Fwd: 3.WHAT IS THE HYBRID CAR AND DOES IT IMPROVE SUSTAINABILITY?

DALE OVERMEYER

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>>> DALE LEONARD OVERMEYER 02/27/06 02:59PM >>>

The development of hybrid vehicles is probably one of the most
significant advances in automotive technology in recent decades. It has
been spurred on by a pressing requirement for the reduction in the
environmental impact of land transport, particularly urban transport.
This fuel cell car has been welcomed as a solution, but if it is then it
is only a long term one. The term `hybrid' implies the bringing together
of two forms of vehicle propulsion, normally mechanical and electrical,
drawing on the best features of each, to produce a vehicle which not
only meets user needs, but also can comply with increasingly demanding
environmental standards. The hybrid car reduces emissions and increases
the mileage of a petrol powered car while overcoming the disadvantages
of an electric car (Author unknown, 2005).

Besides a smaller, more efficient engine, today's hybrids use many
other tricks to increase fuel efficiency. Some of those tricks will help
any type of car get better mileage, and some only apply to a hybrid. To
squeeze every last mile out of a liter of petrol, a hybrid car can:

It can recover energy and store it in the battery - Whenever you step
on the brake pedal in your car, you are removing energy from the car.
The faster a car is going, the more kinetic energy it has. The brakes of
a car remove this energy and dissipate it in the form of heat. A hybrid
car can capture some of this energy and store it in the battery to use
later. It does this by using "regenerative braking
Sometimes shut off the engine - A hybrid car does not need to rely on
the engine all of the time because it has an alternate power source -
the electric motor and batteries.
Use advanced aerodynamics to reduce drag
Hybrid cars use special tires that are both stiffer and inflated to a
higher pressure than conventional tires. The result is that they cause
about half the drag of regular tires.
Finally the hybrid car also consists of lightweight materials to reduce
drag and increase mileage
Source: http://auto.howstuffworks.com

Reference:

Author unknown (2005) http://auto.howstuffworks.com

Douthwaite, R (2005) Radical overhaul of emissions allocation required,
Irish Times

Jefferson, C. M.; Barnard, R. H. (2002) Hybrid Vehicle Propulsion.
Hybrid Vehicle Propulsion, pp. 150.

Fecher, R.S (2002) Energy and sustainable development in South Africa,

http://www.helio-international.org

Shrivistava, P. (1995) The role of corporations in achieving ecological
sustainability, The academy of management review, Vol 20, No 4, 936 -
960

Ward, G (2001) the Economic and Commercial Benefits of Long-term
Sustainability, 18th World Energy Congress

DALE OVERMEYER

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