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More Hybrid SUVs in 2005
Jenny McLane
It is common knowledge among car enthusiasts and car owners that the bigger the
vehicle, the bigger the amount of fuel it consumes. With this in mind, several
automobile producers have begun diverting a big chunk of their efforts to
producing more hybrid 4x4s in the year 2005.
Taking on the Fleet First. The big three - Ford, Dodge and General Motors
have seemed to agree that 2005 is the perfect opportunity to introduce the
hybrid versions of some very popular vehicles.
Ford Introduces the Ford Escape Hybrid, the first vehicle to combine SUV
capability with the outstanding fuel economy and low environmental impact of a
full hybrid. "Full" hybrid means it automatically switches between pure electric
power, pure gasoline or diesel engine power or a combined operation to optimize
efficiency and performance. The no frills Escape Hybrid drives normally,
performs superbly and offers all the features you'd expect from the SUV leader.
The
Hybrid Ford Escape features lots of room, comfortable seating for five, an
adaptable cargo area, 1000-pound towing capacity, and an optional Intelligent
4WD System which produces the same all-weather grip and off-road competence
available in conventional Escape models.
Full hybrids can achieve 50% or more improvement in fuel economy during traffic
induced stop-and-go type of driving, wherein the electric motor is most
efficient. The Escape Hybrid delivers more than 75% fuel economy improvement in
city driving when weighed against a conventional V-6 powered
Escape XLT. The
Escape Hybrid can travel more than 400 miles in city driving on a single tank of
gasoline.
Ford has already manufactured and sold the 4,000 units Ford Escape Hybrid in
2004 and its resounding success has prompted it to build a “modest” 20,000 more
for 2005. Ford wants to make sure it is not just a fad and people would see the
practical, economical and environmental impact a Hybrid vehicle can induce. The
Escape Hybrid costs $3,300 more than the V-6 powered Escape.
Dodge and General Motors follow suit. Ford has been the first to produce
and set the bar in the large vehicle Hybrid market segment and Dodge and GM
cannot afford to lag behind. General Motors and Dodge are not that far behind
though. In the last quarter of 2004, General Motors introduced electric hybrid
versions of its 2005 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups. The trucks were
only available to those who are in Florida, California, Nevada, Alaska, Oregon,
and Washington. GM expects to produce about 2,500 units in 2005 - 1,875
Silverados and 625 Sierras - with the hopes of launching the vehicles on a
national scale by 2006. Dodge manufactured only 100 diesel-electric 2005 RAM
pickups, targeted for utility company fleets. The diesel will produce better
fuel economy, with an additional 15% mpg boost over the conventional diesel Ram
coming from the electric side. Diesels are generally considered more
“environmentally disastrous” on the ecological front. The Dodge Ram Diesel
Hybrid is expected to sell for around $40,000 a somewhat larger cost than the
non-hybrid models.
Heftier Price Tags. Although the price tags may vary from state to state,
the average increase for the cost for a Hybrid option may run well up to $3,000.
The GM versions of the Hybrid engine are soft-hybrids, which mean that an
electric motor provides a boost up on accelerations. The GM version of a hybrid
large vehicle has a stop-start system that turns off the gasoline engine at
traffic lights. It possesses a 120-volt, 2,400-watt generator system that can
provide power for electrical equipments. The Silverado and Sierra hybrids also
serves as power generators, with two conventional, three-prong plug-ins that can
be found under the rear seat, two extra plug-ins can also be found in the rear
bed of the trucks. The four 120-volt, 20 amp electrical supplementary power
outlets can supply power for electric coolers, electric ranges, sound systems
video consoles and other electrical equipments that can be lugged around. The
power supply can be utilized while the engine is running or even after the
engine is cut and the keys are taken out of the ignition. Ground fault detection
systems are installed in the power supply circuits so that overloads and short
circuits can be prevented.
According to General Motors,
the new hybrid pickups could sustain enough power to last for up to 32 hours
non-stop before needing to fill the tank again. This function new feature proved
to be very useful when GM loaned some of their new Hybrids’ to hurricane
stricken Florida when they were used for some relief operations, they were vital
in some areas were electricity was incapacitated. The hybrid models of the
Chevy
Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks are foreseen to develop fuel savings of up to
10% over analogous trucks without the hybrid benefit.How exactly do Hybrids get
such Fantastic Mileage?
HV’s (Hybrid Vehicles) are principally powered by an internal combustion engine,
much like any ordinary vehicles. However, they also transform the energy that is
normally wasted during stop and go operations into electricity, which is stored
in a battery until the moment it is needed by the electric motor. The electric
motor is utilized to support the engine when accelerating or doing some uphill
driving and in low-speed driving operations where internal combustion engines
are least efficient. Some Hybrid Vehicles also automatically shut off the engine
when the vehicle is idling and restarts the internal combustion engine when the
accelerator is depressed. This avoids exhausted fuel when the vehicle is not in
motion. Unlike all-electric vehicles, HV’s that are being produced today do not
need to be plugged into an external source of electricity to be recharged, the
energy provided by the engine and the braking force charges the batteries.
Is it worth the fuss and the costs? It all boils down to one thing, Large
Hybrid Vehicles cost more than their non-hybrid counterparts. Deciding on the
advantages though is not that hard. You get better mileage, companies save on
fuel consumption, electric motors are all the rage plus you get to help the
environment. Also, the hybrid SUV’s pay for themselves in the long run, costs
may be cut through tax incentives and decreased fuel consumption help to offset
the price difference. Determining the cost-savings ratio would be one factor
many car manufacturers will keep in mind while keeping close scrutiny in their
products. Nevertheless a large hybrid vehicle may just be the thing the future
needs.
About the Author:
Parts Train has been a leader in the online parts supplying industry for many
years now. They have over 25 years of experience in dealing with cars and have
been regarded as experts in their field. Available in their wide array of stocks
are a variety of products that can help maintain, enhance, replace and repair
any make and model of vehicle available in the market today.
Call their toll-free hotline, 1-888-251-1214 for all your inquiries and
comments. At partstrain.com they guarantee perfect fit and excellent quality.
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