For every red light, there is a green. I love the feeling.
I anticipate it happening when a traffic signal is yellow, and the huge SUV next to me is sucking down another gallon of gas to get its bulk through the intersection.
It’s even more satisfying when I know there’s a long stopping distance. Feathering the pedal, I hear the regenerative brake whine ever so faintly. The generator feeds electric power through the glowing green recharge meter on the way to the batteries. The meter pins, the car slows, hardly using the hydraulic brakes. When the speedometer hits about 20 mph, the engine shuts down as the car glides to a silent halt.
Maybe it’s the computer geek in me, or perhaps I wonder what people will do for energy after corporate interests and their political allies have promoted years of increased petroleum consumption. It just feels good to reclaim energy, store it and use later it with a gas-electric hybrid car.
The jury is still out as to whether a gas-electric hybrid saves money in the long run. There are costs that can be quantified like purchase price, available tax incentives, gas price and an increase in miles per gallon. The durability of the battery pack is unknown after the typical eight-year warranty runs out. What will be the resale value as new and improved hybrids come on the market and when a second or third owner knows they will need to replace a battery pack?
Over the past 21 years, I’ve driven about 16,000 miles a year around York County for the York Daily Record/Sunday News in search of pictures. I am paid mileage, so there is an advantage to spending less money. However, there are advantages that cannot be quantified by operating costs. Cleaner emissions, less dependency on the corporate oil cartel, preservation of resources, lowering the trade deficit all begin the list.
As an early adopter of technology, I have the chance to invest in companies who try to develop solutions and push companies late in the game to catch up. People think nothing of spending an extra $2,000 on leather seats or a navigation system, adding to the price of a new car. So why not opt for saving fuel?
The traffic light turns green. My tiny gas engine springs back to life, assisted by an electric motor driven by free energy normally lost in the form of heat and friction in braking.
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-- Amen my hybrid-brother! We need more people on this planet with sensible attitudes like yours. Too often people focus on the immediate out-of-pocket expenses and fail to see the intangible benefits of going Green. With the real threat of Global Warming, environmental pollution, rogue oil-producing nations, special interest oil politics, etc., it's a wonder that such an obvious, viable and simple solution as conservation has been largely ignored. Saving energy has never been more fun!
Thanks for giving me my first comment. It is inspiring to know that someone else shares my thoughts.
--Rest assured, there is a growing number of Americans sharing your thoughts. Yesterday while munching on a burrito at a local restaurant, my friend --who was sitting facing the window to the parking lot-- told me to turn around for an interesting sight. Lo' and behold three Prius hybrids had appeared--one blue, one white, one green-- parked one after another with a Hummer aside the group. Talk about contrasts! Wish I had a camera. Three out of four ain't bad!
Had I seen that! I would have posted it here.
I love how the "auto industry" is confusing the buying public...already! Hybreds, gas/electric, Fuel Cell, Flex-fuel, where does it end? They are still "searching" for the right vehicle to sell. And the "oil barons" aren't gonna help unless the land they own in the midwest (which they own) is used for corn/soybean/sugar beet production of ethanol.
The solution to this problem starts with the "politico"s" in DC. No, not an investigation of this or that stuff about prices, but a full blown national "project". Much like JFK's speech AND action by this country to go to the Moon. Yes, it will take that kind of commitment from the government AND the people.
The solution model is in Brasil! How they done this change to an ethanol fuel base is well documented...I suppose if we follow it, many in the world would think we're a 3rd world power...but would it change the "power of oil"...you bet.
I think the auto industry “confusion� as well as Bush’s recent media blitz events at any alternative energy event possible is more of a response similar to my cat when she hears a loud noise and runs to the basement.
Thanks for the insightful response... I will visit Brazil in a blog entry