Now, more than ever, we need to pay attention to how our actions impact the environment. And, for car lovers, we just might find ourselves attracted to an alternative that will probably become mainstream sooner than we think: green cars. I cannot deny it – the good old fuel-run cars are hard to beat when it comes to performance and the fun factor. It is true that the sound that these cars make is part of the whole deal. Who wants a quiet electric car? Right now, you might not feel like saying you do, but I am willing to bet that pretty soon, you might change your mind.

People are taking notice of hybrids and electric cars. From the East to the West, car manufacturers are rolling out their own versions of environment friendly cars, and entities such as Kelley Blue Book are not ignoring the trend. Indeed, Kelley Blue Book recently announced its top 10 list of green cars for this year. Drum roll, please!

1. 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid, 50 m.p.g. combined
2. 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid, 41 m.p.g. combined
3. 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, 39 m.p.g. combined
4. 2009 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI, 34 m.p.g. combined
5. 2009 Mini Cooper, 32 m.p.g. combined
6. 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid, 32 m.p.g. combined
7. 2009 Honda Fit, 31 m.p.g. combined
8. 2009 BMW 335d, 27 m.p.g. combined
9. 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, 22 m.p.g. combined
10. 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid, 21 m.p.g. combined

That list is in order of fuel efficiency. Other factors included in the rating are: fun factor, safety, carbon dioxide emissions, and comfort.

Written by Marcel on April 27, 2010 | Leave a Comment

Hybrids used to be a fad that people say was one of those things like that stubborn popcorn kernel stuck in between your teeth that you can’t seem to get out that has to fall out sooner or later. Many saw them as a waste of time and that the rule of the petrol powered vehicle was good for another 50 years or so. Gues what, we don;t have enough oil for the auto manufacturers sell more and more cars everyday adding to the already taxed supply. Oil has become a bargaining chip on the global political scene that a simple lack of production would have devastating effect for some of the most gas reliant economies like the US and many countries of Europe. Oil is the most in demand resource and scientists have been telling us that the supplies are limited and it would only be time before we ran out sending us back to the dark ages without power and cars. Then it came, gas shortages and oil wars that prevents it from flowing steadily to fuel the growth of the many booming economies.
As the problems associated with methanol, LPG, LNG and other hybrids got ever more complicated even affecting the global food shortage, PHEV cars are gaining ground. With gas prices in the US soaring above the $4.00 mark, people are desperate for better more efficient cars. Hybrids are in that can be plugged in to charge their batteries for the next day’s trips as their owners rest. The advent of more efficient batteries such as Lithium Ion types has given the electric car a boost that more prefer Plug-In Electric Hybrids over the other types. Even the stock electrical systems of the Toyota Prius have been overhauled using these revolutionary batteries that have the capability to take you over 100 miles on a single charge.
Li-Ion Batteries are found in most gadgets and gizmos such as cell phones, PDA’s and many other small ones we carry around each and every day. Traditional Lead-Acid batteries have a long charge/discharge cycle and are prone to failure due to several factors such as humidity, temperature and the battery’s previous charge which has a nasty ability to have a short life and some safety concerns about the acids they contain should you get into a crash and they spill it all over the place, you get the picture.
Green cars powered by methanol have been given the boot and plug-in hybrids have taken central stage. The food shortage we are currently experiencing is blamed on these green fuels where farmers saw the potential and stopped planting other food crops concentrating on methanol sources for their crops, the result is not enough food for many people (the Mexicans have even rioted over a shortage of tortillas somewhere) and for something to be totally sustainable, that doesn’t look good. So they throw away the keys and focus on PHEV’s which have toxic batteries but have less impact on the environment (for now or till someone blows the whistle about some hidden problem that is also counter the aim of becoming sustainable).

Written by Marcel on June 1, 2008 | 1 Comment