Hybrid cars have been on the market since 1997, but have mostly remained in the shadows. However, in recent years they have gained clout among even the most sensible of consumers. No longer are hybrid cars just goofy looking machines for environmentalists; they have grown up to become affordable, attractive and practical vehicles. At the front of the pack we have the Honda Civic Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, and the Honda Accord Hybrid. Also there is the Toyota Prius and Buick Rendezvous.

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Hybrid cars use a combination of a combustion engine and an electric battery. They are sometimes used together, mostly during acceleration. The combustion engine not only provides propulsion, but also serves as a generator for the battery (Lewis). The electric engine is used mostly at low cruising speeds and in stop-and-go city driving, where the energy from a normal engine is wasted, which wastes fuel and increases pollution (Scientific American). The vehicle which all of this describes perfectly is the Toyota Prius, the top selling hybrid car in the world. Toyota was the pioneer in this market and it shows. The Toyota Prius Hybrid sold over 120,000 units worldwide its first year (Lewis).

An important part of selling a hybrid vehicle is to make it affordable. This is a challenge due to all the technology that goes into such a car. The biggest expense compared to a normal car is the battery cells used in hybrid vehicles. Cost issues are being addressed in several ways. First, federal and some state governments are offering a “clean-fuel vehicle” tax refund of up to $2000 (Consumer Reports). This helps to cover much of the cost of a hybrid vehicle over that of a comparable normal car. For example, the Honda Civic Hybrid costs $3000 more than the Civic EX, leaving only an extra $1000 after the refund. The Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Prius also offer extended powertrain warranties, which is very important because people inside and out of the car industry are not yet sure how long the battery will last or how much it was cost to replace (Consumer Reports).

Research and development on new types of batteries are already underway. This is being done through the development of a bipolar battery, which not only addresses the issue of expense, but will also lead to an increase in power. These new batteries not only weigh about half of those being used currently, but will also cost far less than what is currently on the market. Also, a bipolar battery will be able to provide a 42-volt system, an increase from the 14 volts we are used to (Knight). Also, manufacturers of hybrid vehicles have begin to sell each other their technologies in hopes that mass production will lower costs.

Honda Civic Hybrid, Ford Excape Hybrid & Hybrid Cars Continued....