Hybrid Electric Vehicles

By Sara Dahill-Brown, Alicia Dooley,

Eve Gaus, Nathaniel Hill, Nick Kaloudis
and Kjell Von Snierden
 The Problem
 Transportation consumes 20% of US
energy and 20% of US CO2 emissions
 Not sustainable for the next 50 years
 “I feel more confident than ever that the
power to save the planet rests with the
individual consumer.”- Denis Hayes
 Consumers can have a positive impact on
the environment
 The Solution
 HEVs and Fuel cell technology are
currently the leading solutions compatible
to sustainable development
 Both have advantages and disadvantages
 Barriers to fuel cell economy
 Advantages to HEVs over current Internal
Combustion engines
 The current disadvantages to HEVs
 Fuel Cell Technology
 Potential solutions to
both HEV and Fuel
Cell Technology
 HEVs, for now, seem
to be the the more
applicable answer
 Many barriers to
overcome with fuel
cell technology
 Barriers to fuel cell technology
 Availability
 Production, especially in the
short run
 Reduction of harmful emissions?
 Expensive
 Infrastructure problems
 Advantages of HEVs

 Use less oil than ICE

 Emit less CO2 than ICE
 Fuel efficiency increased
 Honda Insight- 700 mi/tank
 Toyota Prius- 500 mi/tank
 Honda Civic Hybrid- 650 mi/tank

http://www.ott.doe.gov/hev/what.html
 More Advantages
 Less overall mass
 Regenerative braking
 Battery level
efficiency
 Tax incentives

http://www.hybridcars.
com/how-hybrids-
work.html
 HEV info.
Fuel Vehicle
(estimate emissions
(estimated
d per per year
year) in pounds)

Consumpti Carbon Carbon Nitrogen Hydro

on dioxide monoxide oxides carbons

2003 Honda
Civic Hybrid
263 5,089 79.9 lb 0.8 lb 0.8 lb
(47.7 mpg, SULEV)
12,500 miles/yr Gal lb
2003 Honda
Civic
370 Gal 7,176 135 lb 7.4 lb 3 lb
(33.8 mpg, ULEV) lb
12,500 miles/yr
Energy Loss
Disadvantages to HEVs

 Maintenance
 Towing capacity
 Currently…

 Ford – Escape Hybrid – SUV – 35mpg – price

unannounced
 http://www.fordvehicles.com/escapehybrid/home/index.a
sp?bhcp=1
 Toyota – Prius – $20,810 – 55mpg -
http://www.toyota.com/prius/
 Honda – Civic Hybrid – $19,650 and 45 mpg
 http://www.hondacars.com/models/model_overview.asp?
ModelName=Civic+Hybrid&bhcp=1
 Insight Hybrid – $19,180 – 65 mpg
 http://www.hondacars.com/models/model_overview.asp?
ModelName=Insight
 In the next 5 years…
 Growing demand
 Greater market
 Car companies will
respond
 More variety
 Conclusion
 Air pollution is a
serious concern
 Fallbacks to Fuel Cell
economy
 In the short run HEVs
seem to be a viable
alternative