Hybrid Cars

Hybrid Cars

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Institution

Introduction

Hybrid cars are vehicles that get its source of energy from gasoline and electricity. These vehicles use these sources of energy interchangeably and use the one which is available. The cars have combustion chamber for the gasoline and electric motor for the supply of electricity (Juettner, 2009). 

Popular hybrid cars

There are five popular types of hybrid cars. Three of them are sedans, and the remaining two are hatchbacks. Only one of them is manufactured in the United States. The first one of them is the 2014 Toyota Prius C, which has an MPG of 50 Miles per gallon. The car was launched by Toyota in 2012 and is economical in its consumption of fuel. Another advantage of the car is that it is cheap when compared with other cars, costing $19,890, a price including an $810 delivery fee. It can accommodate up to 5 passengers. Its battery can run for long, but the problem with it is that once it wears off, finding a replacement is challenging. The car runs a 73-hp, 82 ln-ft, 1.5L inline four is mated to an electric motor via a CVT, which produces an output of 100p. The vehicle is designed putting principles of aerodynamics in mind. Its body allows air to flow smoothly, reducing the impact of drag. Regarding environmental conservation, the car produces less carbon dioxide (CO2) emission, making it more environmentally responsible (Bearce, 2010). 

The second car is the 2014 Toyota Prius Liftback. The Prius Liftback is manufactured by Toyota and has an mpg of 50, costing $25,010, inclusive of delivery fee. When compared to the Prius C, it is much better and effective regarding mileage. An advantage of the hybrid car is that is efficient in fuel consumption. Moreover, it is quite spacious inside and can comfortably accommodate five adults, three at the back and two in front as well as their belongings in case they are on a long road trip. The only drawback of the vehicle is that it has high investment, and there are other models which are more luxurious and have more standard features and yet cost less than the 2014 Toyota Prius. It runs a 1.8-liter Atkinson cycle engine and an electric motor to balance the power of gasoline and use of electricity. It has power on its front wheels. The word ‘prius’ is a Latin word meaning before signifying that the vehicles were environmental conscious before it was in the mainstream (Swanson, 2012). 

The third hybrid car is the 2014 Honda Accord hybrid, costing $29,945, an inclusive delivery fee of $790. The vehicle was launched in October 2014 and is ideal for transportation. Its engine features are 141-horse Atkinson-cycle 2.0-liter four-cylinder augmented by a 166-hp AC permanent-magnet electric-drive motor. Instead of the traditional lithium-ion battery, it as a smaller, light 1.3-kWh which increases the trunk space to 4.1 cubic feet and also reduce the weight of the vehicle to 200 pounds. However, the car lacks the Accord hybrid’s transmission. The major drawback is its stiff steering, and also its back seats do not fold, making it a challenge when there is a mix of cargo and passengers. The technology behind Honda Accord is that it uses turbochargers to power smaller and more efficiently without losing performance (Juettner, 2009).