Hybrid Cars

Hybrid Cars – A Promising New Technology

“According to Hiroyuki Watanabe, director of Toyota Motor Co., the age of the internal combustion engine is over.” (qtd. in Cothran)

In the last decade automobile technology developed fast, and now on auto market there is a bigger choice of cars, including hybrid cars. In a few months I am going to purchase a new car. Should I buy a regular gas-fueled car or a hybrid?

Gas Prices have skyrocketed through 2000s (Cothran). As on march 2008, a gallon of regular gasoline cost an average of $3.13 ("Hybrid Vehicles"), and economists predict the price could reach four dollars by the summer of 2008. With skyrocketing prices of gasoline and uncertain future of oil supply I am leaning toward buying a hybrid car.

It is important to develop alternative vehicles because the oil used to produce gasoline for traditional cars is running out. Gas – electric hybrids, and natural gas vehicles, are currently being used to cut oil consumption, and in the future, fuel-cell (hydrogen) vehicles may provide a permanent solution to the oil shortage. In addition, alternative vehicles can cut the emission of air pollutants (Cothran). That is why I can certainly say that hybrid vehicles are the future of car industry and they should replace gasoline-powered cars. Hybrid cars require less gasoline, and thus emit fewer greenhouse gases then standard cars. If more people drove hybrids, the world would be cleaner and more habitable. Hybrid cars have also developed to the point where they are roughly the same price as standard, gasoline – powered cars ("Hybrid Vehicles").

The hybrid vehicles should replace regular gas-fueled cars because they are increasingly popular and are the cars of the future, they consume far less gasoline with a better performance, and because they are eco-friendly.

The hybrids are increasingly popular and are cars of the future. Since they entered the U.S. market in 1999, the hybrid cars have become increasingly popular. In 2007, nearly 350,000 hybrid cars were sold in the U.S. alone, with many more sold in Japan and Europe. Hybrid cars are widely expected to become even more popular in the coming years ("Hybrid Vehicles"). As is shown in the following diagram, the number of hybrids sold increased substantially during the few years:

("Hybrid Vehicles")

The future for hybrids looks bright with rapid developments in hybrid technology to improve engine efficiency. Hybrids are also, as John Rockhold said “cool, capable, and fun to drive” (qtd. in Nakaya). Praised by motorheads and environmentalists alike, hybrids represent the most exiting advancement in personal transportation since, well, the internal-combustion engine, and a rapidly growing number of people want to be on the cusp of the hybrid revolution (Nakaya). Also, federal government is taking some steps to promote these cars such as: tax credits of up to $3,400 to people who purchase hybrid vehicles, free entry to car pool lanes, free parking etc (Cothran). Notable public figures, including Sen. John Kerry, Al Gore, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and New York Giants Quarterback Eli Manning, have been seeing driving hybrids, further raising the car’s profiles ("Hybrid Vehicles"). In the future, General Motors spokesman Dave Barthmuss said,”the hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will do to today’s cars and trucks what today’s cars and trucks did to the horse and bubby of 150 years ago.” (qtd. In Gunkel, "Hydrogen Fuel Can Power Cars." )

The hybrid vehicles also consume far less gasoline, do not need more maintenance, and the performance is sometimes better then at regular cars. The world uses more petroleum now than at any other time in history, about 75 million barrels daily, and the oil will not last forever (Cothran). There is evidence that Earth’s oil supply is running out. Oil is not a renewable resource: when oil will run out, gasoline-powered vehicles will be useless. Some experts believe that half of the Earth’s oil has already been used up, a concept known as the “peak-oil theory” ("Hybrid Vehicles"). Hybrids combine clean energy of the electrical motor with the power of the gas-powered engine, which results into lower emissions and better mileage. The base prices for hybrids tend to be higher than those for other cars; but because hybrid drivers spend far less money on gas, that price difference is quickly recouped ("Hybrid Vehicles"). Exactly how much the fuel economy will improve by driving a hybrid depends on numerous personal factors, but compared