Hybrid Cars by ProfEssays
Hybrid Cars The impact of gas emissions on the global warming
is evident. Humanity causes severe weather by a number of
ways, including pollution. People have always polluted their
surroundings, but throughout much of history, pollution
was not a major problem. The warming or "Greenhouse
effect" we are now experiencing is a result of carbon
dioxide we have dumped into the air. It turns clear, odorless
air into hazy, smelly air that harms health, kills plants,
and damages property. In general, air pollution and global
warming results from pouring hundreds of millions of tons
of gases and participates into the atmosphere including
the major greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane
(CH4), the halocarbons (CFCs) and nitrous oxide. Kyoto protocol
(1997) introduced strict laws for car manufactures aimed
to reduce the impact of gas emission on global worming (Kyoto
Protocol, 2005). Car manufactures have been forced to develop
new clear technologies to reduce the level of gas emissions
dumped into the air. How they work? The technological developments
do much to control pollution cased by older technology.
Various methods of reducing pollution from automo¬bile
engines have been developed recently. Examples include new
additives to replace tetraethyl lead in gasoline, and devices
to remove pollutants from exhaust and make combustion processes
more complete. One more alternative sollution is a hybrid
car. A hybrid car combines more sources of power: a rechargeable
battery and gasoline. Its full name si the gasoline-electric
hybrid car, because it is a mixture of a gasoline-powered
car and an electric car.The battery is needed to provide
extra acceleration power. "When the car is stopped,
hybrid gasoline motors can shut off and run off their electric
motor and battery" (Hybrid Cars, 2005). There are two
variant of a hybrid car: a parallel hybrid and a series
hybrid car. The difference is that a parallel hybrid car
consistes of a fuel tank, which supplies gasoline to the
engine while in the latter, a generator is turned by the
gasoline engine. It can charge the batteries or power an
electric motor that drives the transmission (How Hybrid
Car Works, 2005). The basic components of a hybrid car include:
gasoline engine, fuel tank, electric motor, generator, batteries,
and transmission. "Both the engine and the electric
motor can turn the transmission at the same time, and the
transmission then turns the wheels" (How Hybrid Car
Works, 2005). How they help the Ecosystem and the Environment?
Hybrids innovative technology is an alternative energy solution
which help to reduce the risk of global warming. On the
one hand, hybrids reduce fuel emissions because the hybrid
engine draws on the battery and not gasoline when accelerating.
On the other hand, hybrid gasoline motors can shut off when
the car is stopped and run off their electricity. So called
"trace gases" make up the remainder of air's composition,
but if cars do not dump CO2 into the air there is no threat
of "trace gases". Most air pollution results from
combustion processes. Each time a fuel is burned in a combustion
process, some type of pollutant is released into the air,
and ruin ozone layer, which protects the Earth from radiation.
As a result our atmosphere is heated, and climate becomes
warmer. This pollutant forms when moisture in the air com¬bines
with nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide released by automobiles,
by factories, and by power plants that burn coal or oil.
The reaction between the moisture and the chemical compounds
produces nitric and sulfuric acids. It also reduces the
amount of oxygen that water can hold. The major pollutant
is fuel oil, which enters oceans mainly from oil tankers
and offshore oil wells. This heated water causes such disasters
as tornados and hurricanes. If hybrid technology is introduced,
the need in fuel oil will decrease and the negative impact
on ecosystem will be minimized. The Future The problem is
that it is very expensive to produce a hybrid car, and since
then Honda has ground production down to near zero. So there
is a response to the short-term, but it's just under whelming
(Honda Says , 2005). Years ago, Time Magazine claimed that
a majority of Americans were willing to pay 50 cents more
(in today's dollars) for a gallon of gas if it would fight
global warming. Today, it is proved that it did not happened
(Overview of Vehicle Compatibility, 2005). Roland Hwang
a policy analyst and vehicle technology expert said "This
shows what we've been saying all along is true", "Auto
manufacturers know how to build cars that emit less global
warming pollution. The technology exists today. If Honda
can do it, so can the Big Three. The only question is when
will Detroit put its engineers to work and send its lawyers
and lobbyists back home." (Michaels, 2005). These new
Toyota SUV hybrids will use a 3.3-liter V6 engine combined
with Toyota's hybrid powertrain, and according to reports
will put out 270 hp. Fuel economy is expected to average
around 28 mpg, with a range in excess of 600 miles (Shaver,
2001). The Toyota hybrids will be available in a front-
and all-wheel-drive version. The AWD versions will feature
two electric motors: one to power the front wheels and the
second to power the rear wheels. Thanks to this system of
twin motors there will be no driveshaft connecting the transmission
and the rear wheels which will have the effect or reducing
weight and enhancing interior leg room and comfort. The
Highlander Hybrid is expected to be the first seven-passenger
hybrid SUV when it goes on sale in early 2005. It's impossible
to meet Kyoto's mandates, which start in 2008, but to reduce
emission level is not an easy task to solve. But in a time
it became apparent that the protocol was wrong. People are
increasing their purchases of gas-hogs and buying relatively
fewer of the new gas-electric hybrids (Michaels, 2005).
Nevertheless, bear in mind the facts mentioned above it
would be possible to say that the solution is found. If
carmakers change their policy to "green car",
the level of emission will be reduced greatly. But, this
problem has social aspects. Americans used to traditional
cars because of their safety and power, etc. It will be
difficult to persuade them to buy another models of cars.
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