Hybrid Technology versus Full Electric Cars

  

Hybrid Technology vs. Full Electric Cars

The looming energy crisis is not far off, adding impetus to the search for viable alternative fuels and transportation methods. Both hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles have been around for some years now. GM introduced full electric vehicles quite some time ago and hybrids have been introduced by every automaker from Honda to Ford. However, the technologies used in these two applications are widely different. Which one will stand the test of time? Which technology will rise to save the daily driver from fuel prices that seem set to put consumers on the track for bankruptcy?

Full electric vehicles are the dream of many automakers. Rather, electric vehicles with unlimited range are the dream of automakers. Today’s electric cars are sadly lacking when it comes to range of driving. For instance, they are fine for puttering around town for a few minutes each day, but don’t try taking a longer trip in one. The charge time for the batteries is usually overnight, meaning that if you become stranded, you’re stuck that way. This is the major contributing factor (other than sheer cost) to the unpopularity of fully electric vehicles.
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Chevy Volt: The Car That Could Save GM – And Gas Money

The new Chevy Volt, will it live up to our expectations or even GM’s expectations and meet its year 2010 deadline/release date? Here is a video that explains it all. The finished product will look more like our current 4-door vehicle that we see on the road today. The video goes onto show an Apple iPod-ish dashboard layout. So what’s the hold-up? … the battery!

Enjoy the video!

More Offshore Oil Drilling – Is It The Answer To Americas Thirst for Gas And High Prices?

Today I am a bit off of the direct automotive topics but this does indirectly affect the automotive world because 99% of the cars, trucks, and SUV’s on the road today in America use some type of Gas fuel that comes from oil. I won’t bore you with restating the fact that some people propose that they lift the ban on offshore drilling (for oil)… you can read about that on cnn.com. The big question I have for you is do you really think they should lift this ban and will it really “help” us? Some say that this will not even affect the gas prices until 5 years later if the ban was eliminated NOW. That means they start drilling today and then maybe 5 years from today you may see the price of gas come down from $10 a gallon… yea, I am thinking in 5 years the price will be around $10 to $15 a gallon at the rate we are going now. If you don’t think this is an answer then let us know what should be done. If you think this is an answer then let us know why.

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Tesla Roadster: The Electric Sports Car Is Now Available!

Tesla’s first store (dealership) will be opening this week and selling the new electric powered sports car for around $109,000. The first Tesla store is located in Los Angeles, California near the University of California which is basically at the intersecting point of Beverly Hills, Hollywood and Brentwood. Being in a prominent location, the Tesla store is in a good position to spark decent sales figures from those who can actually “afford” the new roadster. With a price tag of just over $100K you can own pretty much the cleanest vehicle on the road.

I know what you are thinking, who wants to spend that kind of cash for an electric car, why not suck it up and pay $4.00 a gallon. You may also be thinking that this “sports car” is a “slow car”. Not so and not so. The Tesla electric sports car will do 0-60 in just under 4 seconds and tops 125 mph. Yes, that can beat your car, at least until you hit 125mph… but who wants to go faster than that on USA roads? Okay, maybe you do want to go faster BUT, it’s one of the first electric cars available at an actual dealership and you will be doing more than your part in saving our mother earth.
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GM To Begin Testing Chevrolet Volt Electric Car

GM’s Testing of the Chevy Volt concept electric car – Video provided by The Auto Channel:

The Volt can run up to 40 miles on its initial charge, and re-charges itself when in motion. The vehicle, initially introduced at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show, uses GM’s “E-Flex” architecture, running on electricity and an alternative power source. 

Gm’s goal to have the new Chevy Volt on the road by 2010… We shall see!

Tesla announces their first store/dealership

Tesla Motors announced several months ago that they would eschew the traditional franchise dealer approach of most car companies in favor of company owned retail and service outlets. The plan was to launch with five stores located in New York, Chicago, South Florida, Los Angeles and the Bay area.

They’ve just announced the details on the Bay Area store which will be in Menlo Park just up the road from the Stanford University campus. The property they are leasing is actually owned by the university and was formerly home to a Chevrolet dealer that closed last year. The first production Roadsters are due off the line in early October and the store is targeted to open by the end of the year as long as construction goes smoothly.

[Source: Tesla Motors]

Ford sees plug-in hybrids in 5-10 years

 

Story Highlights

Car maker, California utility to test 20 rechargeable electric vehicles

Ford was first U.S. car maker to introduce gas-electric hybrid

GM has set 2010 as target date for its plug-in hybrid car  

Ford Motor Company Chief Executive Alan Mulally says he expects the company to sell plug-in hybrids in five to 10 years.

“Within five to 10 years we will start to see this technology in our hands,” Mulally said on the sidelines of a press event to announce an alliance between Ford and utility Southern California Edison to test 20 rechargeable electric vehicles.

When asked if that meant plug-in hybrids would be available on showroom floors, Mulally said, “Yes. Sure.”

Mulally said the rollout of Ford plug-in hybrids is dependent on advancements to lithium ion batteries that will be charged by the car’s owners using regular household electrical outlets.

He declined to give a more precise production target, saying: “I can’t go further than that. We will know a lot more in the next few years.”

Read the full article on cnn.com HERE!

Google’s 100-mpg car – money.cnn.com article

Offers millions to advance plug-in hybrid vehicles and other technologies that link nation’s transport system to the electric grid.

By Steve Hargreaves, CNNMoney.com staff writer

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Google said Tuesday it is getting in on the development of electric vehicles, awarding $1 million in grants and inviting applicants to bid for another $10 million in funding to develop plug-in hybrid electric vehicles capable of getting 70 to 100 miles per gallon.

The project, called the RechargeIT initiative and run from Google’s philanthropic arm, Google.org, aims to further the development of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles – cars or trucks that have both a gasoline engine and advanced batteries that recharge by plugging into the nation’s electric grid. 

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