A "Plug-in" Addition to Hybrids that Can Save You Even More on Gas

Ironically, just when people are finally starting to understand that you don’t have to plug hybrid cars in, here comes the plug-in hybrid. Plug-in hybrids don’t have to be plugged in, but you will have that option. As a result, drivers will get all the benefits of an electric car, without the limited range. You’ll be able to travel the same distances, but you’ll be able to go all electric for the vast majority of your traveling. Plug-ins are not much different from standard hybrids, and they provide all the benefits, and more. There’s a dramatic need to reduce our dependence on oil, and plug-in hybrids could be our answer. The plug-in hybrid could save on fuel costs, reduce air pollution, and reduce dependence on imported oil.

Plug in hybrids could significantly reduce oil consumption. They have battery packs that could power the vehicle for 35 miles or more on battery alone. The battery is recharged, by plugging it into a standard 120V electrical outlet. An electric vehicle could get up to 100 miles per gallon of gasoline. The cost of an electric gallon of gas is estimated to be less than a $1.00, which is a dramatic decrease from today’s gas prices. Half the cars in the US are driven 25 miles or less a day, a plug in with a 25-mile range battery could eliminate the need for gasoline in the daily commute of millions of Americans. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have better economy than standard hybrids, and conventional vehicles. PHEVs get about twice the fuel economy of conventional vehicles, and about 30-50 percent better fuel economy than standard hybrid.

Plug in Hybrid Electrical Vehicles (PHEV) technology is already available and functioning. Daimler Chrysler is producing a Sprinter Van prototype with an all-electric range of 20 miles. PHEVs use the same technology as the standard hybrid, but they have a larger battery that can be recharged by plugging into an electrical outlet. Both standard hybrids and PHEVs are powered by a combination of electricity and liquid fuels. However, PHEVs draw their charge not only from the engine and captured braking energy, but also from the electrical grid, when it’s plugged into a standard electrical outlet. PHEVs have liquid fuel tanks and internal combustion engines, so they don’t face the range limitation of all-electric cars. It’s possible for PHEV technology to be combined with existing flexible fuel technology to increase fuel efficiency even further.

PHEVs are cleaner than any other car on the road. Plug -ins reduces greenhouse gases by 36 percent. They emit 67 percent less greenhouse gases than conventional gasoline vehicles. A plug in running on bio-fuel (e.g., 85 percent ethanol) could almost entirely eliminate its use of petroleum. When you plug the PHEV in, your car becomes an electrical vehicle with a gas tank back up. Which will make the plug-in even cleaner.

There are some disadvantages to plug-in hybrids. The batteries of the PHEVs are expensive. The Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI) estimates that with mass production, the battery of a plug in hybrid will add $2000 to $3000 to the cost of a standard hybrid. So, while the standard Honda Insight costs $19,000, the plug-in model may cost $21,000-$23,000. The prices of the plug-in’s battery is the reason for the higher price, but battery prices may fall with increased production of the PHEV vehicle. The higher cost could be offset by federal and state tax credits. Currently, hybrid electric vehicle owners qualify for a one time $2000 Clean Fuel Vehicle Federal tax reduction. Also, the PHEVs battery will likely have to be replaced. Unlike the standard hybrid, electric vehicle current PHEV implementations use the full charge cycle of its battery, which reduces the life of the battery.

The extra weight of the plug-in hybrid may also pose a problem. The mileage gain for the PHEV is dependent on how the car is used, and the opportunities to recharge by plug. Reduced gas mileage could result when the PHEV is used for long trips. The weight could also put increased strain on systems components, such as the brakes. The vehicle will be working harder to pull the extra weight. However, the increased weight does not make the PHEV slower than the standard hybrid vehicle. For example, a Toyota Prius modified with a larger plug in battery, has the same accelerating power and speed capability of its standard counterpart. So, plug-in hybrids have the same power, and even more potential than today’s standard hybrids.

No Need for Plug-ins-Today’s Hybrids don’t have Cords

Contrary to popular belief, hybrid cars don’t need to be plugged in. The advanced technology of the hybrid rids it hybrid of the need to be plugged in. Hybrids are run by electricity, but none of it comes from an electrical outlet. Consumers could check every inch of a hybrid, but they would find no cords. So, there’s no need for plug-ins-today’s hybrids don’t have cords.

Hybrids have an electric motor, and a gasoline engine. The gasoline engine and electric motor work together in these cars to power the car. The electric motor operates at low speeds, and while braking. The gasoline engine operates at high speeds, and recharges the battery as you brake or coast, so it recharges within the vehicle. For example, The Lexus RX 400h has a “Hybrid Synergy Drive System,” which is three electrical motors assisted by a 3.3 liter V-6 gasoline engine. On the other hand, the Honda Civic hybrid uses a 1.3-liter gasoline engine with an electric motor back up, and the “Integrated Motor Assist System.” Primarily the gasoline engine runs which means the Civic hybrid, and the electric motor is only needed for extra power.

The Honda Insight was the first hybrid; introduced in the US in 1999, and many other hybrids have followed. The Toyota Prius is the most popular, and most uniquely designed hybrid. Toyota recently introduced the Toyota Camry Hybrid. Toyota sold more than 100,000 Prius in the United States in 2005, but hybrids remain a small percentage of vehicles in use. The price for the 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid is $21,850, which is more expensive than other Civics, but is considered an affordable vehicle by most standards. The Honda Insight at $19,000 and over 60 mpg is both the most affordable and most fuel-efficient hybrid. Also, Honda recently released the Honda Accord Hybrid. Other automakers plan to release hybrid models onto the market. Ford is planning a Ford Fusion Hybrid, and there will be a Chevy Malibu hybrid. The US plans to sell 600,000-to1, 000,000 hybrids by 2010, but none of them will be plug-ins.

The batteries of hybrids have proven themselves durable. The battery in a hybrid car costs $1,000-to$3,000, and many believed they would have to be replaced. Many hybrid batteries have a five-year warranty, and some have a three-year warranty. Andrew Grant, a taxi driver, operated a Toyota Prius as a Yellow cab for almost five years. He put more than 200,000 miles on his first Prius taxi, and the parts that wore out were not hybrid-related components. The batteries in hybrids presumably don’t have to be changed, and are recharged within your car. So, there’s no need for plug-ins - today’s hybrids don’t have cords.

Hybrids are the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the road, but people buy them for reasons other than saving money on gas. One other reason is minimize the impact on the environment. In a study done by hybridcars.com, 70% of respondents reported fuel savings as the greatest benefit of owning a hybrid, and 57% noted helping the environment as the greatest benefit. Respondents in the same study reported a fuel economy of 45 mpg, while non hybrid owners 22mpg . The hybrids aren’t the most popular cars, but they are potentially the best cars on the market. In the hybridcars.com study, 97% of the current hybrid owners said they would definitely buy one again.

It’s ironic that consumers have just grasped the idea of hybrids being not being plugged in, and that some auto makers are contemplating creating plug-in hybrids. Today's hybrid cars don't need to be plugged in, but a growing number of consumers wish they had a plug-in hybrid. With the plug-in hybrid, you still will not be required to plug the car in, but you’ll have the option of doing so. A plug-in hybrid will get about twice the fuel economy of a hybrid, and running on bio fuel (e.g., 85 percent ethanol) could almost entirely eliminate its use of petroleum. Daimler Chrysler is the furthest along in the development of a plug-in hybrid system. The company is using the Sprinter commercial van as the platform for testing and evaluation of a commercial plug-in hybrid drive train.

The plug-in seems like a great idea, but the batteries used may be too heavy. The batteries would also be very expensive in a plug-in hybrid. Besides, consumers have just gotten use to the non-plug-in hybrid. So, tomorrow’s hybrids may have cords, but today there’s no need for plug-ins - today’s hybrids don’t have cords.