Hybrid and Electric Cars

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Global climate change is becoming an ever more relevant topic, and the reality of the issue is becoming more apparent. Support is growing to combat the effects, and one of the assumed ways is by driving eco-friendly vehicles such as the Toyota Prius or other hybrid cars. However, after researching some questions arise of just how eco-friendly these products are. One will explore the environmental effects of hybrid and all-electric vehicles. There are also economic impacts and social factors that will be addressed and they directly affect the production and consumption of these vehicles. First off, one must be aware of the different terms used when discussing the topic. Conventional vehicles are simply vehicles with an internal combustion engine, or an ICE, that powers the vehicle using gasoline or diesel. Standard gasoline-electric hybrids use both conventional power and batteries that store energy from regenerative braking or from the motor (Nice and Layton). There are also plug-in hybrids that use an all-electric power before switching over to a conventional power, thus using gasoline (Plug in hybrid). And stop-start or micro hybrids in which the gasoline engine shuts off only while the car idles (Gerbis). The history of hybrids and electric cars dates back to far before the realization of climate change and the environmental movement. The first experimental light-weight electric vehicles appeared in the USA, UK and the Netherlands in the mid-1830s. Later on, Thomas Edison joined forces, as he saw great opportunities for electric cars. He made substantial efforts to develop more efficient batteries. He developed the nickel-iron battery that could store 40% more energy per weight unit than the lead batteries (Høyer). The ... ... middle of paper ... ..." CarsDirect. 6 Mar. 2013. 07 Apr. 2014 . Roos, Dave. "Does Hybrid Car Production Waste Offset Hybrid Benefits?"HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com, 06 Dec. 2010. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. SANTINI, D.(2004). Transportation fuel alternatives for highway vehicles. In Encyclopedia of energy. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.csbsju.edu/login?qurl=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.credoreference.com%2Fcontent%2Fentry%2Festenergy%2Ftransportation_fuel_alternatives_for_highway_vehicles%2F0 Survey Regarding Hybrid Car Preference. Raw data. SJU/CSB, Collegeville. TIAX, LLC. FULL FUEL CYCLE ASSESSMENT TANK TO WHEELS EMISSIONS AND ENERGY CONSUMPTION (n.d.): n. pag. Web. "Toyota Dealer Interview." Personal interview. Apr. 2014. "What You Should Know Before Buying a Hybrid." Edmunds. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.

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