As solar power has matured as a technology, companies have started applying it to more than just houses. Acting as an energy platform for our transport was an obvious application.

As solar power has matured as a technology, companies have started applying it to more than just houses. Acting as an energy platform for our transport was an obvious application.

Solar: Will It Ever Power Our Vehicles

As an active technology, one of the first uses for solar power was on NASA spacecraft. Although not used for propelling the crafts, interested parties immediately started thinking about using solar power for getting us around in our daily lives. Alas, there were so many problems with the technology, including efficiency issues, that the idea never really gained much footing. With the massive popularity of hybrid vehicles, companies and research institutes are revisiting the idea.

Vehicles getting all of their energy from the sun are not a viable option at this time or for the near future. The problem is you simply can’t produce enough energy to meet the power needs. Until technology is developed to make the sunlight conversion process much more efficient, there really is not an answer to the problem. This technological advance, however, may not be far away.

Quantum dots are a form of nanotechnology that is being developed by numerous companies for solar power applications. This technology essentially tries to create tiny solar robots to convert the sunlight to energy. Millions fit within small areas and the hope is the efficiency conversion rate will go through the roof. The companies are looking to create a platform where the robots would exist in paint. Yep, the paint on your home and car may eventually produce all the energy needed.

In the meantime, solar power applications are being developed with a focus on hybrids. The basic idea is to use solar power to provide energy to the batteries powering the hybrid cars. Put another way, it is a step towards the ultimate goal. Honda does not discuss its research, but is believed to have built a facility solely for this purpose and is dumping money into it hand over foot.

The creation of viable solar vehicles is dependent on the advances of the underlying technology. Solar hybrids should be on the market relatively quickly. The big breakthrough, however, will be when viable commercial applications are developed using nanotechnology.

Recommended Reading

• Build a Solar Car
• Top 10 Best Hybrid Cars
• What is Hypermiling?
• Disadvantages of Hybrid Cars

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."
• Renewable Energy Solutions — "Family living off the grid with renewable energy takes know how and applies it to solar panels and wind generators."
• 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."

A thought provoking article regarding the advanced technology common to most modern cars, and the impact on future designs.
A subjective insight of the future automobile by Jeff Darling

The future car, lets say a 2025 model will be a very different machine to its present day Grandfather. They will be packed with computers and safety devices ensuring that not even a stunt driver can crash, and they will run on carbon dioxide and emit strawberry scented oxygen. Well they might.

Predictions of future vehicles are usually wildly inaccurate, by now we should all have space programs to rival NASA based out of our backyard. However some of the automobile related cutting edge technology emerging now may well make it into production models of the future. But how much of this technology will be needed or even wanted? Car design of the present is already influenced by politicians, bureaucrats, health and safety regulations and emissions regulations and the stunning concept seen at the motorshow emerges into the world as a 1.0 litre shopping cart, but at least its legal.

Personally I like the idea of fuel efficient hybrid cars, and fuel cell cars emitting nothing but water. However, like most enthusiasts I also like powerful loud convertibles with with the ability to snap a vertabrae at 10 paces. A sensible mix therefore is required and this will be the job entrusted to car designers and engineers of the future, to make a politically correct car that is also desirable.

Another immenent problem facing designers of the future is coming up with styling ideas that are fresh and new. Some of the more recent concepts are certainly striking but not necessarily beautiful in the classic sense of the word. But if there is one thing the automobile industry is good at that is innovation, and I for one am confident that radical and extreme concepts never before imagined will continue to appear at motorshows around the world.

Computer technology has already taken a firm hold of the automobile and the modern driver is less and less responsible for the actions of their vehicle, soon crash victims will try to sue the electronics companies for accidents they caused because their computer system failed to brake the car even though they were fast asleep at the wheel on a three lane highway. Until you have automation of every single vehicle on every single road computer driven cars are just not feasible, in my mind there are just far too many on-the-road variables, with all the logic in the world you cannot beat a brain. Now computer assisted driving is already available in certain Mercedes models which brake for you if your not looking where your going and your too close to the car in front, but there is still a driver in control of the car, or is there. What if for some reason you wanted to get closer to the car in front, you needed to get closer to the car, if you didn’t get closer to the car something terrible would happen to civilization. Where do you draw the line with vehicle automation?

In advanced cities of the future CCTV will be so prevalent that visible crimes such as car theft are all but wiped out, but that still won’t stop the determined thief. GPS (Global Positioning System) units fitted as standard to all new automobiles will be able to track any vehicle at anytime anywhere, this technology is already common but more widespread use is inevitable. In the UK the government is already talking about fitting GPS to charge motorists depending on what road they travel on and at what times to cut spiraling congestion. This technology coupled with an improved mobile phone and bluetooth network can be used to track and recover stolen vehicles. When the vehicle is found to be stolen a call can be made which shuts down the engine of the car. At the same time a call is sent out which alerts available nearby police, by using the GPS installed in both the stolen car and the police car officers can track the car even if they cannot see it. The police will also have much more insight into a vehicles record when out on patrol, using bluetooth technology a police car can tail a vehicle and receive information on the owner, the current driver and their driving history, and even find out recent top speed and acceleration figures. Of course who wants that, you think you’ve just had a fun little blast on your favorite bit of road you get pulled over five miles later and the officer gives you a speeding ticket for something he didn’t see. But if this technology is mandatory then what choice do you have.

Access to future automobiles may be very different to the keys of today, push button code entry and keycard systems where the key doesn’t even leave you pocket, already available, will become common place. You hear the term keyless entry but it still uses a remote control attached to a key which is then used to start the car. Biometrics which are available on some computer systems and use fingerprinting as a password could be an effective alternative to the key, you could even program it for members of your family deciding between access only for the children or access and drive functions for those with licenses. However I belive it will be some time before this is the only means of vehicle entry or start up, what if you are lending your car to a friend and you cannot be present to allow start up.

Multimedia systems will continue to develop in cars until the point where the “are we there yet” phrase develops into “can we stay here”. Manufacturers are continuing to cram more and more video screens into increasingly ingenious places providing a rolling cinematic Dolby 7.0 surround sound experience. DVDs are going to go the way of the VCR with hard disk recording of video being the dominant power much as MP3s are killing off CDs. This MP4 technology will save space in the car and allow for far more footage to be kept on board. Improvements in wireless Internet connections could mean that the larger roads can support Internet capable vehicles and constantly inform the driver with up to date relevant road information. A screen in the dash can display live images to show traffic reports and also predict traffic jams by using the GPS systems in all vehicles to show areas where vehicles have been stopped or are congested, and then supply alternate routes. The sound systems of cars will also improve and become more personalised for the various passengers, with headphone sockets and multiple sound outlets, there might be four different radio stations that can be played at once through the different jacks, and a variety of MP3s that can be played at once.

Passenger safety is already a priority for modern day car manufacturers and this will only increase in importance into the future. The widespread use of airbags will increase, the side impact protection airbags featured in some models have proved to be extremely effective in saving lives, more research and better positioning will continue to improve their performance and reliability. Airbags at the moment can only be deployed once so in a multiple collision crash their effectiveness is voided after the first impact, future airbag systems however may take this into consideration and incorporate multiple single use airbags in one position or reusable airbags which can be inflated several times. Some manufacturers use a dynamic headrest in some high-spec models, these move forward during a collision to stop the head snapping back quite so far and reducing the chance of spinal injury (whiplash.

It has been found that a vehicles bumper and frame height is a very important factor when it comes to safety during a collision, if a vehicle has bumper which is too high it can override the bumper of the other vehicle and plough directly into the passenger compartment putting the occupants at severe risk. Accidents like this usually occur when a average size car collides with a truck or SUV, this mismatch can be avoided by having adjustable ride heights on the larger vehicles, when they are on a smooth road lowering the vehicle to a suitable height would reduce the dangers normally associated with these sorts of collision, as a by product this would also reduce the top heavy nature of trucks and SUVs and rollover accidents could be avoided.

Sensors will be increasingly responsible for predicting and safeguarding against avoidable accidents. Sensors will monitor the road surface scanning for black ice and hazardous conditions, this information will then be displayed to the driver and the vehicle may take appropriate steps to improve traction thus reducing the chance of an accident. The information gathered may also be relayed to a central road monitoring network which can inform other motorists of changing weather conditions, in effect every vehicle would become a roving weather station.

Sensors will also monitor the cars position on the road and if the vehicle is found to be straying from the road or traffic lane an alarm would sound this feature is already found on the Citroen C4 amongst others. Sensors could also monitor the drivers well-being, imaging sensors would track eye movement and if the eyes close for more than a few seconds an alarm would sound to alert the driver. Audi uses sensors on its new A6 which monitor for wet conditions, if found the BOSCH brakes are applied intermittently to wipe off the water and ensure good contact when they are needed, the pressure applied in this process is so slight the driver does not notice. Improved night vision and spatial awareness would help cut down on night time crashes which account for half the road related fatalities each year even though only a quarter of all driving occurs at night. Cadillac already includes infrared night vision as an option on some of its more desirable models, infrared vision does not see light it sees heat and the warmer an object is the more it stand out on the screen. The screen is a heads up display projected onto the windscreen infront of the drivers line of sight allowing the driver to see the real world and also the digital projection. Honda has a similar system with the added ability to identify objects and pick out pedestrians and digitally highlight those which are likely to step into the vehicles path and then emit an audible warning.

New materials are constantly brought into the automotive field, in 2005 Chrysler Daimler began using biological composite materials made from coconut, sisal, jute and other plants. This biological material is used mostly on the interior of the car and finds its way into seat cushions, seat backs, underfloor body panels and interior door panels. One of the benefits of using these biological compounds is that they can be recycled and reused and the manufacturing process involved is far more environmentally friendly than that of conventional synthetic compounds. Ceramics first used in braking by Porsche are becoming increasingly popular, although still very expensive limiting them to exclusive vehicles. The benefits of using ceramics is their high tolerance to intense heat making them suitable for high performance vehicles, and where the heavy use of the brakes is needed regularly. Their ability to perform under these extremes help reduce the brake fade associated with exessive use and high temperatures. Materials first such as carbon fibre and carbon kevlar first used on race cars and famed for their high strength and lightweight properties have now filtered down to the production car level, mainly in high-end vehicles but in due time these composites will begin to appear in the average car, cutting weight and increasing fuel economy whilst maintaining structural rigidity.

In the future car designers will have to explore new themes and find alternative influences for their designs. In an effort to catch peoples eye the designs will have to be increasingly bold and brash often sacrificing the aesthetic balance of the design in attempt to be different in an increasingly ‘done before’ market. This is not to say all designs are going to be hideous, just some. Another influence to exterior design will be made by law as stricter pedestrian protection laws are enforced requiring the front ends of cars to be ’softer’, this thinking has already been introduced on some models, overall though it is difficult to project how this will ultimately affect the face of car design. With the increased use of alternative fuel sources such as the hydrogen fuel cell and hydrogen combustion engine, vehicle bodies may begin reflect the green nature of their power. However I belive this to be a mistake. The Honda Insight Hybrid might have been more of a success had it not been utterly repulsive, people were already wary of its power source and to then make them vomit in disgust at its styling is just not intelligent. Why do all the eco-friendly cars look like a 60’s psychedelic nightmare, why can’t they just look like a decent concept car with an alternative engine. Things seem to be improving however and BMW’s H2R is an undeniably stunning vehicle if somewhat impractical. And hybrid technology is finding its way into mainstream prodution vehicles as an optional power source.

The interior of vehicles will also change, becoming more user friendly and personalised. Ergonomically positioned controls and lumbar support seats with adjustable everything will come as standard to increase driver and passenger comfort and reduce chronic pain and discomfort. Customisable and personalised interior space will also become desirable features on the future automobile. Just as you swap mobile phone covers an entire dash could be swapped to match your mood, if your a little bigger than average why not fit an XXL seat in two easy steps, the possibilities will be endless in order to cater for an increasingly demanding consumer.

Alternative power sources for vehicles are becoming ever more popular. Government incentives will eventually force all but the super rich into environmentally friendly cars, no problem, by then fuel cell cars will be just as rapid as their fossil fuel counterparts but with none of the mess or stench. However it may take some convincing to get a ‘petrol head’ to put down his piston and pick up a proton exchange membrane cathode, its just not the same is it. Eventually common conventional fuel cars will become classics and extremely sought after by collectors, but not for a long long time.

Find out more about concept vehicles, designs, current vehicles, and strange vehicles at http://www.diseno-art.com/

Recommended Reading

• Build a Solar Car
• Top 10 Best Hybrid Cars
• What is Hypermiling?
• Disadvantages of Hybrid Cars

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."
• Renewable Energy Solutions — "Family living off the grid with renewable energy takes know how and applies it to solar panels and wind generators."
• 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."

It is pretty much obvious that technology is evolving in different fields. One sign of which would be the continuous innovations in the automobile industry.

As each year passes, new systems are discovered. And as gas becomes a problem, more car technologies to save fuel are created and discovered incessantly. If you’re not that familiar with what’s new, then for sure you have little idea of what is a hybrid car. If this is the case then, here are the essential things you need to know about this type of cars.

It’s A Mix!

New hybrids could offer you the best of both worlds. This is because they give you both the power of gas fuelled cars, along with the cost efficiency of electric cars. In fact, such kinds of cars are considered at present to be the highlighted showcase of what innovations from different areas could create when combined together in one vehicle.

However, if you’re not that much into technical stuff, you may find it hard to understand how hybrid cars function and process. Nevertheless, they are easy to use and are made to be user friendly by their manufacturers.

How The Motor Works

What really makes such kind of car so special is its engine. The engine’s function starts out by using windings, which are moved by electromagnetic force. Such force is produced when an electric current travels over the motor. If the current’s polarity runs one way, then the motor runs one way too. As the current’s polarity changes course, the motor current’s direction does too.

Conventional Motors

However, the motor of a conventional vehicle would be extremely different. In traditional gas engines, you would find pistons, which push up the gasoline into the crank. This pushing action provides power to your vehicle’s wheels so that it could move. This is a cycle that repeats itself for countless of times until your vehicle moves. Whenever the vehicle’s gas pedal is stepped down, gas would flow into the car’s system. In turn, it would increase your car’s pistons and wheel’s power.

Gas And Electricity

The great thing about hybrid vehicles is that they could make use of both electric engine and traditional engine systems. When these two systems come together, they actually produce a ground-breaking car power. When your car starts moving, its computer sensor would determine what engine type would be much suitable to be used at that given point in time.

In instances that your vehicle would need high power, then your car would automatically make use of its gas engine. Just the same, when your vehicle needs low power levels, it would automatically make use of its electric engine system.

Recharging Process

In relation to the electric engine system, whenever your car stops, its battery would regenerate by conserving energy. Whenever your vehicle’s power drains out from your electric battery, your car would automatically use your gas engine up to the point in which your electric battery could be recharged and ready for use again.

Point Of Difference

One main difference between conventional cars and hybrids is the behaviour of their engines. Whenever a conventional car is idle, its gas would continue running. However, whenever a hybrid vehicle is idle, its motor would sense it automatically and then switches from gas engine to electric engine. When your car stops, the electric energy would be absorbed back into your battery’s electrical portion.

Drawbacks

Although these environmental friendly cars are great, they still come with a drawback. One major down point would be the vehicle’s weight. In addition to your engine’s weight there would also be add-ons which are vital to support your electric engine, so that it could run smoothly. Nevertheless, the two different engine systems could co-exist smoothly in a hybrid vehicle. In the end you get an environmental friendly and worthwhile vehicle that can also help you save money.

Don’t be surprised if you ask people ‘What is a hybrid car?’ and you get different answers. Although hybrids are all environmental friendly and economical, they still have variations. There are some that have charge coils, which allow users to recharge their electrical battery supply. There are also models that have alternative fuel sources like fuel cells.

Recommended Reading

• Build a Solar Car
• Top 10 Best Hybrid Cars
• What is Hypermiling?
• Disadvantages of Hybrid Cars

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."
• Renewable Energy Solutions — "Family living off the grid with renewable energy takes know how and applies it to solar panels and wind generators."
• 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."

Many people claim to worry about the environment, but continue to drive their exhaust polluting vehicles through a thick layer of smog. Our energy resources are suffering a terrible blow and so few people are actually willing to do anything about it. One solution to consider is the use of a hybrid vehicle. They emit less pollution that a standard oil burning type and offer less gas used per mile! Imagine the savings. But that’s not the only reason you should consider a hybrid…
Many people claim to worry about the environment, but continue to drive their exhaust polluting vehicles through a thick layer of smog. Our energy resources are suffering a terrible blow and so few people are actually willing to do anything about it. One solution to consider is the use of a hybrid vehicle. They emit less pollution that a standard oil burning type and offer less gas used per mile! Imagine the savings. But that’s not the only reason you should consider a hybrid.

The EPA or Environmental Protection Agency, when doing a comparison between a hybrid and regular vehicle, finds some very interesting facts. Vehicles are tested to determine what type of emissions they are polluting into the air we breathe, then they are rated by those conclusions. Among their choice vehicles, the hybrid along with SUV’s and eventually minivan’s are the pick of the liter! The Toyota Camry puts out more than half of what its hybrid counterpart, the Toyota Prius hybrid does, in carbon dioxide. Nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons are diminished by two-thirds and halves supported by their green house emission rating for pollutants. With the exception of trucks, hybrid vehicles have the more favorable of ratings and top their categories over and over. When faced with the fact that hybrids put 97% less pollutants and toxins into the air when compared with gas-burning vehicles, it becomes harder to justify why we continue to drive the latter.

Hybrids are the better choice for so many reasons, including the evidence that they emit fewer pollutants and the fact that they get phenomenally better mpg, between 20 and 30 for larger engine models likes trucks or SUV’s and well into the 60 range for cars! Manuals traditionally get better mpg than automatics, which is evident by the Honda Insight whose automatic gets 50mpg and middle 60’s for it’s manual. Aside from being more efficient, the greenhouse effect and fossil fuel debate would be null and void by the use of hybrid only vehicles. It’s unfortunate that our vehicles only allow for 15 to 18mpg, but can that argument really justify the damage they are doing to our environment? Society as a whole needs to get serious about conserving our fuel, and hybrid vehicles are definitely a step in the right direction.

Have you ever been stuck in traffic on a hot day, in a busy city? How was the air quality around you? Could you take a deep breath and exhale on a smile? Probably not. It’s not just the environment we need to concern ourselves with. Our bodies and health suffer from the effects of carbon monoxide and methane, being emitted into the air by our vehicles. We are doing damage to our lungs everyday. Did you know that one third of all air pollution in America is in direct relation to that which our vehicles output? Researchers are studying the effects these pollutants have on the human body as we speak and direct links to cancer are being found. Sounds scary doesn’t it? Yet another reason why hybrid cars are the better, more health conscious choice.

If you could reduce the amount of carbon dioxide being polluted into the air by 10 tons, would you? The fact of the matter is, 1 vehicle getting 25mpg instead of 20mpg, would do exactly that. The EPA measures the effects these pollutants have on all living things and reports its findings on every industry. Today, with the advance in our technology, there is no reason for the continued desecration of our environment by the use of these inefficient, toxic vehicles. Yes, it’s true there is much left to learn and the EPA is continually breaking ground and finding new solutions to old problems. How we put the information they provide us with, to use, is up to us. We are responsible for our world and our bodies and in the long run, it is the population as a whole who will undoubtedly have to answer for our actions or lack thereof.

Recommended Reading

• Build a Solar Car
• Top 10 Best Hybrid Cars
• What is Hypermiling?
• Disadvantages of Hybrid Cars

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."
• Renewable Energy Solutions — "Family living off the grid with renewable energy takes know how and applies it to solar panels and wind generators."
• 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."

The problem of high gas prices has come and refused to leave. Most people are under the constant pressure applied by the oil cartel at whose mercy everyone seems destined nowadays. But the question is, must the situation go on unchallenged?

The problem of high gas prices has come and refused to leave. Most people are under the constant pressure applied by the oil cartel at whose mercy everyone seems destined nowadays. But the question is, must the situation go on unchallenged? This article is aimed at showing you how to beat the on going high gas prices without resorting to using biofuel, which is about taking food from the tables of the average family. There is presently a global shortage of grains as the production of ethanol increases in a bit to ameliorate the scarcity of gasoline.

Point Blank!

Straight to the point. I recently took a close look at the erstwhile water for gas technology that enables you to run your cars and engines on more water than gas. And what I found is that the technology works. It is a 90 year technology for turning water to additive hho gas. I was surprised, to say the least, how people have not shown much interest in hho gas untill recently.

What Is Water For Gas Technology?

Water for gas technology is the conversion of a little quantity of water into hho gas. Your car is usually converted with parts you can get dead cheap from your neighborhood hardware store. The manual for carrying out the conversion is available online.

How Is Hho gas made?

Simply put, your car battery is connected to a contraption containing water which is turned into hho gas via the Lysis of the bond produced by the passage of electric current from your car battery through the water. The hho gas thus produced is then burned by your car as additive gas making it possible for you to burn more water than gas. It is so cheap to run your car on more water than gas. For 365 days, you will need only 4 gallons of water while running at more than 57% water than gas.

What About Storage?

There is no need for storage. The one quart of water required for running your car at every given time remains in the bottle. You only have to top the water up from time to time.

How Much Does It Cost To Convert A average Car?

It does not cost anything near buying a an electric hybrid car that sells for thousands of dollars. A water for gas hybrid car can be converted for a couple hundred dollars.

Check out the authenticity of all I have said above about water for gas or hho gas technology. If you really need to save money on gas and also help in reducing the harmful tail end emission that result from burning fossil fuel, then you have to take a look at the genuineness of water for gas technology.

Recommended Reading

• Build a Solar Car
• Top 10 Best Hybrid Cars
• What is Hypermiling?
• Disadvantages of Hybrid Cars

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."
• Renewable Energy Solutions — "Family living off the grid with renewable energy takes know how and applies it to solar panels and wind generators."
• 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."

Are you looking for Honda hybrids ? Want to know more about fuel economy, availability, models, performance, technology, or price? You need this hybrid vehicle article.

Honda Hybrids all offer very good fuel economy , low emissions and are very eco friendly.

Currently in the present U.S car market, you can find the Honda Civic Hybrid sedan , Civic natural gas vehicle (NGV) and an FXC Clarity Hydrogen Fuel Cell car that will only be available in limited quantities in 2008 and can only be leased for three years. This car is an example of a clean fuel vehicle.

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In the model year of 2009 Honda will present the newest hybrid car when they offer the new Honda Fit Hybrid , but current specs on the vehicle are not available until the official release date. In addition, Honda did sell another hybrid car, but it only had a production run of three years. For the model years of 2005-07 Honda offered their popular Honda Accord to consumers looking for hybrid vehicles, but sluggish sales forced Honda to discontinue this hybrid selection.

Honda’s well-established brand name gives an added boost to the hybrid vehicles the company produces. Consumers rely upon the company’s history for quality and good value.

Fuel/Fuel Economy

All Honda Hybrids are very economical in fuel consumption compared to their gasoline counterparts. Honda hybrid vehicles are also just as good, if not better, at delivering high miles per gallon . These cars can hold their own when compared to stats and figures of other foreign and American hybrid cars such as the Toyota Prius .

The Honda Civic Hybrid sedan gets an estimated forty-five miles to the gallon in the highway and around thirty in the city, depending on your driving style. The total range of a full tank of 15 gallons of gasoline is around 500 miles. The hybrid car cost is offset very well by its miserly use of fuel. This hybrid car also gets an impressive AT-PREZ CARB emission ratting, which appeals to the environmentalist in all of us

The newer hybrid offering by Honda is the natural gas powered civic sedan. This hybrid car can be fueled right at home, if you elect to install the fueling structure in your garage. This gas unit is named Phil. It is a small compact unit that can be used to fill up natural gas vehicles such as the Honda Civic Hybrid Phil is perfectly safe to use and can refill the hybrid civic in about sixteen hours.

With a full tank of natural gas, the hybrid civic has a range of around 250 miles depending on the driving situation (city or highway) and your driving style. If you do not want to fill up your tank at your house, currently California has gas stations that dispense natural gas.

Another one of the Honda hybrids is proving to be the most economical and cleanest one of all. This is the FXC Clarity Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicle . This car is a clean fuel vehicle in all ways. The FSX produces even fewer emissions than the other two offerings (gas-electric and natural gas civic) by producing zero fuel emissions, just water vapor coming from the tailpipe. The FXC gets 74 mpg (72 mile per kg) with a total range of 280 miles before needing to be refueled. Honda Hybrids such as these are revolutionizing what consumers think about the purchase and use of hybrid automobiles.

The discontinued Honda Accord Hybrid received a fuel economy only in the mid thirties on the highway and the upper twenty around town. Current mpg ratings for the Honda Fit Hybrid are not available, but one can virtually guarantee that this fuel economy should be around the fifties on the highway and in the upper thirties or lower forties in the city.

Pricing/quality

Honda hybrids cars are priced to appeal to a wide market range and a variety of socio-economic status individuals. The price on the discontinued Honda Hybrid Accord was in the lower thirties, which is pretty expensive when compared to the gas powered 4-cylinder model that was being purchased for only twenty-two thousand dollars. The car was discontinued because people at the time (2005-07) did not see the value in spending more money for a hybrid.

The base price for the Honda Civic Hybrid (gas-electric) is twenty-three thousand dollars and up. The natural gas powered hybrid coming in at two thousand dollars more expensive. The lease rate for the FXC is six hundred dollars a month for three years, because the car is unavailable for purchase at this time.

The price of the upcoming Honda Fit Hybrid is going to be about twenty to twenty five- thousand dollars. The appeal of these hybrids is that you get the same quality car construction and ride quality as the gasoline counterparts, but with a more eco-friendly engine . This literally means that you are getting the best of both worlds.

Conclusion

Currently Honda hybrids do not consist of any plug-in electric cars at the moment, but such vehicles should begin to be available in the very near future. The only downside to some hybrid Hondas, such as the hybrid electric vehicle, is the expensive battery-pack that can cost several thousand dollars of dollar when it needs to be replaced. You also cannot simply go to any store and pick up this type of battery. But many people feel that this is only a small inconvenience when compared to the other benefits you receive with Honda Hybrids.

Recommended Reading

• Chevrolet Volt
• Hybrid Car Batteries

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."

Hydrogen Hybrid Car: Mixing Two Technologies For Fuel Efficiency

Nowadays, people are aggressively searching for more ways on how they could save on gas. In effect, companies are being pressured to offer something new to consumers other than their conventional cars. This is evident with their notable development of new technologies that are obviously aimed for fuel economy; one of which would be the hydrogen hybrid car . (Ed. Note: You might be interested in the BMW hybrid .)

Combining Two Innovative Technologies

Hydrogen technology and hybrid technology are two different innovations that are used to save gas, increase your vehicle’s power and most of all, make your car more environmental friendly in contrast to conventionally fueled vehicles. Considering each of them are already powerful solely by themselves, just imagine if these two technologies are combined!

Well, here’s the good news, manufacturers have been working on such kind of projects and they have finally come up with vehicles that support both of the said technologies! So, here are the essentials on what you should know about hydrogen powered hybrid cars.

How Does It Work?

This kind of car actually makes use of fuel cells . Major car makers, focus on fuel cells, since they say itís more clean and efficient than mere hydrogen internal combustion engines alone. Rather than burning fuel inside the engine, fuel cells would act more like batteries , where they would use electrochemical reaction between oxygen and hydrogen to produce electricity.

One company that is known to develop fuel cells would be Anuvu , which is actually almost prepared to produce large cargo vans and Nissan Frontier pickups that run on hydrogen and fuel cells.

A Deeper Look

What the company is selling are actually hybrid fuel cell vehicles . This kind of vehicle is the kind that utilizes a quite small fuel cell system in order to provide power to an electric motor, which supplies all the heavy work for the vehicle to move. The car is quite similar to gas-electric hybrids, which are currently on the market. However, this time, the vehicle makes use of fuel cells rather than internal combustion engines.

The stack of fuel cells has the ability to recharge the hybrid battery . Nevertheless, the latter could also be recharged simply by plugging it to a wall. Experts consider it to be an electric car that has all advantages that a car of its kind could have minus the disadvantages.

Trouble Shooting

You wouldn’t have to worry about hydrogen leaks either. If ever one occurs, the vehicle’s censors would shut down your fuel cell stack . Nevertheless, there’s no need to worry since you could still drive your vehicle for another 30 miles simply by using your vehicle’s hybrid battery .

Looking At Mazda

On the other hand, Mazda also has their mixed hybrid and hydrogen car to offer. This would be the Mazda 5, which is known as the Premacy Hydrogen Hybrid in Japan. Nevertheless, whatever name you want to call it, this car is actually a concept vehicle. It is a hydrogen minivan in style. They say that it was based on RX-8 Hydrogen RE car. Mazda 5 is a rotary mild-hybrid bi-fuel which is considered to be the first mass-marketed car of its kind.

The Specs

This car actually runs using both compressed hydrogen gas and gasoline. All you have to do is just press a button on its dashboard and you would transform this minivan to a green vehicle. Press again to change back again whenever you need more distance to be covered.

It introduces a gasoline / bi-fuel hydrogen internal combustion engine. This solves one of the major infrastructure issues circling around where users could buy hydrogen when fuel stations still dominate the main scene. By doing this, hydrogen manufacturers and distributors would be given the incentive and chance to take their distribution network to a massive scale.

This hydrogen hybrid car’s rotary engine and hybrid unit are transversely mounted in front of the car having a layout for a front-wheel drive. Additionally, it has a high-voltage battery underneath its 2nd row of seats. The gasoline tank is also near the high-voltage battery, while you can find the hydrogen tank next to the back seats. This kind of arrangement provides you a roomy and comfortable interior. It also gives you excellent driving performance along with environmental benefits.

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Do you want hybrid tax credits ? In this article I cover that topic in the follow way. First, I discuss the history of tax credits. Second, I discuss how they are calculated. Third, I discuss the conditions that must be met for hybrid tax refunds. And lastly, I explain the IRS qualifications for hybrid vehicle tax credits.

Earning And Saving Via Hybrid Tax Credits

What most people interested in buying a hybrid car does not know is the presence of hybrid tax credits . So, if you’re considering the idea of buying a hybrid simply because of its fuel economy, then here’s a very interesting factor that may instantly bring you to a ëyesí decision.

When It All Started

Since year 2005, the IRS has started giving hybrid tax credit s to the individual taxpayers that drive cars which utilize alternative fuel sources . In fact, there was one time where green minded taxpayers only got a clean fuel burning deduction. However, that only applied to vehicles that were under the gas-electric hybrid category. Nevertheless, as 2005 came, the deduction rule was replaced by the up to date legislation, which is the Energy Policy Act.

What Does It Say?

By the conditions of the said 2005 law, they would take the tax credit directly from your total sum of tax which you, as the taxpayer would otherwise be indebted. This trims down or could even eliminate your tax which you should pay in the first place. If you’re not certain whether your specific "green" vehicle would qualify for this kind of credit or not, you could simply inquire from your local hybrid car dealership or your car manufacturer.

The Marked Date

Qualified vehicles that were bought on or after January 1, 2006, would be at liberty for this kind of tax credit. In general, you could get an amount from about $400 up to $3,400. The amount that you’ll get would be based on your car’s fuel economy and fuel savings .

Basic Computation

The tax credit you can get from buying a hybrid vehicle is a mix of two diverse tax credits. You should understand that the math on this computation can be very complicated, and the good thing is, you are not obliged to do it. Your vehicle’s auto manufacturers along with the IRS would be the ones responsible in certifying your tax credit’s amount.

Certain Conditions

This kind of tax credit might be brief. It actually highly depends on the customer demand for the new hybrid trucks and cars. The tax credit’s value would start to diminish as soon as your manufacturer has sold sixty thousand or more qualified cars. Additionally, the phase-out would start on the level of your auto manufacturer. Hence, well-known brands might watch their tax credits diminish sooner , in contrast to less popular brands.

If your vehicle is valid for a hybrid tax credit, you may claim your credit’s full amount up until the end of the 1st quarter just after the quarter where your vehicle’s manufacturer records their sale of their 60,000th qualified vehicle. While during the 2nd and 3rd quarters after the quarter where the 60,000th vehicle was sold, you could claim 50% of your original tax credit. Nonetheless, during the 4ht quarter, you could only claim 25% of your allowable credit.

The government actually has qualified various hybrid models and makes for this kind of hybrid tax credit . Such certifications set the greatest dollar value which your credit could be. Your credit may also be reduce by different limitations.

Under direction released by the IRS, your auto manufacturer could give you a certification, which specifies the amount that is left on your tax credit. It would be the IRS, whom will dictate that the certification of the producer should have the following sixteen essentials:

1. Name

2. Tax identification number and address of your manufacturer

3. Make, model, model year, and various identification information

4. A written statement which states that the car was created by the manufacturer

5. What type of credit your vehicle is qualified for

6. Amount of your tax credit (with complete computations)

7. Your vehicle’s gross weight

8. Your vehicle’s weight class

9. Your city’s fuel economy for the vehicle

10. A statement which says your vehicle actually complies with the necessities asked for on the Clean Air Act

11. A duplicate of the certificate which proves that your vehicle suffices the emission standards that were set by the government in Clean Air Act

12. A statement saying that your motor vehicle complies with your state’s air Q.C. law

13. A statement that your vehicle complies with specific motor vehicle safety conditions

14. A statement that your vehicle utilizes hybrid technology: both internal combustion system and rechargeable energy system.

15. A statement that your vehicle meets or even exceeds California’s standards on low vehicle emissions.

16. Proof that your vehicle doesn’t go further than the designated maximum power standard

These are just some of the prerequisites for you to get hybrid tax credits. Although thereís a lot of them, it is definitely worth it in the end.

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With the introduction of the first hybrid vehicle, the world’s fascination with higher miles-per-gallon vehicles has been steadily increasing. And motorcycles, for the most part, are well known for their ability to offer great mileage . So it should be no surprise that companies such as Honda, Yamaha, and other motorcycle manufacturers are trying their hand at creating a hybrid motorcycle.

The whole idea behind creating a hybrid motorcycle is creates the not-so-unrealistic expectations that the world may soon see a 100 mile per gallon motorcycle .

There are a number of smaller manufacturers that currently offer hybrid motorcycles, but the larger companies have been slow to embrace the idea of a hybrid motorcycle because of the engineering challenges they would face in mass producing these bikes. This thinking, however, seems to be changing.

With these smaller manufactures already creating these alternative fuel motorcycles, and with the public embracing these new motorcycles, the idea of such a creation is forcing the larger motorcycle manufacturers such as Honda and Yamaha to begin working on these challenges. In fact, Honda and Yamaha have both been working on models that could be on the market as soon as 2010 .

The estimate is that these new hybrid motorcycles will deliver a 50% improvement in fuel economy . With these motorcycles already having a range from 40 to 50 miles per gallon, a 50% increase would be a significant improvement.

Currently, both Honda and Yamaha are working on an electric motorcycle, which has a range of approximately 60 miles. While this is not extraordinary in itself, this does give the average rider more than enough power for running around town.

The technology challenge is still an issue with trying to create a hybrid motorcycle that compacts the technology of the hybrid engine in the small, limited area motorcycle engines now occupy, and still offer a decent range for riders.

[Note: Learn more about hybrid batteries .]

Given the current world economy demanding higher mileage vehicles and with the continual rise in oil and gasoline prices, all should lead the motorcycle industry to create a line of hybrid motorcycles that offer even higher fuel economy than current models and in the near future, could lead to an impressive 100 mile per gallon motorcycle…and that would be very beneficial to both the industry and the economy as a whole.

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We’ve selected the special video below to help you make decisions and compare one hybrid car against others. It’s like doing a side by side comparison. And, be sure to watch hybrid videos on this site. That’s smart!

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