| Global warming is one of the most hotly debated | | | | Compared to electric models, hybrid autos appear |
| issues today. Cars have been identified as one of | | | | to be more environment friendly -- in theory, at |
| the leading contributors to the escalating global | | | | least. In practice, however, hybrid autos are still |
| warming problem. To minimize the effects of | | | | not up to par. |
| autos on the environment and limit its impact on | | | | Which?, a British consumer magazine put four |
| global warming, a potential solution has been | | | | hybrid vehicles to the test by driving them all |
| identified: green cars. | | | | throughout London. The four hybrid models |
| According to those who believe in global warming, | | | | performed poorly. George Marshall-Thornhill, the |
| drivers need to start using green motorcars. But | | | | senior research at Which?, wrote: "Some of these |
| what exactly are green cars and would they | | | | should have performed much better." |
| really slow down global warming? | | | | Hybrid motorcars are not at all completely "green" |
| Electric and hybrid cars are two such types of | | | | either as the batteries would still need to be |
| green cars. In reality, electric vehicles are not at all | | | | disposed of. They aren't exactly biodegradable. |
| environment friendly. In order to get an electric | | | | Cost is another disadvantage of hybrid autos. For |
| car to run, it must be "charged" in power stations. | | | | most people, hybrid vehicles are expensive |
| These power stations convert only 30% to 40% | | | | compared to the regular engine-run autos. Since |
| of the energy into electricity. When the electricity | | | | hybrid is a relatively new car concept, they are |
| is being transferred from the station to an electric | | | | still not produced in a large scale so as to drive |
| car, 30% of the electricity is lost along the electric | | | | the costs down. |
| cables. Thus, by the time the electricity reaches | | | | The bottom line is that green cars like the pure |
| the electric car, much of the energy is lost. | | | | electric and hybrid automobiles end up using more |
| Electric autos may cut down pollution in inner | | | | energy, are more difficult to dispose of and are |
| cities, but they aren't efficient at all. | | | | just too expensive for common motorists. |
| Hybrid vehicles, on the other hand, are becoming | | | | Perhaps in a few years, green cars would be a |
| the preferred automobiles by many motorists. A | | | | legitimate option for motorists, but for now it still |
| hybrid car has both an electric motor and a gas | | | | falls short of being a practical solution to global |
| engine. The energy generated whenever you | | | | warming. |
| brake is what powers up the motor battery. | | | | |