What's a Hybrid?
A Hybrid electric car -- or petrol-electric hybrid powered car -- is a car that uses electricity as well as petrol to power the motor.
Typically, a hybrid vehicle achieves greater fuel economy and lower emissions than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles, resulting in fewer emissions being generated. These savings are primarily achieved by:
- Regenerative braking - the electric motor that drives the hybrid can also slow the car. In this mode, the electric motor acts as a generator and charges the batteries while the car is slowing down
- Having significant battery storage capacity to store and reuse recaptured energy
- Shutting down the gasoline or diesel engine during traffic stops or other idle periods
- Relying on both the gasoline or diesel engine and the electric motors for peak power needs.
What hybrid cars are available in Australia?
- Toyota Prius
- Toyota Camry Hybrid (as from 2010)
- Honda Civic Hybrid
- Toyota Lexus RX 400h
- Toyota Lexus GS 450H
- Toyota Lexus LS 600HL
Hybrid cars consume less petrol than conventional cars, using under some circumstances only 50 per cent of the fuel consumed by a conventional car. But NRMA expert Greg Fraser says hybrid cars' fuel efficiency varies from car to car, depending on how the hybrid/petrol relationship is constructed. Fuel consumption also depends on whether the car is being driven in a city or on an open road.
Hybrid cars are very fuel efficient to drive around town. For example, if you they are at the lights, the petrol engine stops and then uses the batteries to keep air-conditioning. As you drive off the petrol engine will generally restart, although, under certain conditions, both can run on battery power alone.
But driving on the freeway is like being in any other car as the the petrol engine has no reason to shut down.
Hybrid cars and rising petrol prices.
Initially, the production of hybrid cars was definitely for environmental reasons more than fuel costs. The first hybrid car released in Australia was the Toyota Prius, released in Australia in 2001, before the cost of petrol was the issue it is today.
Currently nearly ever major manufacturer in the world has serious plans to release new lines of hybrid cars. Whilst not all of them are betting their future on hybrid technology, most realise that in these days of increased fuel prices and better environmental knowledge consumers are looking for alternatives to gas-guzzling petrol vehicles.
In the US, more and more hybrid cars are being released including the:
- Ford Escape Hybrid SUV
- Honda Civic Hybrid
- Honda Accord Hybrid
- Honda Insight
- Lexus RX400h SUV
- Mazda Tribute compact SUV
- Mercury Mariner Hybrid SUV
- Nissan Altima
- Toyota Camry Hybrid
- Toyota Highlander SUV
- Toyota Prius
What's the demand for hybrid cars in Australia?
Manufacturers are selling as many as they bring in. Demand is strong and the market will determine where these cars end up. Unless a better idea comes along, hybrid cars will be here for a while.
Hybrid cars: disadvantages
Though hybrid cars take in substantially less petroleum than conventional cars, there is still an issue regarding the environmental damage of the Hybrid car battery.
Today most Hybrid car batteries are one of two types:
- Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH)
- Lithium Ion (LiIon)
Note some web sites report the following: "Little testing has been done to show the effects of nickel on people but other possible side effects may include: Exencephaly, everted viscera, short and twisted neck, short and twisted limbs, microphthalmia, hemorrhage, and reduced body size."
However: a bit of research shows that apparently all have copied it from the same source and considering the side effects; all appear to relate to some prenatal exposure.
Lithium-ion and nickel-metal-hydride rechargeable batteries are considered to be less toxic than the nickel-cadmium and lead-acid batteries. (National Renewable Energy Laboratory).
On the positive side:
Even with its low value as scrap, the recycling rate for lead-acid batteries is over 95%. The metals used in batteries for hybrids are NiMH and LiIon. Both of these metals are inherently more valuable than lead, and since the batteries are quite large, the value of the spent battery packs will be such that the recycling rate will approach 100%.
It is illegal to dispose of these batteries in a landfill and their value will ensure that is not their fate. Nickel will be reclaimed during the recycling process. Lithium is even less toxic and more valuable than nickel.
What is a "Plug-in Hybrid"?
A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a hybrid vehicle with batteries that can be recharged by connecting to an electric power source.
The car runs on battery power for the first 10 to 60 miles (16–100 km) depending on the size of the battery, with the gasoline engine available for faster acceleration, etc. After the battery is nearly discharged, the car reverts to the gasoline engine to recharge the battery and/or return the car to the charging station. This may get around the fundamental obstacle of battery range.
Whereas the hybrid battery needs to be recharged by the petrol motor, the battery of the Plug-in Hybrid can be plugged into a standard AC outlet, adding the convenience of home recharging.
Disadvantages of plug-in hybrids include the additional cost, weight and size of a larger battery pack.
FAQ
How Many cars are sold in Australia and how many are hybrids?
Of the 1 million cars currently sold each year in Australia, about 5,000 are hybrids.
How much is the "Green Car Innovation Fund" and when does it start?
The fund is $500 million over 5 years, starting in 2011-12 with $100 million (after the next election).
(Budget Paper no.2 2008-09 page 114)
sources:
Choice
Wikipedia
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Australian Council of Recyclers