A Brief History of Hybrid Cars - Essay Example

Hybrid Cars al Affiliation Hybrid cars are cars that use two or more power sources. The main ones use a gasoline engine and electric motor together. The gasoline engine and electric motor can be used together and other times in some hybrid cars, only one of them works. Since the eighteenth century, a lot of developments have taken place leading to the production of the current hybrid cars. In recent years, numerous advancements have been made and cars such as the Audi, Volvo ECC, Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, the civic Honda, which are all hybrids have been introduced into the market. The design type of a hybrid car can either be parallel or series. In terms of classification, hybrid cars can be classified into full, mild, and plug-in hybrids. In people’s lives, hybrid cars mean fuel efficiency, reduced global warming as a result of reduced pollution, more power, reliable transportation and a lot more. They have advantages and disadvantages as discussed in this paper. In terms of whether they can replace other cars, hybrid cars can certainly replace other cars, especially due to the fact that the better ones are yet to be invented. Keywords: Hybrid Cars, Power Source, Gasoline Engine, Electric Motor Introduction Hybrid cars are cars that can use more than one power source. According to Hantula and Voege, “a hybrid car gets power from both a gasoline engine and an electric motor” (2010, p. 10). Callery explains that “hybrid cars use electricity to start up and power their engines, switching to gasoline at higher speeds when that fuel is more efficient” (2009, p. 5). It is possible for the gasoline engine and electric motor to work together, but this happens differently for each. Other times in some hybrid cars, only one of them works. When not needed, the engine of a hybrid car is set to shut off. This usually happens in stop-and-go traffic and where there are red lights. In fact this is among the reasons why hybrid cars are termed economical in terms of the amount of gasoline they use, which is far less compared to what traditional cars consume. The other reason is the fact that the gasoline engine of a hybrid car is smaller, since the electric motor also plays a part in moving the car. Today’s hybrid cars are more advanced, hence do not require plugging in to power in order to recharge them. The large batteries installed in modern hybrid cars get charged as the moves. Hantula and Voege point out that, “the car may have a generator to make electricity” (2010, p. 11). The gasoline engine powers the generator. At times in some hybrid cars, the electric motor works as a generator. This paper discusses the history of hybrid cars, hybrid car types, their significance in people’s lives, improvements made and those underway, their advantages and disadvantages and answers the question of whether they can replace other cars. History of Hybrid Cars The use of different forms of power by motor cars began in the eighteenth century. This was after Nicholas Cugnot managed to invent a steam powered motor carriage in 1769 (“Hybrid Vehicle History,” 2005). In 1825, Sir Goldsworthy Gurney invented a steam car that could cover more miles compared to the earlier steam powered motor carriages (“Hybrid Vehicle History,” 2005). In 1839, the first ever built electric vehicle was invented by Robert Anderson in Scotland (Autocar, 2013). Robert Anderson owned a workshop in Aberdeen, Scotland (Autocar, 2013). However, due to the technology that was present at the time, the speed and range of electric vehicles was limited. In 1886, a taxi cab that was put into small scale-production in London influenced the production of an electric carriage meant for the Ottoman Empire sultan; the carriage was produced in 1888 by Immisch & Company (Autocar, 2013). In 1897, a cab service in London known as London Electric Cab Company used a cab designed by Walter Bersey (Autocar, 2013). The cab used an electric motor and battery. The first hybrid car to use both electric and petrol power was invented in 1898 by Ferdinand Porsche (Autocar, 2013). Different car manufacturing companies continued to research on ways to come up with hybrid cars that had better ranges and speeds. As a result of this, the technology used by modern hybrids was introduced in the twentieth century by Pieper. This involved the use of an electric motor and a petrol engine (Autocar, 2013). In the early part of the twentieth century, electric and hybrid vehicles continued to be produced, but disappeared within a few years, as a result of development of roads in the United States. People bought petrol powered vehicles, a trend that changed in the mid-twentieth century when the United States Congress raised the issue of air pollution and passed bills supporting use of electric vehicles instead. As a result of this, electric vehicles were reintroduced in the market. In 1973, the price of fuel rapidly rose as a result of the oil embargo. It was during this time that a hybrid car that permitted switching between an electric motor and petrol engine was introduced. In recent years, numerous advancements have been made and cars such as the Audi, Volvo ECC, Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, the civic Honda hybrid among others have been introduced into the market (Autocar, 2013). Hybrid Car Types The electric motor and gasoline engine in hybrid cars can work together in two basic ways; parallel and series. These are known as the design types. In parallel designed hybrids, the wheels are driven by power from the electric motor and gasoline engine (Hantula & Voege, 2010). Here, the electric motor and gasoline engine are independent of each other meaning that each can power the vehicle without relying on the other. In series designed hybrids, the wheels are driven by the electric motor, while electricity is generated by the gasoline engine (Hantula & Voege, 2010). Here, the electric motor and gasoline engine are dependent of each other meaning that they rely on each other to power the vehicle. The other classification of hybrid cars categorizes them into full, mild, and plug-in hybrids. In full hybrids, the electric motor can drive the car without the gasoline engine. It is however important to note that the car can be powered by the electric motor or gasoline engine. The electric motor is only necessary when starting the car and during acceleration. Pistoia asserts that a full hybrid car “can be driven for a few kilometers in pure EV mode” (2009, p. 335). In mild hybrids, the electric motor is there to only assist the gasoline engine and cannot drive the car on its own. This usually happens when the gasoline engine requires some extra power. According to Clark, Zhen, Wayne and Schiavone (2009), “the electric motor can generate electricity for the battery or consume electricity from the battery, but not both at the same time” (p. 6). Pistoia notes that in mild hybrids, “more power is required from the battery, which is more frequently and deeply discharged” (2009, p. 335). In plug-in hybrids, the mode of operation is similar to those of full hybrids. This means that a car can be driven by power from either the electric motor or gasoline engine independently. Saddleback Educational Publishing notes that “however, plug-in hybrids use a cord to recharge their batteries from an electrical outlet” (2010, p. 49). Significance of Hybrid Cars in People’s Lives Hybrid cars mean fuel efficiency, reduced global warming as a result of reduced pollution, more power, reliable transportation and a lot more in people’s lives. Osborne supports these facts by stating that “among the numerous reasons for the global trend toward a dual-powered car are a shrinking supply of petroleum, a slowly disintegrating atmosphere, and the need of a growing world population for reliable transportation” (2005, p. 30). Advantages and Disadvantages of Hybrid Cars Hybrid cars have a number of advantages over traditional gasoline cars. These include: Better gas mileage: Hybrid cars have very good gas mileage. Campbell defines gas mileage as “a rate of how many miles the car will go on a gallon of gas” (1998, p. 22). It is however important to note that the gas mileage while driving in a city is different to that of highway driving. In hybrid cars, the gas mileage is better due to the following features; studier tires, lightweight materials, increased aerodynamics and a smaller gas tank. The tires of hybrid vehicles are different from those of the traditional gasoline vehicles, since they are made from stiffer materials. Due to this, the optimal air pressure is also higher, which assists in conservation of energy. The lightweight materials used in construction of hybrid cars give the advantage of increased gas mileage. This is because since they are light, less fuel is required to power them. Increased aerodynamics is another characteristic of hybrid vehicles. They reduce the fuel consumption of hybrids as they are good at conserving energy when they reduce the drag on a vehicle. The up front area of hybrid cars is made with aerodynamics in mind, which makes it easier for a vehicle to move. Additionally, since the gasoline requirement for hybrids is less, the fuel tank is made smaller and this reduces the overall weight of the car, consequently conserving energy. Reduced pollution: Due to the fact that hybrid cars do not use gasoline all the time, the amounts of emissions they release into the air are reduced. According to Fitzgerald, “hybrid cars do reduce emissions by up to 90% and the 2010 model Prius…., claims to cut petrol consumption by 50%” (2009, p. 14). Lower running costs: The costs of maintaining a hybrid vehicle are lower especially during times when the prices of fuel are skyrocketing. This is made possible by the fact that hybrids have an electric motor to assist the gasoline engine. According to Droege, “hybrid vehicles cost more in up-front costs than their non-hybrid equivalents but can achieve much higher fuel efficiency than non-hybrid cars” (2008, p. 625). It can therefore be said that the lower operating costs of hybrid cars compensate for the high costs incurred while purchasing them. Additionally, “over long distances, running costs will be proportionately lower, and the car’s depreciation will become more negligible as age and mileage build” (Moss, 2010, p. 17-18). More power: Hybrid vehicles are more powerful than the conventional gasoline vehicles. This comes from the fact that hybrid vehicles have two or more power sources to propel them. Farkas points out that “if more power is needed than the battery can provide, the good old gasoline/diesel engine comes in” (2008, p. 127). Hybrid cars also have a number of disadvantages. These include: Electrical hazards in car circuitry: This usually happens in cases of crashes. Hilgenkamp supports this by asserting that “the circuitry required in a battery-supported hybrid poses some electrical hazards to rescue personnel in the event of a crash” (2006, p. 212). They are too quiet: One of the requirements of a vehicle is being loud enough to be heard, since this way, accidents are reduced. Hybrid vehicles are not loud enough to be heard in all situations, which is dangerous (Wiener, Welsh and Blasch, 2010). Higher repair costs: Although the routine maintenance costs of a hybrid cars might be lower than those of regular gasoline cars, when something goes wrong within the system of a hybrid car especially after an expired warranty, repairing it costs a lot more. For hybrid cars and due to the fact that the costs of repairing cars have been rising year after year, they are the costliest (Lipka, 2013). High purchase costs: Purchasing a hybrid car is quite costly compared to purchasing the traditional gasoline powered car. This comes from the fact that hybrids have added components. For the average man, getting enough money to purchase a hybrid vehicle is quite difficult. Technology is still in test: The fact that hybrid vehicles are new makes it difficult to point out the problems that come with them. In fact, it can be said that the technology is not completely tested. Therefore, the problems that come with hybrid vehicles can only be realized over time. Dangers of being lightweight: Although the lightweight characteristic of hybrid vehicles is a plus when it comes to energy consumption and movement, it makes them more susceptible to accidents. When a hybrid car collides with a regular gasoline car, the hybrid car and its occupants suffer more severe damage (Hybrid Car Reviews, 2014). These cars are also vulnerable to being driven off the ground during heavy storms. High pollution during manufacture: The process of building a hybrid car produces a lot of pollutants. For the Toyota Prius for example, manufacturing it requires more energy and so is more carbon dioxide released into the air. This is more so due to the additional components included in the car. Low accelerative power: The accelerative power of hybrid vehicles is relatively low. This is because the acceleration of a hybrid vehicle is impacted by the two systems present; that is, the gasoline engine and the electric motor. This is in contrast to the traditional cars, which rely on the gasoline engine as the only propulsion system. Weather effects: Hybrid vehicles react to cold weather making them less favorable during cold seasons and in cold nations. The performance of a hybrid vehicle is hampered when the batteries get affected by cold weather. Can Hybrid Cars Replace other Cars? Yes. Hybrids cars can succeed in replacing other cars. This however can only happen gradually as people slowly learn to prefer them over the traditional gasoline cars. The main reasons behind their success will stem from the advantages they have on the environment and cost effectiveness when it comes to fuel consumption. It is a fact that even the better hybrids are not here yet and when they do arrive, everyone will want to own one. The top hybrid cars present today include Chevy Volt, Toyota Prius, Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model S, Ford C-Max Energi, Ford Focus electric/Toyota RAV4, Fisker Karma, Honda Fit/Toyota iQ, BMW i3 Megacity Vehicle and Porsche 918 Spyder (Motavalli, 2011). Conclusion Hybrid cars offer the option of using more than one power source, especially given that oil reserves may be depleted in future. They give a promise in future transportation and present challenges such as global warming and skyrocketing prices of fuel among others. Hybrid cars are of different types and come with their advantages and disadvantages as discussed in this paper. Additionally, they have a huge potential of replacing other cars in future, especially due to the fact that better hybrids are still to come. Reference List Autocar, 2013. A Brief History of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles-Picture Special. 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