This video really does a great job comparing all facets of fuel costs and carbon footprint. Who wins?

Find out for yourself.... here's a hint we sell the winning model at California Hybrid Cars.

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Which car do you think is better?

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Want a more impressive review of the Toyota Prius, check out this review from Webridestv.com

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Petroleum-based fuels are ideally suited for internal combustion engine technology, which has powered most cars and trucks for over a century. Burning fossil fuels for over a hundred years however has done some serious damage to the ecology of the planet. Enter the electric car with lower emissions, but correspondingly lower power. Finally, both technologies have come together in hybrid cars, also known as hybrid electric automobiles or HEVs.

Present-day hybrid cars are equipped with both gas internal combustion engines and electric motors. The gas engine produces power through small and continuous controlled explosions that push pistons which turn a rotating crankshaft. The force created by the rotation crankshaft is transmitted through a number of components and ultimately turns the vehicle's wheels. The electric motor is powered by a battery which creates energy through a chemical reaction. The battery is continually recharged by a generator that's powered by the internal combustion engine.

Hybrid cars are of parallel or series design, or a combination of the two.

In parallel design vehicles, the electric propulsion system and the energy conversion unit are connected directly to the vehicle's wheels. The gas engine is used for highway driving and the electric motor acts an assist and provides additional power for acceleration, hill climbing, and other situations that require more power.

In series design automobiles, the gas engine is connected to an electricity producing generator. This electricity is used to power an electric motor, which in turn powers the vehicle's wheels. Hybrid automobiles can also be designed to use the series configuration at low speeds, and the parallel configuration for acceleration and highway driving.

Braking in conventional automobiles generates heat. This energy is wasted. Some hybrid vehicles convert this energy to electricity and use it to help propel the vehicle. This process is called regenerative braking and contributes to the overall efficiency of the vehicle.

Other hybrid vehicles extend the life of the car's on-board battery system by using ultracapacitors. The ultracapacitor is more efficient than a battery for capturing the energy from regenerative braking and utilizing it for initial acceleration.

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Four years ago hybrid automobiles would rarely be seen in roads and freeways. But as more people noticed and realized the great advantages this eco-friendly vehicles offer, and the savings they get, more and more hybrid automobiles are now plying our roads. So much so that hybrid vehicles are now as mainstream as the conventional engine vehicles that we got used to. But, it wouldn't be a surprise if new developments and innovations come out to further develop the existing hybrid technology or to provide new technologies.

Many stories and rumors has circulated in the motor world of different discoveries and concepts that can further revolutionize the hybrid technology in motor vehicles, but many questions have also arisen on why some certain pre-existing technology have not been incorporated with the hybrid innovation. This includes the diesel hybrid concept.

Diesel engines have been vastly popular in Europe and Asia. While North America haven't embraced the diesel engine as much as their overseas neighbors, developments have been made in the United Says to eliminate the characteristics which have made it a poor choice here. Recent developments have eliminated the excessive smoke generated and the loud rattling noises of the engines. Additionally, biodiesel fuel has had a growing following and is seen as a solution to save the depletion of natural resources like oil. Combining hybrid technology and the new biodiesel fuel seems to be a superior solution to our growing problems. Biodiesel is now cleaner and is also cheaper than regular gasoline.

While there have been no serious research and development done on diesel hybrid vehicles just yet, Ford has released a diesel hybrid concept car at the North Auto American Auto show in Detroit last January 10, 2006. Ford dubbed it as the Reflex sportscar. This is a vehicle that's infused with a power source that uses a combination of a diesel engine, an electric motor and solar panels. Also, the Ford Reflex is all wheel drive car that Ford claims gets 65 miles to a gallon.

The Reflex, which could be the basis for future diesel hybrid vehicles operates much the same way as gas/electric hybrid cars. It also has a hybrid battery pack to provide backup power to the vehicle that gets recharged by the engine and the heat generated by braking. The diesel Hybrid automobile by Ford uses lithium-ion batteries, the same kind used by the latest gadgets this day, like cellular phones and portable personal. Most hybrid vehicles use nickel-metal hydrite batteries because they are far more cheaper, but lithium-ion batteries have far more power capacity.

But the Reflex also extracts power from solar cells located inside the headlamps and taillamps. This is a technology patented by Ford. There are also solar cells put in the roof of the automobile that provides power to fans that operates inside the automobile to cool the interior when it is parked under the hot sun.

We can only wait until hybrid diesel automobile technology is more available. Until then, we can wait until diesel fuel can provide the same power as gasoline fuel. But when the technology is refined, we can all be sure that diesel hybrid cars will surely catch on and we'll be seeing it more often.

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Due to the demand of having a vehicle wherein everyone can consume less fuel and will not contribute to the air pollution, the hybrid automobile was finally created to meet this end. And due to the rapid advancements in the gasoline engine, the hybrid car has become extremely popular.

A hybrid vehicle is a means of transportation using two power sources; it uses a rechargeable energy storage system found on board and a fueled power source as the vehicle's driving force. The hybrid automobile pollutes less and uses less fuel.

Back in 1899, Ferdinand Porsche developed and led the way to the very first working hybrid-electric vehicle. Other people followed suit in Ferdinand Porsche's invention. Many people who became interested in the hybrid-vehicle concept have been continually making hybrid automobiles. However, there was no major automobile manufacturer who invested in the hybrid concept and mass produced hybrid automobiles until the late twentieth century. The hybrid technology was mainly utilized in developing diesel-electric submarines during that interim period.

The diesel-electric submarines mainly operate very much the same as a hybrid automobile. However, the submarines main goal was to conserve oxygen rather than spend less fuel. During the later years, submarines have evolved and have begun using the nuclear power as a substitute for diesel.

During the 1990's, the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight were the first successful hybrid cars available in the market. It was two of the pioneers in the hybrid vehicle concept which virtually changed the way the world considers cars.

An idealistic inventor, Victor Wouk, manufactured a hybrid electric and gas motor car that siphoned fuel at half the amount as practically all the other cars being built then. He built the hybrid automobile thirty years before the Toyota Prius got the attention of the U.S. as an energy-anxious nation.

The account about the hybrid vehicle and its inventor, who died in May, 2005, at age 86, is unfamiliar among even the most avid fans of the growing hybrid vehicle association. In terms of hybrid automobile knowledge, it is in fact America that should have led all other countries. Wouk stated that the government program that he developed about hybrids was unknown to everyone.

Victor Wouk founded and sold two successful electric industrialized companies in the late 1940s and 50s and in 1962 he was approach by Russell Feldman, one of the founders of Motorola, who recognized the pollution from the car as one of the biggest problem of the environment and he wanted to discover the possible solutions with regards to this problem. But his experiment did not work much for the possible solution.

Having an idea, Wouk pondered the problem throughout the 60s and ultimately reached a clever solution. He combined the low-emission benefits of an electric vehicle with the power of a gasoline engine to produce a hybrid automobile. But Wouk didn't get any response to his ideas for creating a hybrid car; in fact he was heavily criticized for not believing in a full-electric system.

With the help of his colleague, Charlie Rosen, who shared his belief about hybrid cars, gave him the opportunity to prove his ideas of creating the hybrid automobile as one of the solution to the rapid health cost of auto-pollution. And now the impressive capabilities of the invention of Wouk, the hybrid cars, can now be a very great help in terms of less fuel consumption and less air pollution.

Wouk and Rosen put up a new company particularly to developed their hybrid automobile idea and make it possible to be in the market and be used as an everyday car that belched far less harmful vapors than contemporary automobiles.

The Prius

Ever since the Toyota Prius was released in the market, it has been able to remain as the premier choice of hybrid automobiles available. It is true that old hybrid vehicles looks more like an alien vehicle and cost far more than the conventional car. However, because of the latest technology installed in newer versions of hybrid vehicles, it looks more like a conventional vehicle and is far cheaper than its predecessors. It is a fact that hybrid vehicles this day looks very much like conventional vehicles. However, it will enable you to cut fuel consumption in half.

For example, the Honda Civic Hybrid vehicle looks very much like its conventional version. However, when you look at it closely, the hybrid version of the Civic is able to conserve fuel much superior than its gasoline counterpart. The Civic Hybrid can get you 50 miles in just one gallon of gasoline.

During the year 2004, Ford has developed and introduced the very first hybrid SUV, which is the Ford Escape Hybrid. A year later, Toyota also introduced their line of hybrid SUV called the Highlander Hybrid.

Because of the growing demand for hybrid vehicles, other automobile manufacturers are now following the footsteps of the other companies who already released a version of their hybrid automobile in the market. For example, Nissan is now planning to develop and introduce a hybrid version of the Nissan Altima.

Nowadays, over 300,000 hybrid cars are running on American roads wherein 95 percent of them are Japanese made. The hybrid automobiles are truly very different technology that can both save money and our environment.

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Hybrid technology is now being integrated into vehicles to enable consumers, such as yourself, to save money on fuel. Hybrid cars are known to cut fuel consumption by more than half. With this kind of feature, people would really want to own a hybrid automobile. Although hybrid technology has been around for quite some time now, vehicle manufacturers have only just began to perfect the hybrid technology to be integrated in automobiles.

Just envision a vehicle that can run for up to 60 miles to a gallon of fuel. This kind of car is definitely the automobile of the future. Not only will it enable you to save a lot of money on fuel consumption, but it can also help in the protection of the environment. This is because hybrid vehicles are known to emit far lower levels of toxic fumes than conventional automobiles.

Hybrid automobiles have been around for quite some time now. However, for maximum fuel efficiency, new hybrid automobile models are now available in the market today. 2006 hybrid vehicle models are now available for purchase. These vehicles can let you effectively save money on fuel prices. Integrated with the latest in hybrid technology, these vehicles are far more efficient in fuel consumption and are far cleaner than the past hybrid automobiles existing in the market today.

However, there are already a lot of car manufacturers who are in the race to build the best hybrid car in the market. Consumers tend to be confused on which hybrid automobile they should buy. For this reason, you should know all about the different hybrid automobiles of 2006 available in the market today.

First of all, you need to know the concept behind hybrid automobiles. The concept of combining electric energy and gasoline engine to power a vehicle is what makes a hybrid automobile work. Even though electric automobiles have existed in the market for quite some time now, you've to consider the fact that hybrid automobiles are far more effective than electric cars. With hybrid cars, you no longer have to plug it in your power outlet in order to recharge the batteries. This is possible because it is able to recapture the lost energy when braking and coasting.

Toyota and Honda are two of the leading hybrid car manufacturers existing this day. Toyota developed the Toyota Prius that's able to operate in electric-mode only. This means that the car is able to operate even when the internal combustion engine is switched off. This will mean massive fuel savings when you're driving locally. Think of the gas engine as a backup when you are going on a long drive.

Chevrolet Silverado also developed the mybrid or mild hybrid. This particular pickup only stores a minimal amount of energy to the battery and it doesn't really provide much energy boost like the other hybrids existing in the market. However, Chevrolet's so-called mybrid pickup is perfect for camping where it can serve as a mobile generator for work or for camping.

With the constant increase in fuel prices, you have to anticipate that hybrid automobiles will be much more popular in the near future. You can also anticipate that hybrid automobiles of the future will be much better in conserving fuel and maximizing efficiency. Nissan will soon enter the hybrid car market as well as other big automobile manufacturers, such as General Motors, BMW, and DaimlerChrysler. So, you better be prepared to get rid of your old gas guzzling conventional car and get the latest hybrid vehicle in the market.

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Hybrid vehicles are considered as the automobile of the future. It is able to effectively conserve fuel and at the same time, it only produces low levels of toxic fumes. Because of these benefits, hybrid cars are now growing in popularity each single day. Many people are now considering getting rid of their conventional vehicles and buy a hybrid car to help in slicing fuel consumption cost.

Hybrid vehicles have two engines for it to effectively conserve fuel consumption. It has the traditional gasoline engine and it also has an electric motor and batteries. The two engines work together in order to cut fuel consumption. With this technology, you will be able to cut fuel usage by more than half. Just envision, with a hybrid automobile, you will be able to go more than 60 miles to the gallon. With this kind of savings, hybrid automobiles are definitely the vehicle of the future.

Hybrid car owners virtually do not feel the increasing cost in fuel prices. This is the main advantage of the hybrid automobile. There are other advantages that a hybrid vehicle can give you. Recently, the President of the United Says has signed an agreement that hybrid vehicle buyers will be able to enjoy tax incentives. This means that by owning a hybrid vehicle, you'll be able to save money on taxes.

There are other benefits that the government imposes on hybrid automobile owners, such as free parking, and free entry to vehicle pool lanes. Some even offer discounted fees on toll gates.

The braking in hybrid vehicles is also configured to capture the energy released and uses it to charge the batteries inside the hybrid car. This means that unlike electric cars, hybrid vehicles do not actually need to be charged from your home electric outlet.

However, with all the advantages that a hybrid automobile can give you, there are also disadvantages. The main disadvantage of hybrid vehicles is that the retail price is quite pricey. Only people who have enough money can purchase hybrid vehicles. However, the twist in all this is that hybrid cars are actually cheaper when compared to conventional vehicles in the long run. If you calculate the total fuel consumption of both vehicles, you'll actually see that you can save a lot more money on hybrid vehicles.

The only thing is that hybrid cars are high-priced right from the vehicle lot.

Hybrid vehicles are relatively heavy because of the heavy batteries installed inside the automobile. This is why hybrid vehicle manufacturers integrates smaller internal combustion engines and are constructed with light materials and should be aerodynamic in order to maximize efficiency. This means that hybrid vehicles can never really go fast.

Another issue about hybrid cars is that it is very risky in accidents. What makes a hybrid vehicle work effectively is also what makes it risky if it ever gets involved in an accident. This is because hybrid automobiles stores high amount of voltage in its batteries. This means that there is a high chance of getting electrocuted when you get involved in an accident. This also means that it is relatively difficult for rescuers to get the drivers and passengers out of the hybrid cars because of the dangers of high voltage in the vehicle.

These are the advantages and the disadvantages of hybrid vehicles. Vehicle manufacturers today are now looking for ways to get rid of the disadvantages of hybrid vehicles. In the near future, you will see that hybrid vehicles will be lighter and also contains less risk due to high voltage dangers.

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This day, more and more people are now considering getting rid of their gas-guzzling conventional vehicles and buy a new kind of car available in the market this day called hybrid cars. You may wonder why hybrid automobiles are gaining popularity all over the United States, but you should consider that hybrid automobiles can definitely give you a lot more benefits than conventional cars.

Hybrid cars can cost a lot more than conventional automobiles in terms of retail price. However, if you think in a long-term basis, hybrid vehicles will tend to be a lot cheaper than you can envision. Hybrid vehicles are the next generation vehicles now available in the market that will enable you to save lots of money by getting more miles on a gallon.

Because of the constantly increasing price of gasoline, many people tend to purchase hybrid cars in order to save money on gasoline. Just envision, a hybrid vehicle will be able to cut fuel consumption in half compared to conventional vehicles. As you can envision, you will save a lot more money in the long run. What you pay for the hybrid automobile will be worth it. This is because conventional vehicles will tend to be more pricey in the long run.

Hybrid vehicles use both gasoline and the cleanest energy source available, which is electricity. It also has smaller gasoline engines, built with light materials and is designed to be aerodynamic to reduce drag in order to give you the full efficiency potential.

Hybrid automobiles work by utilizing both the gasoline-powered engine and the electric motor to run the car. When the vehicle is running idle or when it is not in motion but the engine is running, it automatically switches off the gasoline engine and the car will run on electric power. Once you stepped on the accelerator pedal, the hybrid automobile will automatically turn on the gas engine again. With this concept, you will not spend a lot of fuel when you are trapped in a gridlock. Also, when the vehicle is in motion, the electric motor and the gasoline engine will share the propulsion.

Another great advantage of gasoline-electric cars or hybrid cars is that it runs on clean energy. It has been found that hybrid automobiles emit far lower toxic fumes than conventional vehicles. Also, since it runs on a small gasoline engine and an electric motor, it is far quieter than conventional cars. This means that it can effectively help in reducing air pollution and noise as well.

Hybrid cars don't need to be plugged in like electric automobiles to recharge. This is because the batteries are charged when the vehicle itself is running or when the car is braking.

Recently, the President of the United States has signed an agreement in 2005 that states tax incentives for hybrid car buyers. This means that when you buy a hybrid vehicle, you will get big tax relief depending on the hybrid automobile you purchase. It will depend on the amount of fuel it can save compared to a conventional automobile made in 2002 with the same weight class.

With all these benefits, gasoline-electric cars or hybrid automobiles is definitely the car of choice in today's world. You'll never be affected with constant oil price hikes and erratic movement in prices in the fuel industry.

With hybrid vehicles, you can benefit a lot more than you can imagine.

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