Car Insurance

SAN FRANCISCO — The concept sounds like a no-brainer for the Bay Area, given the number of gasoline-electric hybrid automobiles on the road.

But the idea came from Texas:

Push automakers to develop hybrid vehicles that churn out 100 miles to the gallon or more, and watch energy imports and greenhouse gas emissions drop off.

Last summer, Austin city leaders and their local utility, Austin Energy, launched such an effort, with the utility providing $1million in seed money for the purchase of next-generation hybrids. Wednesday, state and regional leaders committed the Bay Area to the program, dubbed “Plug-in Bay Area.”

Terry Tamminen, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s senior adviser on science and the environment, offered the state’s endorsement.

Jack Broadbent, top executive of the Bay Area’s air district, said advances driving the next generation of hybrids represents “an important technology that needs to get out there in the public’s hands.”

The first goal, organizers said Wednesday, is to get manufacturers to accelerate development of 100-mpg hybrids.Plug-in Bay Area’s supporters hope to persuade government agencies to use the considerable pressure of fleet purchases to steer the technology forward.

Hybrids today — such as the Toyota Prius — use a gasoline engine to supplement the electric motor and recharge the car’s batteries. The next generation, often called “plug-in hybrids,” are expected to contain beefier batteries and a plug, giving drivers the option of bypassing the gasoline engine entirely and recharging batteries via a standard electrical outlet.

Today’s hybrids typically get from 40 to 50 miles per gallon, about 20 percent more than they would obtain without hybridization. A plug-in hybrid, supporters maintain, can easily top 100 mpg and offer tremendous potential in reducing fuel consumption and air pollution.

It could also provide a boon to electric utilities looking to sell off-peak power: A typical plug-in hybrid owner would drive the car all day, return home in the evening and plug it in, drawing power at the exact time a utility would like to sell it.

“You will never know the difference when you drive a plug-in hybrid,” said Bob Graham of the Electric Power Research Institute, one of the program’s backers. “You could put a plug-in hybrid in your pickup, your SUV, your minivan and drive it and never notice the difference.

“It is just a road map to using electric-drive technology to reduce emissions.”

The hitch is battery technology. Durability is a chief concern, said Irv Miller, spokesman for Toyota Motor Sales Inc., the nation’s leading seller of hybrid cars. Cost is another.

“Toyota is looking very seriously at the issue,” said Miller. “But the battery technology right now doesn’t support moving forward. We just don’t feel confident bringing the batteries to market.”

Those spreading the gospel of plug-in hybrids Wednesday hope that, as volume builds, costs drop and durability concerns fade, plug-in hybrids will quickly filter into the mass market.

Maybe so. Toyota’s Miller recalled how a similar sense of hope and promise swept the activist community when automakers, in response to an all-but-rescinded California mandate, rolled out electric vehicles in the 1990s.

“Those folks didn’t emerge as purchasers or leasees,” Miller cautioned. “And for the technology to survive and propagate, you need to translate emotion and energy into a market.”

The Plug-In Hybrid Development Consortium in Vancouver, BC, Canada, has published a web site, www.hybridconsortium.org, to inform and educate the public about the benefits and developments of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs). The consortium is made up of hybrid component suppliers working together to accelerate the commercial production of PHEVs. They plan to offer production-ready technology to automakers to integrate into their own hybrid development programs.

“The web site will provide an important gathering place for information, coordination and education with other component suppliers and with the public,” said David West, vice president of marketing, Raser Technologies Inc., and a founding member of the consortium.

The consortium believes that the next generation of hybrid cars will rely more on the electric motor, especially for local driving, and less on the combustion engine to achieve dramatic improvements in fuel economy and reduced emissions.

Some of the aspects of hybrid cars the savvy consumer will want to consider are gas mileage, safety features, and the overall appearance of the vehicle. With gas prices tipping the wallet on average at $3.00 a gallon, any car that save at the pumps is worth looking into. The average non-hybrid car sold in U.S. markets gets only about 20 miles per gallon. Hybrids on the other hand get much better gas mileage with top performing cars estimates approching averages closer to 60 miles per gallon. Hands down, a hybrid vehicle will clearly save the owner a great deal of money in fuel alone.

Safety features are a huge consideration when choosing a new car. Hybrids are at the front of the pack in this area. Of course they are subject to the same guidelines and standards as the traditional cars. Front crash test ratings are similar to the results found with standard cars. The ratings on hybrids are typically between a 4 and 5 with the passenger side receiving a slightly lower rating than the driver’s side on some models. When making the decision between a regular car and a hybrid, the safety features aren’t a concern. These cars are made to stand up to the rigors of the road the same as standard cars.

When a consumer makes the decision to buy a new car it stands to reason that the appearance of the car will come into consideration. Hybrid cars are unique in the range of option available for the car buyer. Traditional body styles are common on hybrid vehicles. So if the consumer desires the convenience of a hybrid car, but doesn’t want the more stylized body type, the clear choice is to opt for the traditional body style. There are hybrid cars that have a more futuristic design. The hybrid Prius and Insight are models that come to mind. These two models are ideal for the buyer who wants to make a statement about the appearance of their car. Most people have very definite opinions about the modern designs. It seems to be a love/hate situation. These designs are either very popular or the individual hates it. The advantage is that hybrid cars are available in both body styles.

In recent years the automotive industry has been working hard to produce more efficient, environmentally sound cars. So far the result has been the mass production of hybrid cars. Almost everyone has heard of them, but there seems to be a lot of questions as to how the work and the components, both new and old, that goes into the design of these new cars.

Hybrid cars operate using three main features. They are powered by a high performing battery, a gas engine, and an electric motor. Each of these features is vital to the car’s performance and unique nature.

Two types of hybrid vehicles have been designed and are available on the market. The first is known as a mild hybrid and the other is named full hybrid. While similar to each other, these are two very different designs. Both however are carefully constructed to lower gas mileage and to better control emissions that are harmful to the environment.

The mild hybrid cars integrate the three major components focusing mainly on the more traditional gas engine. In this type of hybrid model the electric motor’s function is primarily to assist the gas engine. As in the case of standard cars, the gas engine is the main propulsion force in the mild hybrid car.

The electric motor only kicks in when the car needs additional power. Since the car isn’t using extra energy from the gas engine, gas mileage is cut down. In this design, the electric motor can be used to charge the car’s battery or to take electricity from the battery to help the function of the car. This design is not equipped for the electric motor to do both at the same time. Examples of mild hybrid systems in use are the Civic Hybrids and the Insight. Both of these models are manufactured by Honda.

Full hybrid cars are designed differently. The integration of the key three components is still there. However, how they can be used for the hybrid car’s benefit are more complex than the mild hybrid. Unlike the mild hybrid, the full hybrid’s electric motor can function independent of the gas engine under certain conditions. Depending on the model of hybrid car and its design the electric motor may take over when the vehicle is operating at a lower speed and only use the gas engine when acceleration is necessary.

So the decision has been made. You have decided to go with a hybrid car. Now it’s crucial decision-making time. Which hybrid is the way to go? That answer will be different for each individual car buyer. Features like gas mileage, overall cost, and the available number of passenger seats will have relevance for most people in the decision making process. Here’s a look at a few of the hybrid options out on the market today.

Honda has two exceptional models to look at. The Civic and the Insight are available in hybrid versions. Looking at the Civic first, it is considered a compact car with five seats. A single person or someone with a small family may be interested in this size. The Civic hybrid is comparable in price range to standard model cars. A brand new Honda Civic hybrid’s base price is $21,850. It comes with a horsepower rating of 93 and its EPA mileage is 50 miles per gallon. In front crash tests, it scored a very respectable 5 on both driver and passenger side ratings. This car would be a nice option for someone who doesn’t need a lot of interior room and is looking for an economic choice.

The Insight, which is also from Honda, is a little different. It is a two-seater car and like the Civic gets excellent gas mileage. Its gas mileage is averaged at 57 miles per gallon. That blows away the competition when compared to regular models at 20 miles per gallon. The hybrid Insight horsepower rating is 71 and front crash test rating is 4 on both sides of the car. Its base price is $21,530 with standard factory features. This car may be the perfect choice for a single person or retired couple due the 2-seat design.