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DISCUSSIONS - USA - Hybrid Cars Get "Green-Tuned" ?
New York,NY,USA -Industrial News Room,by Katrina C. Arabe -April 12 2005: -- The no-plug-in-needed feature of the new gas-electric cars is supposed to be a good thing. But many enthusiasts are "rewiring" their cars claiming to get up to 180 mpg. How are automakers responding to such remodeling? The concept of plug-in gas-electric cars has already gained the support of diverse groups, from conservatives and environmentalists, who look to fuel efficiency as a central issue in bolstering national security and preventing climate change, to utilities, who are eager to oust oil in favor of electricity. Plugging in a hybrid overnight--at any electrical outlet--would allow users to consume dramatically less gas by running on battery power alone for long stretches. Additionally, car owners wouldn't have to plug them in unless they want to, unlike purely electric cars that require frequent, time-consuming recharging. And since most of the charging up would occur off-hours, power plant efficiency would actually increase since plants can't just shut down at night when demand takes a nosedive.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) are especially promising because many contend they may be able to stem the growth of oil imports and even put a dent on consumption. In comparison, conventional hybrid electric cars, while gas-saving, are expected to ease the growth rate of oil imports only slightly, at best, given the growth projections for oil consumption.
Advocates point out that costs will go down with high-volume production, but the investment necessary for mass production represents a huge risk, especially with the availability of other higher fuel efficiency systems, including advanced diesels and upgraded gasoline or hydrogen engines. "All these technologies are great. But there is a tremendous amount of uncertainty," says David E. Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research. For instance, it's not known if gas prices will increase enough to stimulate demand for high-mileage cars. Still, plug-ins are winning support from high levels. For instance, the bipartisan National Commission on Energy Policy made plug-ins a key component of its energy strategy last December. And the Set America Free coalition, a group of conservatives and environmentalists, is lobbying for $2 billion in incentives, asserting that "if all cars on the road are hybrids and half are plug-in hybrid vehicles, U.S. oil imports would drop by 8 million barrels per day"... http://news.thomasnet.com/IMT/archives/2005/04/hybrid_cars_get_1.html?WT.mc_t=imt&WT.mc_n=site_entry
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