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Cars: Join the Revolution
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Hybrid car hype? Wake up and smell the
future.
Think hybrids are hype?
That's O.K. as long as you are not an automaker, or an advisor
to an automaker.
Saying hybrids are hype, or a temporary transition to fuel
cells, is either a sign of ignorance or of fear - if it comes
from an 'expert'.
Almost any auto analyst will tell you fuel cells are the future.
I agree. The debate; however, comes down to when will it be
economical, in a decade, two decades?
For this reason hybrids are the future.
A decade from now, instead of driving your gas-electric Prius
hybrid car, you might be driving your fuel-cell-electric Prius
hybrid car.
Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive, the backbone of Toyota's hybrid
powertrain, was a significant component in the development of
the Toyota FCHV, or Toyota Fuel-Cell Hydrogen Vehicle.
Built upon the Highlander platform, which will include a Highlander
hybrid later this summer, the Toyota FCHV was developed
utilizing technologies honed by the Prius "to precisely
regulate power flow from the fuel-cell stack and battery to
achieve high efficiency, excellent acceleration and a smooth
quiet ride," according to Toyota
According to Toyota, "Although discussions of hybrids often
center around the unison of gasoline or diesel-powered engines
and electric motors, Toyota's stance is that fuel cells will
eventually replace internal combustion engines in this
arrangement to create fuel cell hybrid vehicles, or FCHVs."
Not only has the Toyota FCHV been certified by CARB as a
zero-emissions vehicle, its environment-friendly air
conditioning system uses CO2 rather than CFC as a coolant.
At this time; however, the real problem with fuel cells is simply cost. Therefore,
hybrids, particularly those that are full hybrids, i.e. - more
reliant upon electric power - can gradually integrate the
components necessary for fuel cell automobiles into their
platforms.
Gas-electric hybrids, such as the Toyota Highlander hybrid,
Lexus RX400h hybrid, or Ford Escape hybrid, are just the first
stage in the evolution of the hybrid vehicle.
The middle stages in this class of vehicle, the time between
today's hybrids and the fuel-cell hybrids of the future, might
not be quite as glorious as a full fuel-cell-electric hybrids,
but they could still end foreign oil dependency, significantly
help clean the environment, funding emerging and developing
technologies technologies.
That's a pretty good short-term
forecast for hybrids, contrary to the hype claims of GM, J.D.
Power and Nissan.
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