The Pros And Cons Of Electric Vehicles

We have all at some time seen (and probably travelled in) trains, trams, buses and boats that are powered by electricity. What is perhaps less well known is that the first battery powered vehicles were on the market in the early 1900's. These electrified carriages had a top speed of around 14 miles per hour and a range of about 18 miles. These automobiles remained popular until the development of the internal combustion engine, which made possible vehicles of greater power, speed and range.

The issue of global warming due to pollution has become a hot issue. Oil prices have been escalating like never before. These factors, together with the realization that the earth's reserves of oil will run out within the next few decades, have led to renewed interest and research into electric vehicles. These vehicles have several major advantages over gasoline powered vehicles.

The motors that power these vehicles emit no noxious exhaust gases. This is good news for the environment which currently absorbs millions of tons of exhaust fumes daily. These carbon dioxide emissions are seen as contributing significantly to global warming, while other exhaust gases increasingly pollute our air.

Electricity is cheaper than gasoline, so battery powered cars are cheaper to run. They will become more economically viable as the price of crude oil continues to escalate. It has been estimated that the energy required to run an electric car is approximately one fifth that required to run a gasoline powered car. This gap will widen as the oil price continues to rise.

Battery powered cars require less maintenance. They do not need regular oil changes and are not subject to the same wear and tear as internal combustion engines. In addition they have far fewer moving parts that need to be maintained.

The major disadvantage at this stage is the limited range made possible by current battery technology. Battery powered cars typically have a range of around one or two hundred miles before needing to be recharged, and a typical charge takes several hours. As with any rechargeable battery, the car's batteries have a finite number of charge/discharge cycles and in time will need replacement.

Electric cars are still very expensive, due mainly to the high cost of batteries. Surveys have revealed that US and English consumers are not willing to pay more for an electric car with limited range, and this inhibits the mass transition from gasoline to battery powered cars. However, as battery technology improves we can expect to see more battery powered vehicles on the road. Mass production will result in lower prices.

Both gasoline and electric cars have advantages and disadvantages. It is, however, becoming very clear that our current rate of oil consumption is not sustainable (in terms of cost, availability and pollution) and that sooner rather than later we will have to find a viable alternative. Right now, electrically powered vehicles offer the only alternative.

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How to Use Solar Energy To Move Vehicles

Solar energy can be used for many purposes. One of the applications that engineers are currently intrigued by is solar-powered vehicles. Although there are many concept cars that are built using solar power as its source of energy, there is still a long way to go before solar-powered cars can be commonly found on public roads.

One of the greatest challenge to realizing this potential is cost. Till today, high-efficiency solar panels are expensive. Mass produced PV panels only have a maximum of about 16 percent efficiency. Although there are solar panels that can reach over 40 percent efficiency, these only exists in labs. Scientists and engineers have yet to find a way to mass-produce them in a cost-efficient way. Therefore ultra-high efficiency solar panels remain extremely expensive.

However things have improved dramatically over the years. More than 10 years ago, having PV panels with 16 percent efficiency was unheard of. Therefore there is a strong likelihood that technology can advance to a place where commonly used PV panels can reach over 40 percent efficiency.

When this happens, the world can be changed in a very significant manner. If every car on earth relies on solar power to move, the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere can be dramatically reduced.

And when industries can depend mostly on solar energy to maintain their operations. Cost will go down and profits will go up. Global warming will also be less of an issue. There is hope that we can maintain Mother Earth as a safe place for our posterity.

There is another issue that hinders solar electric cars from being used on roads. The fact is there will be days that are not sunny, even seasons with little sunshine. So when these cars run out of power, it takes time for batteries to be charged. So there must be a way to quickly replace the used energy at various recharging stations. Otherwise solar-powered car can get stranded when it has no more power.

Nevertheless, this is less of an issue compared to cost. When electric cars are commonly used, there will surely be stations available at office buildings and at home. These locations already have electricity available. It is not to difficult to build charging stations so cars can have their batteries charged.

Everyone looks forward to the day when we all can drive solar-powered vehicles on public roads. But unless the efficiency of solar panels can increase dramatically while its cost drops drastically, this is still a pipe dream.

If you are interested in solar topics like How To Make A Solar Powered Tricycle and How To Choose Solar Panels, you can click on the links here. Otherwise you can visit my website for more information.

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Will Alternative Powered Vehicles Kill the Oil Change Industry? - No, Not for a Long While

Despite what you think, industries don't change very quickly - it's usually a very slow process. Even when industries die, it's usually more like a slow-motion train wreck, and then they still don't die completely. Over the years, I've analyzed many industries which I've been involved with, and I've noticed changes, along with all the sound and fury of impending chaos, and incited fear. The reality is; mostly it's all just talk, and industries are generally pretty entrenched, and they don't go away overnight.

That's not to say it doesn't happen, it can, but generally it takes a long time, and there is an evolutionary process as entrepreneurs figure out another way to make money, or a way to modify their services and products to deal with the changes. Now then, the other day I was thinking about this, and I read a very interesting article in the oil change industry.

There was an interesting article last month in NOLN - National Oil and Lube News on page 74 titled; "Report: Electric Vehicles to Have No Immediate Impact on Lube Industry," by Garrett Mackinnon, June 2011. The article comments on all of the new all electric cars coming out such as the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Sedan, and Chevy Volt; and the article asks a good question; if all the cars go to electric, then will it affect the oil change industry?

Interestingly enough back in 2001 I had a similar discussion with the editor of that magazine in Lubbock Texas where they are/were located, and I had indicated that I expected some day that the oil change industry would have a challenge with hybrids and all-electric vehicles or fuel-cell vehicles sometime in the future. Now then, that was 10 years ago, and here we are today asking the question again.

Judging by the fact that only 2 million hybrids have been sold in the United States over the last 10 years, and that the average number of cars sold per year is between 12 million and 17 million, the number of hybrids is a drop in the oil bucket, literally. The same goes for all-electric vehicles, and there are even fewer of those. In fact, there probably will not even be 10 to 25,000 of them on the road by January 2012.

Considering that there are easily 200 million licensed vehicles in this great nation, it's rather ridiculous to think that something like this would shut down the oil change industry anytime soon.

In fact at the rate it is going now, it may never happen, and even if oil prices shot up to $8-$10 a gallon, it would take decades to build the number of cars needed to displace the oil change industry. Likewise, the oil change industry would have time to evolve and adapt, and provide perhaps other types of lubricants because these new vehicles would still have moving parts. Even fuel cells have filters, membranes, and other things that are replaceable parts, and someone needs to help with the routine maintenance.

Further, electric batteries don't last forever either, and they need to be monitored, and replaced, perhaps that is yet another add-on service for oil change companies? Personally I wouldn't be too surprised if this is a total non-issue in the industry, and that the industry has nothing to worry about with regards to all-electric, or hybrid vehicles. But the government waste oil disposal laws might a concern in the future, if the cost for removal and disposal increases due to regulations.

Indeed, I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes writing 23,900 articles by July 4, 2011 is going to be difficult because all the letters on his keyboard are now worn off now...

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Honda Insight Hybrid - Insight Passenger Vehicles

In 1999, the 2000 Honda Insight became the first hybrid car available in the U.S. Prior to its release, attempts at mass-producing environmentally friendly cars had focused on creating electric cars, as the hybrid technology of dual power systems was thought to be impractical. However, electric cars failed to meet the high expectations of consumers and so never made a break into the market.

Considered the most fuel efficient vehicle ever sold in America, this little two-seater gets nearly 70 miles per gallon.

Interest in the Insight was high in the first few years. As Honda and other manufacturers began to produce hybrid vehicles that looked more like standard vehicles (the Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Prius), the popularity of the Insight fell and in 2006, production was stopped completely.

What made the Insight different?

Being the first hybrid car on the American market made the Insight a novel product. It won many awards, ranging from the Sierra Club's Excellence in Environmental Engineering Award to International Engine of the Year. The Insight combined hybrid technology with a design that was based on being as fuel efficient as possible.

The breakthrough teardrop design of the Insight's body kept wind resistance to a minimum and the undercarriage was laid out in a way to keep the area as smooth as possible, further increasing the car's aerodynamic properties.

The body was made of aluminum alloy, making it much 47% lighter than a standard vehicle. Despite aluminum's light weight, this car was still extremely safe. In a crash, the front and back ends of the car were designed to absorb the impact and crumple, while the passenger area stayed rigid. The 2006 Insight received a four-star safety rating in front, side and roll-over crashes.

Unique tires were also created for the Insight to keep resistance to a minimum. However, since the car is no longer in production, some Insight owners are finding these tires and other replacement parts more difficult to come by.

Being one of the first hybrids in the U.S., educating drivers on how the technology worked was key. One of the ways the Insight did this was with digital dashboard displays that showed the driver how their MPG fluctuated as driving conditions changed. This was meant to keep the driver involved and engaged with how their car was performing.

Buying a used Honda Insight.

You can find a used Insight ranging in price from $14,000-$20,000. Honda also has a certified selection of pre-owned hybrid vehicle Insights on their website. Another great source to start searching for used Insights is automotive.com. If you own one of these small, green two-door hatchbacks and you're searching for Honda Insight parts or accessories, I would recommend you try eBay Motors. Since this model is now discontinued, if you're thinking about buying a used Insight, especially one with high miles, make sure you do your homework to avoid any problems you might have finding parts and/or local service. I don't expect that you will have any issues with either one.

Jeff Carey is a green vehicle enthusiast who manages a portfolio of more than 60 hybrid and electric blogs. Learn more and subscribe to his monthly newsletter at http://www.hybridkingdom.com/.

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Hybrid Vehicles Are Taking Over

Just a short time ago, hybrid automobiles seemed like something far off in the future that no one would ever really drive - almost like some sort of space car. Now, they are actually becoming more and more popular with drivers, as they start to realize the advantages of these vehicles greatly outweigh the positives. Hybrids are becoming more affordable as well, easily comparable to the price you pay for other vehicles of the same style that are not hybrids.

By using at least two energy sources in order to power a vehicle, hybrid automobiles can help their owners save money month after month when it comes to paying for gas and filling up at the pump. Even though these vehicles still require gasoline in order to function, they also operate using battery power from that of an electric battery. Another common type of hybrid vehicle is called plug-in-electric vehicles. These are actually plugged in to be charged, or they charge as the vehicle runs while it is being driven somewhere.

Hybrid vehicles not only ease the pain at the pump, but they also are much better for our environment. They produce less emissions than a typical vehicle and are crafted in a special aerodynamic shape that allows them to be less wind-resistant. Some hybrids are even made out of special material that allows for the majority of its parts to be easily recycled once the vehicle is no longer used or too old to be driven any longer.

Popular models of hybrid vehicles include the Honda Civic, Honda Insight, Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius, and Lexus RX 450h. Each of these automobiles offer top-of-the-line features, great gas mileage, and a promise to help their owners save money in the long run. With the non-hybrid version of these vehicles being some of the most popular ones on the market, it only made sense for the auto companies to start manufacturing them in hybrid form, to offer that option to their customers as well.

What once appeared to be something too futuristic to imagine has now turned into a very viable and realistic option for those seeking to purchase a new vehicle. Hybrid automobiles have become incredibly popular, and for good reason - who isn't looking to save some money as they fill up their gas tanks and watch their savings drain? While hybrids won't completely solve the problems associated with high gas prices, they sure can help to ease that pain and save owners a decent chunk of change.

Lexus Long Island specializes in new and used Lexus car sales, certified Lexus service/parts and useful information regarding Lexus vehicles. Lexus of Smithtown is located in Long Island, New York.

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