Plug-in hybrids the next big thing? by Edwin - on March 17, 2008


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Hybrid vehicles are always welcome in my book, since the earth is already being overloaded by too many people, too much waste and an imbalanced system of wealth distribution. Encouraging people to take public transport instead of just riding around in their fuel guzzlers for fun does take some getting used to, since most folks prefer the privacy of their car. What happens when you try to prick their conscience from another point of view? What if they know that if they were riding on a hybrid bus that does it’s part in reducing carbon emissions, will they take the plunge then? Until these plug-in hybrids are well distributed all over the world in congested cities, that answer remains theoretical. I’m not here to talk about that though, but will concentrate instead on this efficient and pollution limiting plug-in hybrids.

Plug-in hybrid buses are part of the next step when it comes to improving green technology in vehicles. Since these buses will rely more and more on the grid to get juiced up while weaning themselves off diesel in the process, emissions will be reduced drastically. This fact is also true despite coal being used as the power plant’s energy source. What makes plug-in hybrids all the more appealing is the fact that electricity doesn’t always have to be generated via coal (that’s what I learned in Simcity back in the early 90s anyway), but other green uses have also come into play thus far including solar and wind energy.

Well I guess hybrid plug-ins are the way to go, considering that it isn’t exactly convenient to find a power grid nearby whenever the vehicle’s batteries run out of juice. Even so, some diesel firepower is better than running on diesel all the time. Wireless recharging in Japan has already arrived, and the new fleet of buses that use this feature are currently being tested over a two-week period.

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