Potential purchasers of a plug-in hybrid often believe that they will be contributing to the fight to save the planet by making an informed choice designed to help the environment. This is not necessarily so, or at least it is a matter of degree. Just because hybrid cars are designed to use less gasoline than conventionally powered cars, it cannot be assumed that the undoubted advantages this generates for the environment do not come with some offsetting negative factors.
In reality, given today’s level of hybrid technology, plug-in hybrid cars may be only marginally better at improving treatment of the environment than the corresponding serial and parallel versions of current hybrid power units. Green house gases, carbon emission and the effect upon the ozone layer are all improved a little with these power units and the plug-in hybrid is said to be considerably better still. A realistic assessment might just offer pause for thought on how far this goes.
All hybrid cars currently use electricity as final motive power to drive the vehicle. Mostly this is produced from batteries that have to be continually recharged and this in the main comes from an on board combustion-engine generator in some form. Hence reduced but not eliminated gasoline sourced pollution. Proponents of the plug-in hybrid claim that the combustion generator can be eliminated entirely because recharging comes directly from an electricity supply. However this usually overlooks the fact that most electricity is still produced from coal-fired power stations. Thus over all environmental
benefit may be reduced. Hence the advantage of the plug-in hybrid over the regular hybrid may be more marginal.
Not everybody would accept this argument. Some still insist that plug-in hybrids beat regular hybrids no matter what. They are mainly people who believe that electric powered engines are always cleaner than fuel powered engines. Another claimed advantage for plug-in hybrids is that they actually use much less electric power as they recharge their own batteries and the plug-in process is only needed for topping up purposes. In this scenario no other sources of power are needed.
Another claimed advantage is that the plug-in process is by choice, in the same way that you don’t have to wait for your gasoline tank to empty before you decide where and how to fill it. When recharging your plug-in hybrid car, you can therefore choose not to use electricity from coal-fired sources. To my mind this would appear to be a theoretical advantage rather than a practical one.
Detractors from the advantages of the plug-in hybrid have put forward the argument that if you don’t actually use the ‘plug-in to recharge’ facility, then you are simply relying on the consumption of gasoline to do the job. In this case we might as well stick with conventional gasoline powered cars and not have the whole hybrid debate. This type of circular argument usually signifies either or both parties not having a clear view or understanding of the facts.
Lets be clear, the plug-in hybrid is an advance for a number of reasons but it is only a step in the right direction and will not, alone, solve all our environmental problems. In terms of personal transport, the regular hybrid is better than the conventional gasoline powered when it comes to environmental pollution. In the same way, the plug-in hybrid is at least marginally better than a regular hybrid for the same criteria.
As long as you recognise these facts and do not over-hype the advantages of each, even to yourself, you will find any form of hybrid a great to own and a joy to drive. You can then congratulate yourself on doing something towards fuel economy and at the same time helping in a small way to safeguard the environment.
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