Green Light for Green Cars

We can be aware and we can be unaware, it’s an issue of choice, it would seem…

In 1839 Robert Anderson from Aberdeen in Scotland constructed an electric vehicle. The advantages of his model have been evident for the past half century, since we have seen the harm of internal combustion and realised that dependence on exclusively one source of energy is just that – dependence. Now that we have damaged the environment pretty well and consistently and the price of oil instead of giving, takes away freedom, it is finally time for clean, economical vehicles to become mainstream. It is sad that the new trend is not a reflection of global awareness, but the result of a search for lost profit..

Standard equipment 

Among the standard car equipment there are various oxides. There is, for example, carbon dioxide, a gas that has been blamed for global warming, winter august or tropical Siberia. It always comes together with carbon monoxide, which is excellent for inhalation because it liaises with haemoglobin in the blood and prevents sufficient bloodflow to the brain, causes suffocation, epilepsy, and sometimes even psychological disorder. Sulphur dioxides help develop respiratory diseases, especially in children and the elderly. Sulphur is also good for acid rain, destroying crops, poisoning lakes and deterioration of people and buildings. Nitrogen should also not be left out, as it irritates and chokes the lung membrane, blows up the alveoli and successfully combats our much-hated ozone. Hydrocarbons are great too because they help carcinogenic diseases, inborn defects and the like. Of course, then there’s lead, which, camouflaged in green, lurks from gas stations looking for those who are prepared to pay for more octane. Lead is proverbially good for people for its ability to cause long-term brain damage, heart, lung and blood damage. Best of all, the said equipment is available at the turn of a key to everybody, even those who do not want it..

Mad Max 

The price of oil today seems saucy, egocentric and more boisterous than usual, but historically, it is not even close to the oil terror caused by the Arabs in 1973, when they said – No! – to the West because of Israel. The OPEC imposed an oil embargo to the mischievous imperialists, prices skyrocketed and signs never seen before appeared at gas stations – Sold Out. As a result, the U.S. Congress convened for the first time to arduously discuss the need for alternate fuel that would relieve oil-prone industries from their despicable addiction. Grants were put in motion, research followed as did discussions on the development of electric and hybrid machinery. But money soon defused tensions, prices dropped to lower plains, the “Black Year” passed and nobody even remembered what all the fuss was about. And that’s how it was until 1991 when, unprovoked, interest was restored for purer sources of energy. The American government launched a massive programme for the production of a super battery that would be powerful enough to start a vehicle and keep working during the cold, winter months. The eighty million dollar worth project proved to be a success, but did not live to see its aim. Instead of under the hood, the electric aggregate known as NiMH (nickel metal hydride) ended up in our hands and in their tiny apparatus gives off sufficient energy for several weeks of playing with our cell phones and similar devices. We can only guess the reasons why the super battery missed its goal, but someone could justifiably notice that the Americans decided on an “alternative project” in the Middle East that same year.

Earth Charter 

At the same time, in the Far East, Toyota committed itself with the Earth Charter, a document that clearly underlines their opting to produce vehicles with the lowest possible emission of vile gasses. All car companies owned by the Japanese adopted the document, which became the foundation for the development of today’s hybrids. So, at the start of the twentieth century we had two completely different approaches, one typically American, a Mad Max approach in which blood is exchanged for oil, that is, money, and other which is based on good intentions and wisely invested capital. If you are wondering where we are in all this, where oil is three times more expensive than in America, the answer is as simple as it is unexpected. European manufacturers all claim that a rational attitude towards fuels is the constant improvement of diesel engines. A conservative route that changes these days along with the perspective of the war in Iraq.

The first 

After five years of development, the first commercial hybrid vehicle was presented in Japan in 1997, the Toyota Prius. Of course, before the “first” there were numerous concepts and prototypes of vehicles with combined engines, but none of them can boast of instant sales of 18,000 copies. The Prius, thus, truly is the first and was for a long time the only association with the concept of a hybrid vehicle. Last year’s, redesigned model is deemed a technological marvel on wheels, it is an example to all producers and deserves us to have a look under its hood.

The basic engine is new, but not unknown DOHC VVT-I (Variable Valve Timing) that does not work on the powerful, but wasteful Otto model, but uses Atkins’ economical and utterly efficient cycle. The motor has 76 horse powers and is paired with a new electric engine that generates twice as much electric energy than the previous version (500V). The engines can be combined at will (Hybrid System Net Power) and once paired with a battery, they completely break down the myth of hybrid vehicles being slow, developing (a still modest) 110 horse power.

The car has ECVT technology, electronically controlled continued variable transmission, a system that is as futuristic as it sounds, so we can freely say that the Prius has only one gear. Every input by the driver is transmitted exclusively by wire and there is no mechanical connection between the shift and transmission. The handle is, of course, still at hand, but it is not called “touch control” and serves for driving in reverse as well as setting the car up for automatic charging. In any case, it is fully automatic and offers effortless driving. As the new gear shift is no longer that, it has a completely new name: Power Split Device. The next abbreviation to be informed about is ETCS-i, that is, Electronic Throttle Control System with Intelligence. In standard cars it would be called EFI (electronic fuel injection), but in the Prius it has an additional meaning that would interest Tesla or anybody else with the hots for electrical induction. Then there are other standards such as ABS, VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) or EBD (Electronic Brake Assistance).

The back carriage carries a compact battery (guess which type) of 201V or 28 horse power, which should, without a problem, endure some 200,000 kilometres and charges a powerful generator. The battery charges itself without a power outlet (hybrids have not had the need for power outlets for a while now), but uses everything for that purpose. The Prius simply does not recognise the notion of entropy. The flow of electricity is controlled by a 32-bit processor and generated by the primary engine, kinetics from braking and everything else Toyota’s engineers found useful.

The second generation comes with a Bluetooth interface, effortlessly meets the strictest California standards, so it is not just SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle), but also PZEV (Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle). Which means that the emission of harmful gasses oscillates around the positive zero. Owners testimonies say that a person has to torture the car for it to consume more than five litres of fuel per 100 kilometres. The tank holds only 45 litres, which means that they can make some 1,100 kilometres with wild driving. The more conservative drivers and more defensive driving add to this number another 400 kilometres. Anyhow, the potential owner of a Prius can drive from Zagreb to Rijeka nine times and taking the old route, perhaps ten times, since all the energy consumed by climbing Mount Velebit will be compensated for during the descent. All in all, a pocket-full of pleasant qualities.

The second 

Last year the more aware part of the global population began demanding hybrid vehicles, with stars and starlets openly advocating the use of “green cars”. Driving around in a new hybrid is a popular Hollywood activity of any self-conscious celebrity. Some of the more famous names are: Nicholson, Douglas, Ford, Pitt, Arquette, Diaz, DiCaprio, Harrelson, Sarandon… The engagement of influential activists immediately reflected on the sale of the vehicles, so twenty new hybrids have been announced for this year, with eight already available on the market.

Honda made the most prominent move, whose Insight model of 1999 is the only true competition for the Prius. During their advertising campaign for the compact Insight Coupe, the manufacturer claimed that the only way to pollute the environment more was riding a bicycle.

This years, freshly presented models Honda Civic and Accord are new contesters for the title of not only the best, but also the fastest hybrid vehicles. As opposed to Toyota, Honda’s engineers decided to meet the said standards of gas emissions, but in full acceleration. The result is uncompromising, the value for money is less, but Accord will reach 100km/h in 6.7 seconds, while its entwined engines develop 255 horse power, which gives the car a sports impression. Toyota immediately accepted the challenge and announced for next year the first hybrid for the exceptionally popular Lexus in America. The GS 450h/Harrier model comes with the motto: “The End of the Hybrids As We Know It”. We all know that Lexus and luxury go hand in hand and if we add to this fact that V6 and V8 engines with some 300 horse power and acceleration of under six seconds have been announced, then the above motto could come true. Ford also joined in presenting to the world the first hybrid SUV that is the first originally American hybrid product. Last year the Escape was pronounced SUV of the year, but the ado settled after Toyota announced it could not increase the production quota of the exact parts Ford is forced to obtain from the company. The result is the decrease in the planned production and a bitter taste. But giving up is not an option, so Ford’s Mercury presented the new Mariner, announcing a humble production of some 20,000 vehicles. The SUV market saw the first snappy hybrid, the Lexus RX 400h, which hardly meets the criteria of a hybrid vehicle. The model would be dismissed immediately in California and the consumption is far from minimum or even moderate (7/100). But Lexus aims at atypical clients who primarily love to be seen…

The third

Who did not make it this year will try next year. Among the manufacturers who announced their cross-platform projects is Chevrolet (General Motors), whose Malibu should be issued next year. Not much can be divined about the Malibu thus far and there is not much information about it apart from it being a passenger limousine that will present the concept of “moderate hybrid vehicles”. On the other side of the Pacific, Nissan this year presented its first functional prototype. The hybrid Altima is already available in some parts of the United States, but in a limited edition and by order. It is a powerful vehicle that fully abides by strict Californian laws. A confirmation about joining the increasing competition also arrived from America’s Saturn. It will be interesting to see the issuing of the first hybrid pick-ups that Dodge and General Motors announced for this year. When one takes into consideration all the existing and announced hybrids, it seems that mixing species is definitively in.