subject: Important Facts About Solar Powered Hybrid Cars [print this page] There is no better description of a solar power hybrid car than that given by former CIA Director James Woolsey when he said: "A plug-in hybrid is an electric car with an insurance policy - a gas engine." Relying primarily on solar powered electricity, the hybrid has a back-up. To supplement and ensure vehicle operation, the hybrids have a gas engine that kicks in when the battery is depleted, or under certain other pre-specified conditions.
There are two types of hybrid cars on the market today...one is called a PHEV, or a plug-in hybrid, and the other is simply a hybrid. The difference between the two hybrids is the battery. A PHEV has a battery capacity about 10 times that of the normal hybrid battery, and can be recharged by plugging into an electrical outlet. A standard hybrid vehicle has a smaller battery, and recharges an electric motor that runs in conjunction with the gas engine by its operation. By true definition, a solar powered hybrid car would be either the standard hybrid vehicle, or a PHEV that was charged on a solar energy system.
Soon, the advances in battery capacity will allow individuals, families and commercial drivers of large vehicles, to make the jump to full solar powered cars with zero emissions. Solar panels on roofs are going up in conjunction with the need for recharging solar cars, and many homeowners are then adding the rest of the system to power their homes. However, hybrids, with their combination electric and gas engines are still providing the long-distance solution for vehicles that need to do more than make the quick commute back and forth to the grocery store or work before recharging.
When we think about how much it actually costs us to drive our vehicles every day, what we don't take into account, or add to the tally, is the cost of the environmental damage done by fossil fuels. If we had a component that we had to add into our calculation that factored in that expense, the only thing you'd see any of us driving would be solar powered vehicles or solar powered hybrids.
Solar power for vehicles, and other energy needs, absent entrenched economic interests and politics, would be in a different place than it is today.
The best option at the moment for longer distance driving is either the PHEV or hybrid vehicle. Like having two vehicles in one, you have the electric car that runs clean and efficiently, without pollution, and the gas engine, which while it does produce greenhouse gases when operating, also provides a back-up and additional power to make sure you get where you're going.
If you want to know what's currently available, here's what the Kelley Book (a widely used reference for establishing vehicle values) lists as hybrid models available in the United States for 2010 and 2011:
-Toyota Prius
-Honda Insight
-Toyota Camry
-Ford Fusion
-Honda Civic
-Toyota Highlander
- Ford Escape
-Lexus, various hybrid models: RX & GS 450h, HS 250h, LS 600h
-Nissan Altima
-Mercedes-Benz S-Class & ML-Class
-Cadillac Escalade
-Chevrolet Tahoe
-Mercury Mariner & Milan
-BMW X6
-Chevrolet Malibu
-GMC Yukon
-Saturn VUE and Aura
-Chevrolet Silverado (pick-up) 1500
-GMC Sierra (pick-up) 1500 Crew Cab
Here are the Kelley Book "top green cars for 2010", in reverse order:
*2010 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
*2010 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
*2010 Ford Escape Hybrid
*2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
*2010 Honda Insight (hybrid)
*2010 Toyota Prius (hybrid)
It's hard to change...for nearly all of us. If we want to truly embrace solar energy, particularly for our vehicles however, we need to stop the political pressure industry lobbyists are placing on our congressional representatives. So...how do we do that? We apply more pressure by directly contacting our representatives and insisting they support the right kinds of incentives to bring solar energy to parity...the kinds of incentives that will eclipse and collapse our dependence on fossil fuels.
Purchasing a hybrid or solar powered vehicle can be a big and important step in reducing our carbon footprint. With the dual option of an on-the-grid plug in (electricity from your utility company), or an off-the-grid plug in (electricity from your own solar panels), you can make a highly responsible, cost-effective choice.
