 Inches

Front Hip- 51 Inches

Front Shoulder- 55.3 Inches

Rear Head- 37.1 Inches

Rear Shoulder- 53 Inches

Rear Hip- 51.6 Inches

Front Leg - 41.9 Inches

Rear Leg - 38.6 Inches

Acceleration - 10.37 seconds(0-60mph)

Torque - 82 ft-lbs.

Horsepower - 110 hp

The conventional cars uses gasoline as its source of power. The electric cars gets their power from batteries. But Hybrid car is one that gets power from two sources. The common example is car running on both gasoline & battery.



Today most of the car manufacterers are going to introduce their models for hybrid car. The common features in a hybrid car are:-



Smaller Engines:-

This smaller engine has enough power to move around in free way but when it is needed th get the car moving uphill it needs extra power which is readily provided by the electric motar and the battery thus not affecting the performance of the car.



Engine shutoff:-

Whe car takes brake or reaches a red light the engines run by gasoline shuts down and power is supplied by the electri motor and battery.



Efficiency:-

The efficiency of the hybrid cars is achieved by>>

# Recovering energy and storing it in the battery

# Engine shut off at redlight and when car pauses for a while.

# Using advanced aerodynamics to reduce drag

# Using low-rolling resistance tires

# Using lightweight materials for making body of car.

Saving when you have is better then panic when you don't. Wake Up and join the movement of saving fuel, environment to give a better life and clean air to our next generation. If you can't ride a bicycle then use a hybrid car.



2005 Ford Escape Hybrid comes with 300-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery, 2.3-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with 65kW electric assist motor and a 28 kW generator. It gives 35-40 mpg better then conventional V-6-powered cars without compromising on performance.



At red light a conventional car just creates waste** emissions, where as Ford Hybrid engine shuts down its engine when at rest. While starting the generater starts the car with very low emission. The battries are charged when car is running and energy is restored when brakes are applied. Thus helping the power plants too :) .

Save fuel and help the country, environment & your pocket :). Use public transport, ride a bicycle , walk, or drive a 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid. The hybrid cars are a step towards cleaner air and less dependence on gasoline.



This Honda car is powered by Accord’s stellar 3.0-liter, 240-horsepower V6 engine. It would be fitted with Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology. It deactivate the 3 cylinders at an specific driving conditions from 6. In the process it saves the valuable fuel with no sacrifice in performance. It would also use Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system.

It is HIGH time we start thinking about hybrid cars. The prices of fuel will increase every comming year. The time demands cars which could run on very less or no fuel. No fuel cars or car running on batteries is in its early stages so cars running on less fuel should be hot as of today. The 3 major benifits would be:-



* Gas Mileage($$)

* The environment(Save Earth***)

* Oil dependency



The great news about 2005 Toyota Highlander is 27.6 miles per gallon. It will be the the world's first 7 seater hybrid suv. All this comes with powerplant output of 270 horsepower is very impressive. It would have 3.3L, 6 Cylinders engine powered by Hybrid Synergy Drive technology avaiable in Toyota Prius.



Safety wise 2005 Toyota Highlander offers stability control system and a tire pressure monitoring system as standard equipment whereas front seat-mounted side airbags side curtain airbags for the 2nd and 3rd rows are optional.



Features:-



Car- 2005 Toyota Highlander

Class- SUV

Engine- 3.3L, 6 Cylinders

Seating- 7

Cargo Space-80.6 cubic feet

Speed- 0-60 mph < 8 seconds