Hybrid Cars Essay example -- Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Hybrid Cars In my basic presentation, I examined the practicality of HEVs (Hybrid Electric Vehicles), otherwise known as hybrids. The presentation gave some background about laws pertaining to emissions but at the same time was designed more to educate the consumer as to what a hybrid actually is. You do not plug it in! Current Emission Standards are confusing. At this point in time, we are at a major transition as to what will be the future of combustion vehicles. Present day standards do not call for the kind of emission requirements that will account for the current rate of global warming. To fix this problem we must either cut back on the number of vehicles on the road (not likely to happen) or use less fuel. There are many advantages to efficient fuel consumption. These advantages range from saving money to saving the environment. It will also make the United States stronger as a nation in that we can reduce dependency on foreign oil. The first question we ask ourselves: what is a hybrid? A hybrid is a vehicle that has both a combustion engine as well as an electric motor. With the batteries of today it is not possible to make a practical vehicle that will run solely on electric. These cars need to be recharged after a range of approximately 60 miles. This limitation does not make the car practical by today?s standards. Although, the number of hybrids on the road today is limited, in the future we should see most, if not all, passenger vehicles available with the hybrid option (an option that might very well become a requirement). The primary goal of the hybrid vehicle is to cut down on global-warming. The only way in which we can effectively reduce green house gas emissions is by burning less fossi... ...eir combustion counterparts. However, this will change once they become popular and, in actuality, the additional cost up front can quickly pay for itself with increased fuel savings. There is also the question of all these batteries. If the nickel metal hydride batteries aren?t disposed of properly, there could be environmental side effects. Who will fix these cars? Currently, a hybrid will have to be brought back to the dealership for maintenance and that could prove to be more expensive than a private mechanic. However, as hybrids become more popular and costs drop, so will the associated maintenance fees. With the benefits weighed against the drawbacks, it is clear that hybrid vehicles are a plausible measure in controlling greenhouse emissions. Bibliography www.epa.gov/greenvehicles www.fueleconomy.gov www.ott.doe.gov/hev www.insightcentral.net