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Green
Transportation: Hybrids
by
Chuck Hall
 Hybrid
vehicles were fairly expensive when they first arrived on the
market, but as gas prices and environmental concerns continue to
rise, hybrid prices are on the decline. Automobile manufacturers are
responding to consumer interest by offering more and more hybrid
models. There are even hybrid SUVs that get around 35 mpg!
Hybrids
are good for anyone accustomed to gasoline or diesel-powered
vehicles. They have about the same amount of passenger room and
performance as their more traditional counterparts. The difference
is they use much less fuel. Although the average mpg rating for
hybrid cars is between 60-80 mpg, some hybrids can get as much as 100 mpg
on the highway. Hybrids are an excellent choice for consumers who
are concerned about the environment but who don’t want to give up
luxury and convenience.
Hybrids
work by using a combination of electric motor and gasoline or diesel
engine. Basically the electric motor works to move the vehicle,
assisted by the gasoline engine when more power is needed or when
the batteries need charging. For a detailed explanation, the Web
site How Stuff Works has an excellent tutorial on hybrid vehicles
at: www.howstuffworks.com/hybrid-car1.htm.
The
major problem with hybrids is that they still rely on fossil fuels.
They do use less fossil fuel and have higher emissions standards,
but they are not truly sustainable. Manufacturers seem to be
catching on, though. Saab is planning to release a biofuel hybrid in
the near future. This hybrid will run on E85 ethanol, which is much
better than either a vehicle powered totally by fossil fuels or a
hybrid vehicle powered by gasoline, but is still not totally
sustainable.
 The
‘Holy Grail’ of hybrids is the biodiesel hybrid. Such a hybrid
would combine the durability and power of a diesel engine with the
fuel economy of a hybrid. As of this writing, there are no companies
who manufacture biodiesel hybrids, but according to Treehugger’s
John Laumer, “DaimlerChrysler's future diesel hybrids will be
based on the hybrid technology being developed with GM and would be
available in late 2007 or early 2008.”
If
we used flexible fuel vehicles alone, the United States would need a
farm the size of roughly the size of Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma and
Louisiana combined, dedicated solely to the production of crops for
biofuels, to meet fuel demands. If we converted to biodiesel hybrids
instead, we could meet our current fuel needs with only one quarter
of that acreage!
Another
advantage of biodiesel hybrids is that they would run on either
biodiesel or regular diesel fuel. This means that if you’re
traveling and cannot find a station that sells biodiesel, you’re
not stranded. You can always use regular diesel, while informing the
station owner that he should be carrying biodiesel as well, of
course. If you’re the hands-on, do-it-yourself type, you can even
make your own biodiesel.
Of
all the choices available for green transportation, biodiesel
hybrids would be my top pick. If they are truly offered commercially
in the near future, you can be assured that I will purchase one for
myself, and I will be fueling it with my own homemade biodiesel,
recycled from local fast food restaurants. If you ever want to find
me, just follow the scent of french fries!
Chuck
Hall is a Sustainability Consultant and author. His latest book, Green
Circles: A Sustainable Journey from the Cradle to the Grave, is
now available at Booklocker.com.
You may contact Chuck by email at: chuck@cultureartist.org or visit
the Culture Artist Web site at www.cultureartist.org.
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