Staff Writer
HOULTON, Maine – With today’s fuel prices, consumers are definitely thinking about economy when they purchase a car. Leslie Nesin, priest of the Good Shepherd Church in Houlton, had two things in mind when she bought her Honda hybrid — getting good mileage and being environmentally friendly.
“It has a very clean running engine,” she said. “I love it. It’s great fun to drive.”
Among the line of cars today is the hybrid, which is gaining more popularity, said Michael Brown, a York’s of Houlton salesman.
“They were popular when they initially came out,” he said, “and now, they are regaining that status because of fuel prices and ecological concerns.”
The hybrid is a combination of a gas motor and an on-board recharging battery, which helps to achieve better fuel economy than the conventional vehicle without being hampered by a charging unit.
The hybrid’s gasoline and electric motors work together to maximize power and economy, while lowering emissions. An example, the moped, it was a hybrid using MOtor and PEDals — just as the name implies.
The regular hybrid engine vehicle (HEV) reduces idle emissions by shutting down the internal combustion engine (ICE) when braking. The gas engine isn’t needed so it automatically shuts off to save fuel and reduce emissions. Turning the electric motor into a generator to produce electricity recaptures the energy of the vehicle coasting or braking. The regenerated electricity is stored in the hybrid battery pack beneath the seat.
Hybrid batteries help reduce emissions because the engine draws on the battery and not gasoline when accelerating. This type of electrical energy is based in an example of a windmill.
As time goes on, hybrid battery technology will improve in size, power, weight and service costs, but now, the battery’s life expectancy is estimated around the life of the vehicle.
“This car has the electric motor and gas motor and a battery pack behind the back seat that powers the electric motor,” explained Nesin. “It recharges automatically while you drive so you never had to plug it in. When I’m going downhill, it will cut out and I coast down while it recharges itself and if I’m going uphill, it will boost me along saving gas. It kicks in and out automatically.”
The idea of a hybrid car isn’t new, as Ferdinand Porsche designed a Mixte in 1901 and later Dual Power made by Woods Motor Vehicle was introduced, followed by Victor Wouk’s hybrid design work through the 1960s into the ‘70s.
But, as gas prices rise and environmental safety issues grow today, automotive hybrid technology engaged on a larger scale.
In 1990, the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius hit the market. Both vehicles have a direct linkage from the internal combustion engine to the drive wheels so the engine can provide acceleration power. The Prius remains in high demand, while the Insight stopped being produced in 2006.
However, other hybrid vehicles are appearing such as the Honda Civic and Honda Accord hybrids. These vehicles are designed much like the non-hybrid versions with one exception: they deliver better fuel economy.
Both Toyota and Honda are top manufacturers of hybrids, with Toyota selling 306,862 between 1997 and November 2004, while Honda sold 81,867 between 1999 and November 2004, with totals being adjusted over the last four years. Other automobile makers such as Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mercury, Nissan, Honda, Peugot-Citroen (PSA) and Renault offer not only hybrid cars but light trucks, as well.
When looking at the hybrid price — ranging from $23,000 upward into the $30,000 range — may have consumers second guessing their decision, but many look at the broader scope. An average hybrid is more expensive than the conventional car because of extra batteries, more electronics and in some cases the design consideration — such as head room, cargo space or engine size to name a few. But the trade-off of a higher initial price and lower fuel costs depends on a person’s driving habits.
“The last car I had was a Honda Civic,” said Nesin. “I decided that each car I get successively would get better mileage. My hybrid is an ’05 and I get in the 40s in the winter and high 50s in the summer. I drive a lot so it’s been a blessing in this season of high fuel costs.”
Hybrid vehicles reduce smog by 80 percent and use less gasoline than a conventional vehicle. They are economical, getting anywhere from 55 to 60 miles per gallon city driving. They are better than an all-electric car because hybrids recharge as you drive.
A hybrid car has fewer moving parts than a conventional automatic transmission translating into a quieter operation and the elimination of required maintenance. The driver enjoys a smooth, seamless acceleration without noise or jerking motion associated with shifting of a conventional manual or automatic transmission.
“You can feel it shifting, but it’s very quiet,” Nesin said. “If you pull up to a stop light, everything shuts off. Nothing is running. They are not burning any gas and they are not polluting the air.”
A person can buy a stock hybrid or convert a stock petroleum car to a hybrid electric vehicle with the purchase of an aftermarket kit.
“I drive the Haynesville Woods road quite a lot — it’s picturesque — and there are trucks on that road,” said Nesin. “If I want to pass them, I just stomp on the gas, both motors run, and I can fly right by them. They are not sluggish at all. People think that they are, but they are not.”
