| Are Hybrids really slow? ---
They used to be, and the Insight and Prius aren't exactly speed demons -- putting along at the rate of a small 4-cylinder. Look for dramatic increases in this area, however, beginning with the Civic Hybrid and continuing with the Ford Escape HEV. Toyota even has plans to unveil a hybrid SUV that will crank out V8 power. CAFE ---
The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) of 1975 established Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards in order to conserve oil. (Source: Congressional Research Service) CAFE rules require the average fuel economy of all vehicles of a given class that a manufacturer sells in each model year to be equal to or greater than the standard. (Source: Environmental Media Services) CARB ---
The California Air Resources Board. They set the nation's strictest standard for vehicle emissions CNG ---
Compressed Natural Gas, as in the Civic GX Does a Hybrid need more maintenance than a traditional car? ---
No, and most hybrids offer an extended warranty. The Insight and the Prius are covered at least until 80,000 miles. The motor and battery portion of the hybrid engine needs no maintenance. EV ---
Electric Vehicle Fuel Cells ---
Like batteries, fuel cells convert chemical energy into electricity, from an on-board energy source. In the past, fuel cells were used for space missions--recent efforts have made the use of fuel cells in vehicles a reality. This technology is perhaps most promising. LEV --
Low-Emission Vehicle. A CARB designation. HEV ---
Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) combine a traditional internal combustion engine with the battery and electric motor of an electric vehicle. This results in twice the fuel economy of conventional vehicles. Regenerative Braking ---
HEVs reclaim energy lost during braking. When a driver brakes, the motor becomes a generator, using the energy of the vehicle to generate electricity that can be stored in the battery for later use. The Toyota Prius reclaims more than 25% of lost energy due to braking. PNGV ---
Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV). PNGV is a public/private partnership between the U.S. federal government and DaimlerChrysler, Ford, and General Motors that aims to strengthen America's competitiveness by developing technologies for a new generation of vehicles. Smog ---
The word smog was first uttered by H.A. Des Voex in the early nineteen hundreds to describe foggy conditions in urban areas resulting from newly created smokestacks. Today, smog is really known as "photochemical" smog, in honor of a complex chemical reaction involving sunlight, volatile organic compounds, and nitrogen oxides. SULEV ---
Super-Ultra-Low-Emission Vehicle. A CARB designation. ULEV ---
Ultra-Low-Emission Vehicle. A CARB designation. When can I buy an SUV hybrid? ---
Automakers are frantically building suv-hybrid vehicles right now. Ford and Dodge will have the Escape HEV and Durango HEV on showroom floors sometime in 2003, and rumor has it that GM is getting ready to launch a sky-friendly SUV of their own. Until then, move to California and buy the Toyota RAV4-EV. Internet Resources
Alternative Fuels Data Center Office of Transportation Technologies Department of Energy NHTSA Automotive Fuel Economy Program Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles Toyota Environmental Report Honda Environmental Information Alternative Fuel Stations
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