High Gas Prices? Hybrids to the Rescue

April 23, 2006 – Vol.11 No.5

HIGH GAS PRICES? HYBRIDS TO THE RESCUE.

No, we’re not in a global energy crisis. Not yet anyway. An attack on Iran (possible) and/or one or two hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico (likely) could cause real gas and oil shortages in the US and world oil prices to climb skyward.

When there were oil crises in the 70’s and 80’s government initially stepped in but ultimately it was technology and new oil production that saved the day. Japan and Europe were ready with fuel efficient cars that eventually stole away Detroit’s US market share. Oil from the North Slope of Alaska was shipping through the Alaskan pipeline and North Sea oil was coming online. Both are in decline.

In the short term if Washington was really concerned about the cost of gasoline it could bring back the 55 mile per hour speed limit on the nation’s highways to squelch consumption and bring prices down. It could also create a logical tax incentive to encourage the purchase of fuel efficient vehicles: a tax credit based on fuel efficiency - not the method by which it was obtained - for new AND used vehicles. No special credit for hybrids and no upper limit on the credit to encourage the development of ultrahigh fuel efficiency vehicles.

For the US, at least for now, the best vehicle technologies for increased efficiencies are conventional small cars fitted with an assortment of safety features and hybrids built for fuel efficiency, not performance. (Diesels remain an option as well, but new diesel cars aren’t sold in all 50 states at this time.)

Hybrids can offer dramatically improved fuel economy and with high gasoline costs the number of miles needed on the odometer to begin recovering the technology’s extra expense should shrinking.

Hybrids also use the same fueling infrastructure as conventional vehicles. With some minor conversions hybrids could run on ethanol. With an engine swap and more expense, gas/electric hybrids could become diesel/electric hybrids. And, hybrids could become plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) to run in all-electric mode, part of the day.

There are also more hybrids on the way.

The Global Hybrid Cooperation comprised of General Motors, DaimlerChrysler and BMW Group have announced the development of a new hybrid system which, the group says, is a major automotive milestone.

Their new hybrid system incorporates a high and low speed electric continuously variable transmission with two electric drive motors and four fixed gears. Together the unit can operate in six different modes and can replace the conventional transmission in a vehicle.

Initially the new hybrid drive will be built for front engine, rear wheel drive and four wheel drive cars and trucks but could also be repackaged for front wheel drive vehicles.

The hybrid drive is about the same size as a conventional automatic transmission and can fit in its place. Many vehicles (such as all of BMW’s line) could become hybrids with a transmission swap and the addition of a battery pack and controls.

The new hybrid transmission is set for production beginning next year.

The Coop calls the new transmission Unprecedented. If it does what they say it will do, it will be one of the biggest changes in automotive drive systems since the automatic transmission was introduced in the 1940’s by Oldsmobile.