There is currently a bill in Congress to address the biggest issue that electric cars currently possess. Electric car noise is nonexistent in the current crop of hybrid cars. That’s right, they make little to no noise and as a result pedestrians who are either blind, lost in thought and not watching the road or simply looking in the wrong direction, can suffer injury because they never heard it coming.

The bill in Congress would like to have the Department of Transportation to establish safety guidelines so that the issue of electric car noise would cover the lack of sound made by hybrid and electric vehicles that would include having it make some kind of discernible sound or at the very least, an audible beep when in range of a person.

In a new video produced by Subaru, blind people were placed on the side of the road to see if they could the electric car noise was audible to them in their new hybrid synergy drive. The answer was a resounding NO. Hybrid and electric cars are potentially silent killers, and the proposal which is strongly backed by the National Federation for the Blind is for the car manufacturers to add some kind of fake engine noise. The bill is also backed by 16 US Congressman who wants to establish a minimum sound level.

This is being pushed further by the fact that just last month a boy was hit by a Toyota Prius due in part to the fact that he didn’t hear it coming.

On a positive note, two Stanford students think they come up with a workable compromise where they have the hybrids making a sound something like a motorbike with a cold that’s in need of service. It has been joked that perhaps Brian Eno , who designed the Windows 95 sound, might be called on to help with the sound issue.

While it’s true that the hybrids and electric vehicles offer low carbon emissions and are on the cutting edge, they should have a non-threatening sound that heralds the fact that they’ve just passed you. It doesn’t need to be very loud, but just loud enough to warn people when crossing the street.

As they stand, electric car noise is still not there, and these vehicles pose a hazard to pedestrians and especially the blind who are totally dependent on their ears to navigate streets and roads. Children and seniors are another group that’s vulnerable. As of now, the National Federation of the Blind is gathering attention by putting up web pages and making videos to highlight the problem with the Quiet Cars that are currently being manufactured.

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• Convert Any Car to Electric — "All the steps are numbered with diagrams to be easy to follow. The conversion does not take too long, all you have to do is follow the simple plans I provide and in a month, you will cut your gas bill to zero."

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While gas prices have plummeted due to investors short-selling oil to get some liquidity during the current financial crisis, they’re still over a dollar per gallon higher than they were this time last year. They’re likely to fluctuate between $2.70 and $4.15 per gallon over the next few years, though the promise of developing new sources of oil domestically will smooth out some of those bumps in the road.

Whether it’s for pure economic reasons, the desire to own a piece of good engineering, or the desire to save the environment, hybrid cars have taken a strong place in the American auto market , driven largely by the availability of industrial grade lithium ion batteries .

The financial appeal of electric power for vehicles is strong. With most of the electricity in the United States derived from coal or gas plants, it’s significantly cheaper per passenger mile when it can be used at all; powering your car on electricity gives a cost per mile that’s broadly equivalent to paying for $0.80 per gallon gasoline.

The major drawback of plug-in hybrid cars has been energy density in the hybrid battery system. The first generation hybrid trucks and hybrid cars used nickel cadmium batteries, which are rechargeable, but don’t store a lot of power. They’re also more expensive to dispose of after the car is no longer useful. Their chief advantage was that they were cheap, and by comparison to lead-acid cells, lightweight.

Lithium ion batteries have changed that considerably – there isn’t a hybrid truck or hybrid car on the road that isn’t using them. What has changed is that there are now after market conversion kits to both increase battery capacity, and allow you to plug your car in overnight to recharge them. These kits get rid of a lot of cargo space for the ability to cruise further off of battery power alone, and they still have a gasoline motor powering the car’s forward movement directly.

The next step in plug in hybrid vehicles is exemplified by the Chevy Volt , which uses electrical motors in each wheel to power the car; this frees up the space and mass otherwise taken up by the steering column and transmission system for more battery space. The second place where this pays off is that the gasoline engine just powers a generator to feed the battery because the engine doesn’t need to provide locomotive force to the entire vehicle, it can be tuned for greater efficiency. Even better, the Volt has nearly a 60-mile range from the battery pack alone; if your daily commute is less than 60 miles round trip, the Volt may not use any gas at all.

Powering your car from a plug in current is also better for the environment; it’s much easier to clean emissions from one source (an industrial power plant) and do it at large scales with greater efficiency, than to try and scrub the emissions (from catalytic converters to CO2) from thousands of cars. Indeed, with modern CO2 sequestering techniques, many coal plants are getting closer and closer to zero emissions entirely.

The next step in electric transportation is the all-electric vehicle; the only one on the market right now is the Tesla Roadster , which runs a hefty $100,000 or more. It runs entirely off stored electricity, with a cruising range of a bit over 130 miles between charges.

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• Convert Any Car to Electric — "All the steps are numbered with diagrams to be easy to follow. The conversion does not take too long, all you have to do is follow the simple plans I provide and in a month, you will cut your gas bill to zero."
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A Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle or PHEV is a green car that comes with an extension cord. It is different from standard hybrids offered by companies like Lexus, Ford, Toyota, and Honda, presently in the market, as they cannot recharge their batteries by plugging in.

Although plug in cars are very similar to electric cars, they have one major difference i.e. plug-in cars present no limitations that are generally associated with battery-only cars. The unique feature of a plug-in car is that you do not need to plug it in but when you do, you car becomes an electric car which has a gas tank backup .

Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles provide all the features that Hybrid Electric Vehicle provided. But unlike their predecessors, Plug-in cars can cover more distances solely on electric-power and come equipped with a plug-in battery charger. You can plug in the vehicle in the night when the electric rates are much lower. By switching to PHEV’s we can effectively help to reduce the dependence on fossil fuel like gasoline.

Studies show that if every US citizen made the switch, consumption of oil on a national level would decrease by 70 to 90 percent. Apart from this, there are also many other benefits that a Plug-in Hybrid car provides.

You can fill a PHEV at any gas pump and you can even plug it in any 120-volt outlet . If you drive mainly within the city, you may never feel the need to pay for gas. Once you plug your car in, you shall notice a cheaper, cleaner, and quieter car for everyday purposes. Also, maintenance costs are comparatively low for electric cars.

The focal point of this technology is the fact that it is not necessary to plug in your vehicle. You can pick the best energy source for your vehicle. You can drive your car with the energy from the battery pack, but if it falls insufficient, you can always drive on regular gasoline.

Rather than spending money on gasoline, you can take a cheaper way out. When you are sleeping, your car will recharge and each morning, you wake up to a full tank or rather battery. And even if you feel the need to drive more than 60 miles in one day, you need not worry. The car can operate using a mixture of electric motors and internal combustion engine to give you enhanced and improved car performance.

Apart from reducing your visits to the gas pumps, a PHEV can also help lower pollution . Although carbon emissions are produced when electricity is generated, the fact remains that a PHEV is less polluting than any other standard gasoline or regular hybrid car. Also, Plug-in Hybrid cars help in creating a more effective and distributed use of electricity production as they are plugged in the night. A Plug-in Hybrid can also serve as a source of emergency power for the house .

For a plug-in hybrid compact car, the cost increment will be 10-20% more than a standard hybrid . A plug-in sedan would charge an additional $2000-3000; an SUV would cost $5000 extra. Also, there are many conversion kits in the makes that can help make the switch yourself.

A PHEV is the perfect solution to the ongoing problems of pollution and can help benefit the society by reducing oil imports as well. Make the switch and you would no longer need to spend all that money on gas .

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More Information on Green Living

• Convert Any Car to Electric — "All the steps are numbered with diagrams to be easy to follow. The conversion does not take too long, all you have to do is follow the simple plans I provide and in a month, you will cut your gas bill to zero."
• The Battery Reconditioning Report — "The battery reconditioning report is a smart set of techniques, some of which I knew for years and have applied to seemingly dead NiCad batteries."
• Build A Wind Generator — "For the past 15 years our family has been living off the grid with only solar and wind power. We moved to our present location, built our own house ourselves and set to work to find alternative energy options for our home that we could afford."

As more people are becoming considerate of the environment, the idea of driving a vehicle less dependent on gas is becoming more popular.

With this idea though, people are wondering how to pick a hybrid car, because they are interested in making the right choice for their vehicle needs as far as the environment go, but also for their lifestyles and wallets.

To choose a hybrid vehicle you should first choose the type of vehicle you need. Take into consideration how many people will be in your vehicle regularly as well as any kind of moving of heavy objects you do regularly. This is a first step when choosing any vehicle, but, while taking this into consideration, think about how each class of vehicle will also affect your gas mileage .

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You see, each class of hybrid usually has higher mileage per gallon, but is still something you want to consider, if you are trying to decide between a sedan type and an SUV. The difference in the gas mileage can be as high as 30mpg. For instance if you want Toyota hybrids such as the Toyota Prius , for city driving you can expect up to 60 mpg, and for highway driving up to 50mpg. However if you decide to instead go for the Ford Escape the mileage is 36/31. That is a huge difference for two vehicles that carry the same amount of passengers.

The cost of a hybrid is something else you might want to consider when thinking about how to choose a hybrid vehicle. For instance most gas only vehicles cost up to $5,000 less than a hybrid. You will be able to compare the two vehicles you like with their prices when you check for quotes, and in some cases you might be surprised to find that the difference can be as low as $3000.

If you are paying monthly for your vehicle you might want to sit down with calculator and find out if the extra payment of up to $90 a month (using the average $18/$1000 loan) is worth it. For instance the Prius is going to get you almost double the gas mileage you might have with a regular sedan, so you would spend half as much on gas every month. In the long run with the help each vehicle brings for the environment this could, very well, be worth the cost.

In the end no one can tell you exactly how to pick a hybrid car , but if you take these things into consideration you are going to be much happier with your decision to go hybrid, and the vehicle you choose.

Let’s face it…

If you really want to know how to pick a hybrid car then you have to understand your goals. How much money can you spend? What is the hybrid vehicle going to be used for? Are you worried about hybrid car batteries , hybrid maintenance , and hybrid car risks ? If you are, then you might want to wait another 3-4 years until you feel confident in the technology. That trust in hybrids is critical to your well-being and peace of mind.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

If you’re doing research on hybrid cars, hybrid trucks, or hybrid vans, then you need to head over to http://HybridCarsTrucksVans.com/ I discuss many related topics such as hybrid minivans, hybrid SUVs, and even hybrid motorcycles. Start your hybrid car research today.

This article is about the Chevrolet Volt. First, I discuss the development of the Chevy Volt. Second, I talk about hybrid vehicles in general then I focus on the Volt specifically. Third, I discuss the technology of the Volt. Lastly, I talk about availability of this car.

Since the fuel prices have continued to rise in the last few years, people all across the world have began to do something about it. Top auto manufactures have come up with hybrid vehicles as well as electrical cars .

The Chevrolet Company has developed the Chevrolet Volt as its plug in hybrid car of the future. It was first introduced as a concept car; however, with the demand for gasoline-free, or an automobile that uses less gas, it will be on the market by 2010. The Volt’s extended range gasoline engine is expected to range approximately from 50 miles per gallon to as much as 150 miles per gallon

Many people may wonder what is meant by hybrid vehicles . Hybrid vehicles are vehicles that have at least two, but usually more types of energy sources, which provide propulsion, either shared or individually. Chevrolet Company intentionally avoids using the term “hybrid” on the “Volt”. They prefer to use the term “Electric Vehicle” , which is equipped with a range extending gasoline-powered motor with a 1.4 L, 4-cylinder engine, which is used for powering the 53-kilowatt generator. However, it is more commonly referred to as a “Series Hybrid”.

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GM plans to call the Volt an “E-REV” , (extended range electric vehicle ). However, the 4-cylinder engine will not have any mechanical linkage to the wheels, like the regular hybrid vehicles. It will be run at necessary speeds that will optimize fuel consumption, and charge rate efficiency, and it will reduce emissions. The only emissions that the Volt might produce from its tailpipes, may be a small amount of Carbon Dioxide, and that is in a very safe amount, if it emits any at all, and that is not expected to happen.

The “Volt “ is designed to run entirely on electric power (read: hybrid car batteries ), with a plug in located just in front of the left side mirror, by the fender well. The average commute for many people is usually around 33 miles (53 km). With the Lithium Ion batteries at full charge the car will travel for 40 miles before the gasoline engine even turns on, using the 111 kilowatt, 150 horse power motor, long enough to recharge the batteries, via a 53 kilowatt generator. This can increase the range of the Volt from 40 miles to as much as 640 miles (1,030 km). If you have access to a regular 120/240 volt AC residential outlet, you can also recharge the batteries with an extension cord, which also comes with the new vehicle. A full charge will take 8 hours, which is a normal workday. Therefore, there is no need for an external charging station.

Chevrolet wanted to change the drive train, in order to make it easier to standardize the new electrical components for the Volt and its future electrically propelled vehicles. So a new drive train called the “E-Flex” will be introduced at the showroom, in 2010.

If the EPA tests were run for the Volt the same way they are for other hybrid vehicles , the Volt’s ability to use stored energy from the batteries would result in the first vehicle to reach a fuel economy rating of over 100 mpg . This would make it the very first vehicle to be mass-produced that acquired such a high rating.

More Information on Green Living

• Convert Any Car to Electric — "All the steps are numbered with diagrams to be easy to follow. The conversion does not take too long, all you have to do is follow the simple plans I provide and in a month, you will cut your gas bill to zero."
• The Battery Reconditioning Report — "The battery reconditioning report is a smart set of techniques, some of which I knew for years and have applied to seemingly dead NiCad batteries."
• Build A Wind Generator — "For the past 15 years our family has been living off the grid with only solar and wind power. We moved to our present location, built our own house ourselves and set to work to find alternative energy options for our home that we could afford."

This article is about hybrid car batteries. First, some definitions are provided. Second, hybrid battery costs are discussed. Third, charge capacity and hybrid battery life are explained. Lastly, battery cost is discussed.

Any kind of rechargeable battery stores electricity through chemical means, and batteries have a number of important constraints on them, especially for hybrid cars and pure electric vehicles . To make this discussion make sense, we’re going to have to define some terms.

The first term is energy density . One reason why gasoline is such a useful fuel is that it’s very dense in terms of the energy carried per unit mass and unit volume. For example, gasoline has nearly 20x the energy density of liquid hydrogen per unit of volume, and is nearly 60% greater in terms of its energy density than ethanol or methanol.

Most electrical batteries can’t come close to the energy density of a good alcohol based engine. The handful that can (generally zinc oxide/silver batteries) are prohibitively expensive. This is one reason why, if you look at a Prius, almost a third of the weight of the vehicle is the batteries .

Hybrid battery costs drive a lot of the price premium for a hybrid vehicle (especially hybrid trucks ) . There are three broad categories of batteries suitable for use in a high energy application. Nickel-Metal Hydride (an evolved form of the Nickel Cadmium rechargeable battery), Lithium Ion, and Zinc/Silver.

Nickel-Metal/NiCad batteries are the cheapest to install, and have the lowest energy density of the set; they are also fairly heavy, and carry heavy metals (nickel and cadmium) making their disposal problematic and expensive.

Lithium Ion batteries have roughly 50% greater energy density compared to Nickel Metal Hydride, and nearly 40% greater than straight NiCad. They are also roughly 3 to 4x as expensive per watt/hour stored, because of the high price of Lithium. Unlike NiMH batteries, they also run into problems with waste heat when discharging. (One of the great technical challenges for an all-electric vehicle is getting enough energy stored in the batteries – and safely out again – without the batteries overheating.)

Zinc/Silver batteries have nearly 30% greater energy density than Lithium Ion batteries, but are prohibitively expensive, and use two resources (Zinc and Silver) that are in short supply. The primary use for Zinc/Silver batteries is in the military where they’re used to power guidance systems for torpedoes and missiles.

Most hybrids use NiCad or NiMH batteries ; a very few are making the transition to Lithium Ion batteries, and most aftermarket conversion kits use Lithium Ion batteries – the theory being that anyone who’ll void the warranty on their car will pay the premium for the higher energy density. The Tesla Roadster , the only pure plug-in car on the market, uses banks of Lithium Ion batteries; these contribute nearly $70,000 towards the car’s $110,000 asking price. The Chevy Volt uses NiMH batteries to keep costs down, but uses a lot of them – the Volt’s batteries replace a lot of the weight and volume used for the transmission in the car.

When will the pure plug in vehicle become affordable? It may not happen any time soon. The constraints of battery cost, waste heat dissipation and weight mean that a car that acts like a car, with passenger space and cargo space, would, as a pure electric vehicle, have a cruising range of 40 to 60 miles between charges, and while that’s useful for most American drivers, it’s not quite enough to replace a gasoline car that can get over 300 miles on one tank full of gas.

This article is about the Tesla Roadster. First, I give you a brief description of this electric vehicle. Second, I discuss how the Tesla was developed. Third, I review the technology of the Roadster. And lastly, I talk about the availability of this electric car.

The Tesla Roadster is a fully electric sports car, which can travel up to 244 miles (393 km) on a single charge of the battery pack, which is lithium ion based.

People have argued in the past that electric cars would not be as efficient as gasoline powered cars, simply because they would not be fast enough. The Tesla Roadster which is the first electric car to be manufactured by Tesla Motors can reach 0 to 60 (0 to 97km/h), in 3.9 seconds, that is fast. (Some people say it’s the best hybrid car but it’s an electric car, not a hybrid car .)

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In developing the Tesla Roadster, Tesla Motors acquired the help of Lotus Cars. Lotus Motors gave Tesla a basic chassis idea of its own Lotus Elise. Tesla engineers made plans to use a resin molded carbon fiber composite to minimize the weight. This resulted in the Roadster being the least expensive car with a carbon fiber skin.

The technology that is used for the AC motor and the drive train are much more advanced than the same technology used by General Motors . Tesla’s AC Propulsion EV power and Reductive charging system designs, covers the integration of charging the electronics with an inverter, which will reduce mass, the complexity, and lower the cost of the Roadster.

This two seater electric sports car is being manufactured in Hethel, UK by the Lotus factory. However, the parts come from all around the world, from Taiwan to California. The chassis comes from Norway, and France creates the carbon fiber body panels. The brakes and the air bags come from Germany.

The Tesla Roadster has a 3 phase, 4 pole electric motor that can produce 248 hp (185 kw), and it delivers 80% of efficiency when the motor is topped out, and 90% efficiency during typical driving . The tachometer is designed for speeds that will reach up to 14,000 rpm’s.

In September 2008, Tesla decided to manufacture gearboxes from Borg Warner, and soon began equipping all the Roadsters with a single speed fixed gearbox, with an electronic parking lock mechanism and a mechanical lubricating pump.

The next idea from Tesla was to improve the transmission, and after several tries, finally developed the single speed gearbox. It combined with an improved electronics and motor cooling systems, which made it possible to reach a top speed of 125 mph (201 km/h).

The Tesla Roadster’s battery system is referred to as ESS (Energy Storage System). It is based from the type of batteries used from a Laptop computer only on a much larger scale. It takes 31/2 hours to fully recharge the ESS, using a high power connector. Once it has been fully charged for 53 kWh. Tesla Motors expects the ESS system to last for 100,000 miles (160,000 km) or approximately for 5 years, whichever comes first.

Tesla began accepting reservation orders in September of 2006, to be shipped out by 2008. Tesla opened their first American service center on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles in May of this year, and as of July of this year Menlo Park California has become not only a show room, but the final assembly point for all American ordered Tesla Roadsters.

Tesla is planning on adding 15 more service centers in the United States, with New York, Miami, Chicago, and Seattle among the tip picked cities.

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