The Culture Artist

Green transportation: hybrids  

By Chuck Hall

[May 01, 2007]  Hybrid vehicles were fairly expensive when they first arrived on the market, but as gas prices and environmental concerns continue to rise, hybrid prices are on the decline. Automobile manufacturers are responding to consumer interest by offering more and more hybrid models. There are even hybrid SUVs that get around 60-80 mpg!

Hybrids are good for anyone accustomed to gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles. They have about the same amount of passenger room and performance as their more traditional counterparts. The difference is they use much less fuel. Some hybrids can get as much as 100 mpg on the highway. Hybrids are an excellent choice for consumers who are concerned about the environment but who don't want to give up luxury and convenience.

Hybrids work by using a combination of electric motor and gasoline or diesel engine. Basically the electric motor works to move the vehicle, assisted by the gasoline engine when more power is needed or when the batteries need charging. For a detailed explanation, the HowStuffWorks site has an excellent tutorial on hybrid vehicles.

The major problem with hybrids is that they still rely on fossil fuels. They do use less fossil fuel and have higher emissions standards, but they are not truly sustainable. Manufacturers seem to be catching on, though. Saab is planning to release a biofuel hybrid in the near future. This hybrid will run on E85 ethanol, which is much better than either a vehicle powered totally by fossil fuels or a hybrid vehicle powered by gasoline, but is still not totally sustainable.

The "Holy Grail" of hybrids is the biodiesel hybrid. Such a hybrid would combine the durability and power of a diesel engine with the fuel economy of a hybrid. As of this writing, there are no companies that manufacture biodiesel hybrids, but according to Treehugger's John Laumer, "DaimlerChrysler's future diesel hybrids will be based on the hybrid technology being developed with GM and would be available in late 2007 or early 2008."

If we used flexible-fuel vehicles alone, the United States would need a farm the size of roughly the size of Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma and Louisiana combined, dedicated solely to the production of crops for biofuels, to meet fuel demands. If we converted to biodiesel hybrids instead, we could meet our current fuel needs with only one-quarter of that acreage!

Another advantage of biodiesel hybrids is that they would run on either biodiesel or regular diesel fuel. This means that if you're traveling and cannot find a station that sells biodiesel, you're not stranded. You can always use regular diesel, while informing the station owner that he should be carrying biodiesel as well, of course. If you're the hands-on, do-it-yourself type, you can even make your own biodiesel.

Of all the choices available for green transportation, biodiesel hybrids would be my top pick. If they are truly offered commercially in the near future, you can be assured that I will purchase one for myself, and I will be fueling it with my own homemade biodiesel, recycled from local fast-food restaurants. If you ever want to find me, just follow the scent of french fries!

[Text from file received from Chuck Hall]

Chuck Hall is a sustainability consultant and author. His latest book, "Green Circles: A Sustainable Journey from the Cradle to the Grave," will be available this summer. You may contact him by e-mail at [e-mail]  or visit www.cultureartist.org.