Benifits Hybrid Technology

Fuel consumption
Current HEVs reduce petroleum consumption (compared to otherwise similar conventional vehicles)primarily by using three mechanisms: a) Reducing wasted energy during idle/low output, generally by turning the ICE off;
b) Recapturing waste energy (i.e. regenerative braking);
c) reducing the size and power of the ICE engine, and hence inefficiencies from under-utilization, by using the better torque response of electric motors to compensate for the loss in peak power output from the smaller ICE. Any combination of these three primary hybrid technologies may be used for different fuel usage, power, emissions, weight and cost profiles.
The ICE in an HEV is smaller, lighter, and more efficient than the one in a conventional vehicle, because the combustion engine can be sized for slightly above average power demand rather than peak power demand. A standard combustion engine is required to operate over a range of speed and power, yet its highest efficiency is in a narrow range of operation; in an HEV, the ICE operates within its range of highest efficiency. The power curve of electric motors is better suited to variable speeds and can provide substantially greater torque at low speeds compared with internal-combustion engines. The greater fuel economy of HEVs has implication for
reduced petroleum consumption and vehicle air pollution emissions worldwide[9]
Durability
Reduced wear on the gasoline engine, particularly from idling with no load. Reduced wear on brakes from the regenerative braking system use.
Environmental impact Reduced noise emissions resulting from substantial use of electric motor at low speeds, leading to roadway noise reduction and beneficial noise health effects. Note, however, that this is not always an advantage; for example, people who are blind or visually-impaired, and who rely on vehicle-noise while crossing streets, find it more difficult to do safely. Reduced air pollution emissions due to lower fuel consumption, leading to improved human health with regard to
respiratory and other illness. Pollution reduction in urban environments may be particularly significant due to elimination of idle-at-rest.

 

DidYOU know that Hybrid vehicles aren't getting the massive fuel savings everyone expected? It's not that the technology doesn't work, it has to do with our driving habits. Most hybrids operate on the electric portion during around town driving under 45 mph., most driving in the US is done on freeways at 70 mph, where hybrids are running on their ICE.

My personal opinion is that clean burning diesels are the way of the future here in the US. Just look at Europe. 49% of passenger vehicles in Europe are diesels, only 3% here in the US. The main reason is fuel costs and the increased efficiency of the diesel powertrain. They have Mazda6's available with a quoted 40 mpg, I wish I could have a diesel in my 3....

There is also the environmental impact of all of those batteries that we will have to deal with in a few years. Let's say that each hybrid has 5 battery cells. In the US, we sell about 17,000,000 new cars annually. If 50% of those vehicles were hybrids, that would be 8.5M*5=42.5Million batteries annually. If those batteries must be replaced every 5 years (guestimate....but we know they go bad at some point just like all batteries), there won't be much of a problem in the first few years, but after that, there is clearly going to be a huge stockpile of worthless batteries as more and more of these vehicles are either idled or repaired that will need to be dealt with.

 

Did you know... that it takes more energy to produce most hybrid vehicles than it does to build a Chevy "Silverado"? So it looks like a portion of what is save in Fuel Consumption is used in manufacturing.
(I am quoting CTV News in Canada)

 

I like the idea of Hydrogen OR even better yet "Cold Fusion", if they could get the Technology developed and on-line

 

I like the idea of diesel because it's known technology that has been around for over 100 years. It's proven reliable (truck diesels regularly get 500K-1,000,000 miles out of the engine with regular maintenance) and very little additional resources would need to be spent in order to implement them on a wide scale.

I also like the idea of a teleporter.....it doesn't mean that it will become reality anytime soon. Diesel is a reality right now.

 

True.... and simple. That is one thing a lot of the "climate change plans" are lacking. Simplicity!
We still have to get off fossil fuels though... if not for climate change then for political stability and to stop financing terrorism... but that is another discussion