| Hybrid cars have been getting a lot of
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| | models -- the Insight, Civic, and Prius
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| buzz the last three or four years, and
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| | -- are less than $30,000. According to
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| now with the soaring cost of oil and
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| | auto maker announcements there should be
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| gasoline, hybrids are expected to get
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| | more than 50 models available by 2010. As
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| hotter than ever. Here are some Questions
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| | sales and production increase the prices
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| and Answers about hybrids.1. What is a
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| | should not be significantly more than for
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| hybrid car?A vehicle is a hybrid when it
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| | standard ICE models.Even with the
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| combines two or more sources of power.
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| | slightly higher average cost for a hybrid
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| Hybrid cars almost always have a gasoline
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| | -- usually around $3,000 -- these
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| engine and an auxiliary electric motor
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| | additional initial costs can be offset by
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| system that runs off rechargeable
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| | federal and state tax incentives, lower
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| batteries.We normally assume that the
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| | maintenance costs, and exceptionally
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| point of hybridization is to save fuel,
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| | strong resale values.6. Are hybrids small
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| and that is definitely the case with most
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| | and underpowered?Initial hybrid models
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| of the smaller compacts and sedans. But
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| | emphasized fuel economy, so were much
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| in fact some of the more upscale hybrid
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| | lighter vehicles, and had smaller
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| models are more concerned with boosting
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| | engines. The objective was to offset the
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| power and "performance" without the usual
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| | loss of power in the ICE with additional
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| loss in fuel efficiency.2. Do you have to
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| | power from the electric motor. This would
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| plug your hybrid in at night?You may
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| | result in essentially the same level of
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| assume because a hybrid car runs part of
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| | power while burning less fuel.But this
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| the time off its battery pack, that it is
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| | principle does not have to result in
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| necessary to plug it in at night and
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| | underpowered vehicles. In fact the Lexus
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| recharge the batteries (like a golf
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| | Rx400h and Toyota Highlander Hybrid both
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| cart!). But this is almost never the
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| | have a 270 horsepower power system. And
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| case. Hybrid cars recharge their
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| | the Lexus GS 450h hybrid sedan is
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| batteries "on the fly" by making use of
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| | expected to have more than 300 horsepower
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| unused energy which is normally wasted
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| | and go 0-to-60 in less than six seconds.
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| during normal driving.For instance, most
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| | Taking the quest for hybrid power even
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| have a system that captures some of the
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| | further, the Toyota Volta concept venicle
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| energy used while applying the brakes,
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| | has a 408 hp power plant.7. What is the
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| and converts it to electrical energy to
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| | main reason people buy hybrid
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| charge the battery. This is called
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| | vehicles?Saving money on fuel is the
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| "regenerative braking".If hybrids had
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| | first thing most buyers think of. But, in
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| larger battery packs that you could plug
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| | fact, the amount saved on fuel over the
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| into the electricity grid, they would be
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| | life of the vehicle may not equal the
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| able to transfer more of the vehicle's
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| | extra purchase cost of the hybrid.There
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| power requirements over to the electric
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| | are obviously other factors at play in
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| motor(s), and use even less gasoline. But
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| | the gradually building popularity of
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| most auto makers have been unwilling to
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| | hybrids. Some people want to make a
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| go this route, arguing that today's
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| | "green" statement, others simply want to
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| batteries could not take the extra load
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| | be the first on the block with a new and
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| and more extensive usage.3. Do you have
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| | promising technology.8. Will hybrid
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| to replace the batteries?The short answer
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| | technology save the environment?There's
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| is No. Hybrid batteries typically have an
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| | no doubt about it. Hybrids are becoming
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| 80,000 - 100,000 mile warranty. The U.S.
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| | more popular. In the past five years
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| Department of Energy tested them to
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| | hybrid sales in the U.S. have grown 2000
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| 160,000 miles and stopped testing because
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| | percent. Sales in 2000 were 9,500, and by
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| they still performed almost like they
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| | the end of 2005 had grown to over
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| were brand new. Some taxi drivers have
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| | 200,000.But even this larger number is
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| gone more than 200,000 miles in a Toyota
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| | just 1.2% of the 17 million new cars sold
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| Prius without battery problems.In any
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| | last year. If every hybrid gave double
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| event, since hybrid battery packs have
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| | the current fuel economy, from an average
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| hundreds of cells, individual cells or
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| | of 20 mpg to, say, 40 mpg, that would
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| modules could be replaced if there was a
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| | save roughly 100,000 gallons of gasoline
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| problem.The best way to keep nickel metal
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| | a day. But that amount pales in
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| hydride batteries performing at their
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| | comparison to the total daily gasoline
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| peak is to keep their charge between 40%
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| | consumption in the U.S. -- 400 million
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| and 60% -- never fully charged and never
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| | gallons! The savings of 100,000 gallons
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| fully drained to zero power.4. How long
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| | would bring that number all the way down
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| have hybrids been around?Alternatives to
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| | to ... 399,900,000 gallons.Not very
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| the ICE (internal combustion engine) in
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| | significant. Obviously governments and
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| automobiles have been around since at
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| | auto makers will have to start getting
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| least 1900. The first patent for a
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| | very serious about hybrid technology
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| gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle was
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| | before it will make a significant
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| filed in 1905. Alternative fuel sources
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| | difference.9. Does that mean hybrid
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| were wiped out as a result of two things.
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| | technology is only a fad?No it does not.
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| First was the development of the electric
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| | Because the only way towards a
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| self-starter (in 1913) that made gasoline
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| | sustainable future is to find a
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| driven cars much easier to start.The
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| | combination of fuels that will reduce our
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| second development was the advent of the
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| | almost total dependence on oil. Hydrogen
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| age of cheap oil that started around the
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| | fueled vehicles will be part of that
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| time of the first World War. This
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| | future, as will fuel cells, deisel, and
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| completely removed the economic incentive
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| | alternative fuels such as ethanol.But
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| to look for alternative fuel sources.
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| | what is almost certain is that every
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| This is only starting to change now, 80
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| | promising solution will involve some kind
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| years later.5. Are hybrids expensive to
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| | of hybrid combination of technologies. So
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| purchase?In January, 2006, there were 10
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| | today's hybrid vehicles are an important
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| different hybrid models available from
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| | and necessary step towards a much more
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| $19,000 to $53,000. The most popular
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| | promising and sustainable future.
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