It's Not Too Late

Mounting fears of dependence on foreign oil and concern about air pollution are causing some Americans to examine their love affair with cars. According to WTRG Economics (a group that specializes in analysis, planning, forecast, and data services for energy producers and consumer) crude oil trade for July 25, 2005 closed at $59.20 per barrel. For the last two years, the Organization of Petroleum Producing Countries' (OPEC) official target price has been $25. The price of oil is skyrocketing and one can only conclude that oil prices are not going to get cheaper any time soon. Pair this concern about expensive oil with concern about environmental and health damage caused by standard vehicles, and a very ugly picture is painted. How do Americans survive this love affair with cars intact and satisfied? The answer is hybrids.

Today's hybrids are no longer the wimpy, substandard vehicles we once thought they were. They signify the largest shift in automotive machinery since the invention of the gasoline engine. Although the first-generation of hybrids were underpowered and ugly, impressive new designs are hitting showrooms across America. By joining an electric motor with a conventional power train, hybrids save money at the gas pump, lessen consumption of foreign oil, and reduce tailpipe emissions.

Many hybrid variations have been attempted in the past, with no mass market appeal. So far, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are the only design to provide consumers the performance they seek along with decreased emissions and improved fuel economy, all at a reasonable cost. HEVs have been created by mixing and matching technologies, and variations depend on whether a series drive train, parallel drive train, or combination of both is being used. Manufacturers choose a specific hybrid design based on superior performance, reliability, and future potential when compared to the others (Union of Concerned Scientists 12).

.In a series drive train system, the gasoline engine turns a generator, and the generator can either charge the batteries or power an electric motor that drives the transmission (The Union of Concerned Scientists 12). This results in the gasoline engine never directly powering the vehicle. In a parallel drive train system, the battery and engine are both connected to the transmission; therefore either the battery via the electric motor, or the engine directly, or a combination of both, can provide power to the engine (The Union of Concerned Scientists 12). This allows both the electric motor and the gas engine to provide propulsion power. Some examples of a parallel hybrid are the Honda Insight and the Honda Civic. A series/parallel drive train combines the benefits of both the parallel drive train and the series drive train to create an engine that can drive the wheels directly or disconnect from the transmission and operate the wheels electrically (The Union of Concerned Scientists 12). Depending on the situation, the engine can provide propulsion to the wheels or energy to the battery. The Toyota Prius is an example of this type of hybrid. Because hybrid vehicles combine electric motors and rechargeable batteries with a conventional gasoline engine, gasoline consumption is greatly decreased. But exactly how does this work?

First of all, one of the principal ways a hybrid vehicle will save fuel is to shut down the gas engine when the car coasts or comes to a stop. It immediately restarts once the driver hits the accelerator, whether for a passing maneuver or for some other reason. This ensures the vehicle is not using fuel when the engine is not needed to drive the vehicle. In the case of the Toyota Prius, the dual-system design allows the engine to always operate at maximum efficiency. For highway driving, when speeds are usually higher, the gas engine kicks in as the car accelerates. Conversely, for stop and go city driving, the electric motor drives the car at low speeds.

Hybrid cars have other energy saving features such as regenerative braking, motor assist, and engine-off drive mode. With regenerative braking, the brakes will capture the energy created by decelerating and store it in the battery for later use. This feature helps keep the battery charged without having to plug in the vehicle. Motor assist enables the electric motor to provide extra power from the battery when a more intensive activity is being performed by the internal combustion engine. Therefore, when the car is accelerating for example, the vehicle uses a smaller, more energy-efficient engine without a decrease in performance. The engine-off drive mode propels the vehicle with the electric motor at low speeds. No fuel is being used and no emissions are being released. HEVs commonly are aero-dynamically designed to reduce drag and weigh less than their counterparts, both of which also ensure that gas will be conserved.

In addition to the money saved from using less gas, many other incentives exist for those who buy a hybrid. Significant tax incentives from the federal government and from many states are being offered through the Clean Fuel Tax deduction, and owners of qualified HEVs acquired during the tax year 2004 could receive a maximum of $1,500 in deductions. The Colorado Department of Revenue offers a tax credit, up to $4,713, for the purchase of an HEV (Hybrid Cars). Some states also offer solo drivers of a hybrid vehicle use of the carpool lane (Hybrid Cars). Hybrids have a history of a high resale value, and are about the only car that does not depreciate thousands of dollars the moment it leaves the lot. According to Automotive News, Toyota's Prius is one such example. The article states that, including shipping, the base price of a 2005 Prius is $21,440; the article goes on to describe how the Kelly Blue Book data lists a used 2004 Prius typically selling at or above the original base price of $21,510. The article also states that used Toyota Priuses stay on a car lot for only a day or two.

So it seems that Americans are realizing the benefits of owning a hybrid. According to the website Hybrid Cars, hybrid car sales have risen continuously in the U.S. from 9,350 cars sold in 2000 to 92,738 cars sold in the first half of 2005. In March of this year, Toyota pre-sold a staggering 12,000 Lexus RX 400h hybrid SUVs before a single one hit American pavement (Sawyers 44). Automakers including Ford, Toyota, and Honda are designing everything from sedans, to SUVs, to full-size pick-ups, all set to hit the road in the next few years. This will result in increased selection for American consumers and decreased dependence on foreign oil. With the staggering crude oil prices, dwindling oil reserves, and our ever-increasing oil consumption, America is headed for an energy disaster.

Americans use too much oil. The U.S. has wagered its present way of life on a