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Car rentals and other clean transport

By: Robert Thomson

The hybrid vehicle or Hydro electric vehicles [HEV] produce very little to no emissions compared to standard petrol or diesel engine vehicles. This has the duel effect of having a positive output with regards to environmental impact and of course, a massive saving in fuel. Many drivers (over a million according to the statistics]) have already switched from driving regular cars to these modern-day wonders. They have smaller engines, yet this does not affect speed, as many hybrids can currently reach speeds comparable to petrol engines. How will these Hybrid cars affect our future along with the way we drive and will they effectively change the way we perceive transportation?

The history of the Hybrid stretches back much further than you would believe. As early as the 1900’s, there had been many innovative individuals working on rudimentary petro-electric engines and it was the creator of Porsche who achieved the creation of the first working model. Capable of achieving lightning fast speeds of 50km/h, this wooden vehicle had a small battery pack which powered electric hub motors (a motor today’s busses and larger vehicles use) kicking in at 25kms. This was the first key breakthrough for hybrid vehicles and a precursor for all electric engine techniques.

As the century progressed, a man by the name of Victor Wouk would develop a more effective prototype of the HEV engine. The year would be 1972 when Wouk’s prototype hybrid drivetrain engine was first tested in a Buick Skylark. This also marks the first time that the American governments EPA would ban production of Hybrid vehicles. As the decades rolled on, there were continuous improvements and innovations made to the Hybrid engine. Such as a regenerative braking engine, use to recuperate some of the energy lost during stopping. This energy is then saved in the battery and later used to power the motor whenever the car switches over to electric mode. Also, the change to a nickel-cadmium battery (otherwise known as rechargeable) over standard car batteries truly enhanced the development of the HEV engine.

Proper Hybrid production began in the 90’s, with the creation of the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. Of these cars, the Prius has been in particularly high demand and a waiting list was in effect up until 2004. As the increase in global alertness increased, sales soared and Toyota became the market leaders in commercial hybrid technology. The demand for clean running vehicles is higher than ever, with most countries converting their public transport vehicles to ones with HEV engines, in a bid to curb the onslaught of pollution. There are many Hybrid vehicles on the roads of South Africa already, yet you may not have even realised such cars were hybrids. The BMW 1 series were the first BMW’s in the world to have a mild hybrid engine. Mild hybrid engines are not petro-electric combinations, but are in effect huge starter motors which are turned off whenever the car is idle and is instantly activated whenever the BMW is moving. Most new Chevrolets under construction have also made the switch to mild or full hybrid engines. Consider that when your next car rental is a new Chevrolet.

HEV cars are the first of many steps in a complete and global revamp of our total pollution output. They do not provide the solution for global warming, but without these modern innovations our current planet-wide crisis will never be solved. There are still many years and even decades until HEV cars become the norm and until then it would be prudent to invest in one of the latest hybrid vehicles. Even better, an executive car rental establishment will most likely supply you with the latest hybrid. So do you research; as it may be the smartest purchase you ever make.

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