Hybrid Technology: A New Opportunity For Cleaner Cars

Since long, there is a pressing requirement for fuel-efficient automobiles those are easy on the wallet and kind on our fast degrading environment. The automobile industry responded to this need by launching hybrid cars and these cars were soon projected as cars of future. There has been much development in the hybrid car technology but the dream of Hybrid cars changing the automobile industry has not been realized yet. The big car manufacturing companies like Toyota, GM, Ford, and Honda are all responding to the challenge and putting their best foot forward for better technology and economy in hybrid cars.

Sales Run Parallel To Advancement in Hybrid Technology
Numerous cars are now coming with electric power steering that adds .05-2% better gas mileage in cars as the Honda S2000 and Saturn Vue. As a result, there has been a rise in sale of these cars. In 2002, less than 30000 hybrid cars were sold in US. In 2003, there was a big leap with Toyota alone selling about 100000 Hybrid cars. Year 2004 saw a new vigor among the customers for new generation hybrid cars. They were all sold off almost immediately and got great appreciation

Hybrid Cars and the Allied Industries
The better acceptance and performance of hybrid cars and for that mater any new technological innovation is not dependent on the manufacturer alone. The whole industry has to support the move and provide necessary support for its success. The automobile industry is gearing up for necessary support to the hybrid cars.

Fuel cells are not very common these days, as they are very expensive and re-filling them is a big problem. By 2010, GM expects much to improve on the fuel cell scene, which will be a positive trend for the hybrid cars.

The oil change industry need not fret with the prevalent trend of Hybrid cars. All hybrids have a DC motor and need oil to grease the motor and keep it cool. These motors get heated up very fast.

Infrastructure to Run Hybrid cars
As we will have more hybrid cars on the roads, we will need to make complementary provisions for them. GM is reviewing the scenario and planning to build Hydrogen fuel stations with Shell. The adaptation of each gas station would cost$400,000. There will be hoards of opportunities, as these changes will take place. The auto repair industry will have to gear up afresh for the hybrid cars.

People still consider Hybrid cars to be a trial product and believe them to have high running costs. Even now, Hybrid cars are not seen in as big numbers as they were expected when they were introduced. The advantages of hybrid cars far outnumber and outweigh the minor teething troubles and should not let us overlook its eco-friendly nature, its fuel-efficient and oil-conserving qualities and a promise for an unpolluted Earth.