Hybrid Car Info

Once upon a time, there was this hybrid car …

Hybrids seem like a new innovation to many consumers. They are trendy and economical, which is making them hot on the market. The truth is however hybrids have in fact been around for a long time. They were not always called hybrids. Many were simply referred to as cars powered by both electric and gasoline. With rising prices of gasoline and oil, and the shift in focus on pollution, car manufacturers are beginning to give the old electric and gasoline car system another glance.

The first thought of a hybrid came from H. Piper in 1905. Piper applied for a patent for something he called a vehicular power train, which was essentially an electric motor that would augment a gasoline engine. Not only did his invention use both electric and gasoline, but it also allowed vehicles to go from zero to 25 mph in ten seconds, which was almost four times faster than other cars went at this time. The invention was genius, but the timing was terrible.

For at least two years after Piper's invention, there was a fast paced market for gasoline engines. The availability and cost of the gasoline engine made it a popular option. Fuel was easy to transport and cheap, therefore helping the gasoline engine market drive. With even basic electricity available to only the wealthiest citizens, the electric and gasoline engine never really took off.

Other manufacturers began to build their versions of hybrids as well. The Paris Electric Car Company built several cars that included a model that ran on alcohol. Jacob Lohner & Co, from Austria, built a system where the electric motors were the same as the wheel hubs, which allowed power to be delivered directly to the wheels. General Electric got into the game around 1900, building a hybrid with a four-cylinder gasoline engine. A handful of companies built different models of their own hybrids up until 1940.

With many of these versions getting only around 20 miles on the battery alone, consumers were still not sold on the idea. They could get much more use out of a totally gasoline engine and gasoline costs were still reasonable enough to provide them with what they wanted. Hybrid cars were not popular still, however trains manufacturers began looking at the engine designs. Many decided to begin using diesel-electric hybrid power trains, and continue to do so today.

In 1997, the world finally seemed ready for a full production hybrid car, and the Toyota Prius went on sale in Japan. It was a hit and has continued to be the most popular of the hybrid models to date, and is sold in over 20 countries. The first Prius sold in the United States did not need to be plugged up due to a separate generator to keep the battery charged. It was an efficient model and got about 52 mpg. The great thing is that it could operate on gas alone, electric alone, or both.

Other companies took note of the success of the Prius and began coming out with their own models. The Honda Insight is another popular hybrid model that was introduced in the United States in 2000. Honda is also now offering a hybrid Accord. Toyota continues to bring new hybrid models to the table, with plans to bring a midsize sport utility hybrid to the market soon. General Motors and Chevrolet are also trying to work into the market, with success.

Consumers who purchase hybrids are being met with more applause than most other car buyers. Not only are hybrid owners getting better gas mileage than most, they are also enjoying incentives. These incentives are coming in the form of cash from their employers, discounts from corporations, and free parking from various cities. Hybrid owners are being treated like celebrities on a certain level. They are praised for their responsible driving actions and their commitment to promoting eco-friendly behavior.

It took years for the hybrid plan to work out and become a hit with consumers. When it was first invented, the timing of the world was not right for the idea. Today however, with gas prices soaring and the fear of depletion of our natural resources, it is more important for us to think of alternatives to the gasoline engine. Therefore, hybrids today are much more successful than they were in the early 1900's.