Plug-In Electric Hybrid Vehicles

Can you imagine a day when you may never have to go to the gas pump again? Sound like science fiction? What about America's love affair with oil? Maybe its time to start breaking up. In the not-too-distant future, we hope to have plug-in electric hybrid vehicles available on the market. These cars run on electric powered batteries. The batteries are charged over night, or during the day when they are parked in garages or at park-and-ride facilities, plugged into converted electrical outlets.

These are not wimpy cars, either, with limited ranges of 20 miles. Technologies exist (but for some reason have not yet been implemented by the major vehicle manufacturers yet) to allow up to 40 miles on a single charge, at which point the vehicle switches over to fuel. Estimates are that these vehicles get from 100-125 miles per gallon. This could be much higher if you have a short commute and do not drive far enough to switch from battery to fuel power.

The ride is silent, and acceleration capabilities are satisfactory to quite good. The most pleasing prospect, however, is the fact that we can save at the pump, cut back on greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil production. At the date of this publication, gas prices are nearing $3.50 a gallon in the United States and are expected to rise to over $4.00 a gallon by the end of summer 2008. With hundreds of millions of vehicles on the road, especially in congested areas like Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York, the air is downright brown. Couldn't we all breathe a little easier if we convert to cleaner energy sources for our transportation?

1. Can you plug into a regular electric outlet? Yes! All it takes is a 120-volt socket in your garage. Some organizations that are spearheading efforts to get the PEHVs into circulation are working with local municipalities and businesses to install outlets in parking garages and park-and ride facilities so that commuters can charge their cars while they are at work.
2. What kind of batteries are needed? They are different than the regular battery in your vehicle. Some of the prototypes initially manufactured replaced the standard 1.3 kWh battery pack with a 9 kWh battery pack. Others use powerful lithium-iron batteries. Technologies continue to improve in this department.
3. How often will you have to fill the gas tank? That depends on how far you drive your car between recharging. If you're only going 20-30 miles a day, theoretically, you could drive for weeks on end without EVER having to go to the pump!
4. When will PEHVs be available? Some models may be on the market as early as late 2008, but there is still a great deal of R&D in the works. Look for most models to come out within the next 2-3 years.
5. How much more will PEHVs cost? The cost of the larger, more powerful batteries will increase the sticker price of a PEHV by about $2,000-3,000 over a conventional hybrid. Federal and state tax rebates may be available, however. And, it is estimated that savings of ownership will more than pay for the initial increased outlay.
6. Are they slow or sluggish? Nope. Not at all. They are completely comparable to conventional hybrid vehicles. The Chevy Volt can reach speeds of up to 120 mph!
7. What's holding back the auto manufacturers? Supposedly mass production glitches. How to adapt lithium-ion cells for mass production vehicles, and guarantee the batteries' life and safety.

With advancing technologies, we don't have to settle for just passenger vehicles to be plug-in electric hybrids. Buses, taxis, utility vehicles, etc. They can all be powered in this more efficient, clean manner. Recently, Barack Obama called for all government vehicles to be hybrid. Its not clear if he was referring to PEHVs, but certainly that would seem to be the greenest way to go.

There are so many more "green" ways to go. Don't forget your grocery shopping habits, or how your living may impact the rain forest!

For up to the minute articles on plug-in electric hybrids and other environmentally exciting stories, please check out www.peachygreen.com. I'll see you over there!