8/21/07
8/9/07
Hybrid car vs. Dodge Viper
Posted by Harry Bo at 2:55 AM 1 comments
Labels: 2008 hybrid car, build hybrid car, electric and hybrid cars, top hybrid cars
8/8/07
So Many Alternatives - Just Can’t Choose Anything
New ways of tackling the problem of greenhouse effect and energy resources exhaustion appear quiet regularly. And get as regularly criticized in all possible ways. Bio fuel is not enough to supply the entire nation’s demand, plug-in cars are too small and have odd design, electric and hybrid cars are not satisfactory speed-wise. Yeah, let’s guzzle gas until scientists and automakers won’t come up with a perfect solution. Or until oil will cost an arm and leg – literally.
Take E85. It has gotten many votes and has almost been recognized as a great alternative to oil fuel. As distinct from gasoline, ethanol is made from plants. 85% of ethanol and 15% of gasoline put together make E85 – an energy source for flexible-fuel vehicles. The problem is that unlike gas stations that you bump into on every corner E85 is not always easy to find. Never mind, you can always check the alternative fuel location beforehand. There is even a mobile phone service for finding the nearest station where E85 is available.
But if you have a look at some studies you’ll discover not so optimistic results and assumptions. Like Professor Mark Jacobson from
However, Professor Jacobson puts his trust in battery-electric technology. Electric and hybrid cars have gotten their bit of criticism too, but keep drawing more and more attention and approval. As
Turning back to electric and hybrid cars. Fuel efficiency depends on your driving skills almost as much as on technology. Some especially gifted drivers can turn even
So maybe instead of knocking to pieces the introduced ideas of alternative technologies we should revise our habits and try to get the most of what is on offer now?
Posted by PY at 12:41 AM 3 comments
Labels: electric and hybrid cars, hybrid car market, Toyota hybrid cars
8/3/07
Are Hybrids Loosing It Or…?
Results of numerous studies and ratings published recently in different sources are bound to leave consumers slightly confused. What’s the real position of electric and hybrid cars on the market?
Not so long ago J.D. Powers investigated consumers’ attitude to electric and hybrid cars and came to the conclusion that they began to lose their popularity. To diesel vehicles in particular, for they are very likely to maintain gas mileage that meets federal standards and even exceed it, but are less expensive to buy than electric and hybrid cars.
In two different lists of Top 10 Most Popular Cars for the first half of 2007, ranked by CarGuru consumers and based on sales volume from Automotive News, there are no hybrids. You can see them in Top 20, but it’s not a very flattering position. Moreover, the list is full of vehicles that not even remotely meet the new CAFE standards. Although auto buyers are obviously concerned about the growth of gas prices, they are still unwilling to reconsider their addiction to big gas-guzzlers.
So, it looks like electric and hybrid cars are not winning the battle even despite the threat of oil crisis. Moot point! The fresh study by J.D. Powers predicts an increase of over 30% in electric and hybrid cars sales. Not too bad for vehicles that have been reportedly loosing popularity.
Well, maybe this all makes sense at the end of the day, as hybrid car market is welcoming new SUV models that should draw the attention of SUV lovers.
Posted by PY at 1:57 AM 0 comments