Meghan Stouter

Dr. Eser
EGEE 101H
March 30, 2014
Reflective Essay Two Hybrid Vehicles
The United States is home to less than 5% of the entire world population yet it
possesses approximately one-third of the worlds automobiles. In fact, 28% of our countrys
total energy is used for the transportation sector. When this number is broken down, about 9%
is used for aircrafts, only around 3% is used for trains and buses, and more than 60% is used for
personal vehicles. (Transportation). With transportation being such a critical part of society, it
is also playing a pivotal role in polluting the atmosphere. Todays on-road vehicles produce over
a third of the carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides in our atmosphere and over twenty percent
of the global warming pollution (Cars, Trucks, and Air Pollution). It is even worse in urban
areas where populations are higher. In these areas, harmful automotive emissions are
responsible for anywhere between 50 and 90 percent of air pollution (Smith). Due to the
damage the transportation industry is causing the planet, people are now turning to
alternatives such as hybrid vehicles.
Hybrid-electric vehicles, or HEVs, simply put, are a cross between gasoline powered cars
and electric cars. They combine an internal combustion engine with an electric motor powered
by batteries. The combination of these features allows the electric motor and batteries to help
the conventional engine operate more efficiently, reducing fuel use, while the gasoline-fueled
combustion engine overcomes the limited driving range of some electric vehicles (How Hybrids
Work).
To be considered a hybrid, a vehicle must have idle-off capability, regenerative braking
capacity, and power assist and engine downsizing. Idle-off capacity allows a vehicle to turn off
its gasoline engine when stopped thus saving fuel. Regenerative breaking capacity takes over
some of the stopping duties from regular friction brakes and instead uses the electric motor to
help stop the car. To do this, the electric motor operates as a generator, recovering some of the
kinetic energy and converting it into electricity that is stored in the battery so it can be used
later to help drive the vehicle down the road. Lastly, a hybrid has power assist and engine
downsizing if it has a large enough motor and battery pack so that the motor can actually
supplement the engine to help accelerate the vehicle while driving (Clean Vehicles). In
addition to these three criteria, there are two characteristics which determine whether the
hybrid is superior in energy and environmental performance; these are electric-only drive and
extended battery electric range. Electric-only drive is exactly what it sounds like; it is when the
automobile operates solely on the power on the electric motor and battery. Extended battery
electric range is what brings a car to the top level of hybridization. It allows for the recharging
of the battery by plugging it in. This would allow the hybrid to operate solely as a battery-
electric vehicle for as much as 20-60 miles, thus improving their environmental performance if
they are using clean sources of electricity (Clean Vehicles).
Hybrid vehicles are becoming increasingly popular the more people are learning about
the environmental costs of driving. In fact, hybrid vehicle sales increased by 61% from 2012 to
2013 (Ausick). When comparing the greenhouse gas emissions of a standard vehicle and a
hybrid vehicle, measured in pounds of CO2, for a one hundred mile trip, the conventional
vehicle emits 87 pounds of CO2 while the hybrid emits 57 pounds (Fuels and Vehicles). This
thirty pound difference for every one hundred miles adds up quickly and can make a significant
positive impact on the environment. So with vehicle emissions becoming more and more
hazardous to the environment and human health, it is important for people to being making
lifestyle changes to bring emission levels down. Driving hybrids is one of those changes one can
make, and it makes a substantial impact on the environment.










Works Cited
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