One can hardly open up a newspaper or turn on the television these days without learning about the threat our planet is exposed to as a result of global warming. The burning of fossil fuels and out of control carbon emissions has necessitated a global focus on adopting environment-friendly personal and business habits. One of the huge culprits when it comes to the harmful environmental impacts of modern society is the automobile. In recent years there has been an intense focus on research and development regarding the production of hybrid vehicles. These cars are more than just a cool fashion statement. They are reducing the damage our planet is sustaining in tangible ways.
Energy optimization. Hybrids regain energy from the electric motor to the battery. When you brake and the cars speed is reduced, the energy from the motor is relayed back to the battery. This process is called regenerative braking. Through this process the battery is recharged without the need of an external charging source, and kept in efficient running order. This means that the hybrid vehicle is a self-powered, energy-saving product of engineering that dramatically decreases a cars carbon footprint.
Aerodynamics. The aerodynamic lines of hybrids vehicles are intentally designed. They contribute significantly towards the cars energy efficiency. The frontal dimensions of the cars are reduced in order to limit wind resistance, making them more effective at cutting through the air at faster speeds. This is an important factor when it comes to the issue of fuel consumption. It is like having a self-created slipstream continuously available that gets the vehicle from point A to point B as efficiently as possible.
Tires. The tires on these vehicles are carefully engineered to maximize fuel efficiency. Harder materials are used in their production and the tires are inflated to higher pressures. This equates to a conservation of energy and an improvement in performance. Regular vehicles generally have tires that create double the drag resistance than that of hybrids. The advantage that hybrids provide in this department is plain to see.
Lean machines. Hybrid vehicles are manufactured using lighter materials than regular cars. The greater the weight of an object, the more energy is necessary to propel it into motion. This is one example of the reasons large SUVs are not renamed for their good fuel consumption. The thinking is simple. Lighter materials minimize the total weight of the vehicle, which translates into less energy being required to power it. This is of particular benefit in large cities where traffic jams are inevitable, and where pollution is more prevalent. Hybrids produce very little emissions when driving at low speed. Each incremental reduction in a vehicle's emissions over its life-span is a significant contribution towards a greener and healthier planet.
Human beings are responsible for the damage done to the earth, and we must also be responsible for steadily nursing it back to health as we learn to incrementally co-operate with nature. Hybrid vehicles represent a tangible means of stepping in that direction. Time is of the essence, and we must act now.