Hybrid Technology...

Alright, I guess most of you guys have heard about Hybrid Technology.

What is Hybrid Technology - for beginners, it is a car which runs on gasoline engine and an electric motor. Simple isn't it?

Then there is the Series Hybrid - basically a gasoline engine running in series to provide kinectic energy from driving the engine and coverting it into electric energy via a converter. The eletric energy then charges up a battery which in turn drives an electric motor to make the car move.

Shall I continue? Then came Parallel Hybrid. It runs like a normal gasoline car but is able to combine electric power from the motor/generator to deliver additional power to drive the car. An example of such Hybrid is the Honda Civic. The Honda Civic runs on the usual VTEC engine but is able to deliver more power that the usual engine capacity because of the IMA (Innovative Motor Assist), which is the motor. The car performs like a 2litre but is infact only a 1.5litre.

Then there is the Series-Parallel Hybrid which Toyota developed and pioneered. It is much more a complex system because it has 2 generators (1 dedicated generator to deliver electrical energy the other which functions like that in the Parallel Hybrid system). The HSD (Hybrid Synergy Drive) has a power split devices which can deliver power concurrently (1 to the battery, 1 to the wheels). It also runs in synergy due to the planetary gears which ensures that at each driving conditions, the car functions at its optimum combination of Battery, Engine, Kinectic (re-generative braking).

Ok, so much for the complexities. I doubt anyone can really see the big difference. After all a Hybrid car is still a hybrid car. What a hybrid cars made for? Well I guess the big picture is to SAVE THE WORLD by reducing CO2 emissions and reduce the rate of the depletion of planet's earth resource. But are people willing to pay the price to save the world? Sadly in Asia, we're still not at the stage to understand how 1 hybrid car can help combat global warming. We can't even afford a Hybrid Car, if you compare the price of Prius versus a Camry. (1.5 versus 2.0) - same price.

Yet again, automakers have to play a part in educating consumers on the benefits of Hybrid if they intend to sell it at that premium price. One food for thought is that other than Hybrids, they should not forget alternative technologies like fuel cell, alternate fuels, hydrogen etc. With so many technologies, why aren't manufacturers spending enough of their budgets on consumer education?

ROI? Well clearly not many are confident in spending budgets for long term ROI because not many out there have a confident technology roadmap that can deliver the promise to reducing emissions. Paradox isn't it?