Hybrid Car Articles

There are hybrid car articles available from the basics to advanced discussion on what the greater impact of hybrid cars will be, to comparisons of hybrids to alternative technologies.

For background research on the what the hybrid car technology is all about, the best sources (apart from Hybrid Cars Guide :) ) are the car manufacturers and different organizations that research cleaner automotive alternatives to conventional cars.

Much of the current hybrid car technology is based on Toyota's research efforts over 30 years that resulted in the 1997 launch of the Toyota Prius.

The current Prius version has second generation hybrid car technology inside. In reference, several other manufacturers, including Ford and Nissan, have licenced the first generation Toyota hybrid technology.

For an article and discussion on the Toyota's second generation hybrid car technology, and for an overview of how the technology works, see the Toyota Guide to Hybrid Synergy Drive (opens up a new window).

Hybrid Car Articles - Comparisons of Low-Emission Vehicles

When doing research on hybrid cars, it is also beneficial to compare the available hybrid cars to other low-emission vehicles that are available.

One of the best sources for that type of information is the California Air Resources Board, which, among other things, develops standards for classifying low-emission automobiles with zero & near-zero hazardous emissions.

The alternative technologies when shopping for a low-emission vehicle include:

• Electric cars
• Hybrid electric cars
• Alternative fuel cars
• Fuel cell cars
• Cleaner gas cars

To compare these alternatives and to get the basic information on hybrid car emission ratings, California Air Resources Board has a website called DriveClean, which is filled with useful articles on non-conventional car types (the link opens up a new window).

Similarly, a good resource that does comparative research on not only hybrid cars, but also on the other low-emission, high fuel-efficiency vehicles is the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Their hybrid car research program began as early as 1993, funded in part by Department of Energy and General Motors, Ford, and DaimlerChrysler (then Chrysler Corporation).

Their website dedicated to this research has good articles about the available hybrid car technologies, car designs, and comparisons to other advanced car systems.

You can read the NREL Hybrid Electric Vehicle Program articles at the organization's website (the link opens up a new).


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