For Phyllis Young: Assignment 2: LASA 1: Hybrid Car Research Paper

M3_A2: The following needs to be added in the assignment using the correct in text citation as well as the correct APA reference style which I have included at the end of this page.

Either way, hybrid cars have been hitting the streets in greater and greater numbers. Conscious that carbon dioxide released from the burning of fossil fuels is driving global warming (Chapter 25), many drivers have opted for hybrids because their fuel efficiency makes them relatively environmentally friendly. Others are looking to save money at the pump or want the convenience of filling up half as often. What exactly is a hybrid car and how does it work?

Hybrid cars run on a combination of gasoline and electricity. They have a gasoline engine, an electric motor, and a battery that powers the electric motor. Hybrids are fuel-efficient largely because the electric motor helps to power the car. How this happens depends on the specific hybrid. Some hybrids run purely on electricity at low speeds—the gasoline engine turns on only at higher speeds. The electric motor also provides a boost during rapid acceleration or whenever more power is needed—such as when going up a steep hill. In other hybrids the electric motor kicks in at high speeds to assist the gas engine.

The beauty of the hybrid's electric motor is that its battery charges every time the car brakes—that is, as the car slows, some of the vehicle's kinetic energy is captured by the battery rather than being lost to the environment. Gasoline can also be used to recharge the battery. Consequently, hybrids, unlike earlier generations of electric cars, never need to be plugged in. Several other hybrid features contribute to fuel efficiency. For example, the gas engine turns off during stops—this is why hybrids are eerily quiet at red lights. The engine starts up again the moment the accelerator is pressed. In addition, hybrids have been designed to be aerodynamically efficient so as to reduce the energy loss to air drag. The end result is that hybrids get 50, 60, even close to 70 miles per gallon for some models—a lot more than the 20 or 30 miles per gallon you get with nonhybrids and a huge increase over gas-guzzlers like SUVs (they have gas mileages in the teens).

To encourage consumers to go with environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient hybrids, the federal government offers a tax deduction for all hybrid purchases (although this will be phased out after 2006). Some state and city governments have also started to offer incentives. In Los Angeles, San Jose, and Albuquerque, you can park your hybrid without feeding the meter. Connecticut waives sales tax on hybrid purchases, and several other states offer income tax credits. A number of states also allow solo hybrid drivers to use high occupancy vehicle—“carpool”—lanes.

IN TEXT CITATION:

(Hewitt, Lyons, Suchocki, & Yeh, 2006, p. 492)

REFERENCE:

Hewitt, P. G., Lyons, S. A., Suchocki, J. A., & Yeh, J. (2006). Ecosystems and Environment. In Conceptual Integrated Science [VitalSource Bookshelf version] (p. 492). doi:9780558983604