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The bullet shaped Honda Insight was the first electric/gasoline powered hybrid vehicle available in the United States. This two-seater provided the best in fuel economy without compromising performance.

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Is it time to buy a new car? You may want to consider a purchase that will address your future needs of our environment as well as your personal economy. Instead of the gas guzzling cars of the past, you may want to consider a fuel saving car of the future. Of course I mean a Hybrid car.

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With the high gas prices which are readily seen on the market today, individuals who are looking to purchase a new car are perusing the options with fuel efficiency in mind. Prospective car buyers want to purchase a vehicle which really peaks their interest and is one which they truly desire; however, these prospective automobile purchasers may in fact be swayed should the vehicle which they are considering purchasing have inefficient fuel economy. There are a few different reasons why fuel economy is so important to car owners these days.

High Price of Gas Recently, an alarming phenomenon has been taking place. In the last few months, gas prices have been increasing at staggering rates which has led to individuals rethinking their automobile purchase choices. For those people who are currently in the market for a new vehicle, the high price of gas that has recently been seen has pushed them to consider other, more fuel-efficient automobiles. As one never knows when gas prices will decrease, thinking in terms of purchasing a fuel-efficient vehicle may be on the forefront of a number of individuals minds. The high price of gasoline is an important factor which individuals consider when purchasing a new vehicle or even trading in their old car for a more recent model.

Environmental Factors Another reason why prospective car buyers may be looking into the purchase of a more fuel-efficient vehicle is due to the environmental ramifications that go along with certain gas guzzling automobiles. The less gas a car uses, the more environmentally friendly that vehicle is. There are a number of different types of pollution which are directly related to automobile use. Therefore, more and more individuals are looking into hybrid vehicles which utilize both electric and gas fuel components to make the car run and are more environmentally sound overall.

Having to Fill Up With Gas Less Often How many times has one tried to take their vehicle as far as it could go on a single tank of gas so as to avoid having to stop at a gas station to fill up? Most likely the answer is quite frequently. Although filling the car up with a tank of gas does not take a long time to do, it is still an inconvenience to some individuals, especially those who are often running late for one appointment or another. Therefore, by purchasing a vehicle with good fuel economy, the driver will have to stop less often to fill up their gas tank and this in and of itself is something which pleases many individuals immensely.

Most Fuel-Efficient Cars in 2005 The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) often compiles lists showing the vehicles with the best fuel economy based on a fuel efficiency gauge for both city and highway travel and are shown in a city/highway ratio. The EPA files these types of lists as fuel economy is quite relevant to pollution and other environmental factors. The following paragraphs will summarize the top 10 list of the most fuel-efficient vehicles which was compiled by the EPA for 2005.

The vehicles ranking in the number 10 spot of the EPA list are the Dodge Neon and Toyota Celica GT which both get 29/36 mpg. Those vehicles ranked in the number 9 slot are the Scion xB (31/35), Toyota Matrix (30/36), Pontiac Vibe (30/36) and Honda Accord Hybrid (30/37). Rounding up the number 8, 7, and 6 slots, respectively, are the Scion xA (32/37), Toyota Corolla (32/41), and Toyota Echo (35/42).

The top 5 most fuel-efficient automobiles contain quite a few from the same car manufacturer with the Honda Civic HX (36/44) coming in at 5 th place and three various types of Volkswagens, Volkswagen New Beetle TDI, Volkswagen Jetta TDI and Volkswagen Golf TDI, all coming in at 4 th place with a 38/46 ratio. As for the top 3 spots, these belong to the Honda Civic Hybrid (45/51), the Toyota Prius (60/51) and the Honda Insight (61/66).

One will notice by reading the list above that hybrid vehicles are often cited in the top 10 of all fuel-efficient vehicles. There are a few different reasons why choosing a hybrid vehicle may be the best choice for those individuals looking to purchase a new car.

Reasons to Choose a Hybrid Vehicle for Your Automobile There are two main reasons why purchasing a hybrid vehicle may be in the best interest of the driver of the automobile and the people around that individual as well. The first reason for choosing a hybrid vehicle is due to its fabulous fuel efficiency. There are a number of different car manufacturers who have either come out with hybrid vehicles or are in the process of making vehicles of this type. Car manufacturers realize that fuel efficiency has a vital place on an individuals car buying list of must haves.

Another reason for choosing a hybrid vehicle which is not only beneficial for the owner but for the general public as well is the environmental factors surrounding hybrid automobile use. The more gaseous fumes and toxins which are released into the air, the worse it is for the environment as a whole. Those who truly appreciate the fact that hybrid vehicles are more environmentally sound than other vehicles which strictly use gasoline as their main mode of power are ones who are more likely to purchase a hybrid vehicle. It is important to note that most hybrid automobile drivers purchase their hybrid vehicles due to fuel economy reasons as well. Car manufacturers have also responded to environmental concerns by producing vehicles which are of a hybrid nature and therefore much more gentle to the environment.

Choosing a vehicle which is fuel-efficient is an extremely wise decision. Not only will the driver of a fuel-efficient vehicle save a lot of money on gasoline purchases but will be doing their part to preserve the environment as well. These are two very valid reasons for choosing a vehicle which boasts good fuel economy.

Steven Anderson

Steven Anderson is the Reservations Director for Hawaiian Discount Car Rentals, specialists in Maui, Hawaii car rentals. He has personally driven to the top of Mauna Kea and rates it as one of the most panoramic views in his travels to Hawaii.

We have all heard a lot about [tag-tec]hybrid cars[/tag-tec] lately and with gasoline prices between two dollars and three dollars per gallon we are reading many articles in the newspapers, magazines and industry trade journals too, but where are all these hybrids we have been promised? There were only 12 hybrid models on the market in 2005 - 2006.

It appears that there are now some 52 models in the works and slated for 2012 as our research indicates. There is significant demand, but still the price point is off over $15,000 over reality for the average new car buyer.

More and more Americans are considering buying a [tag-ice]hybrid car[/tag-ice], in fact when surveyed 33% of all Americans say they would consider buying a highbred for their next car. Since the average person buys a car every three to four years that means if there were more hybrids available to buy that we would see a whole lot more on the road, but production is not keeping up.

The problem is; is that very few of the cars being built today are hybrids and part of the reason is that they cost more to build. In fact the percentage of hybrids to regular models was less than 1% of the 17 million cars built in 2005 and 2006.

Why are people interested in buying hybrid cars? Well when asked nearly all of them said their number one reason was to improve fuel economy. And only a few really were considering their number one reason was the fact that it would help the environment.

Hybrid Cars

Energy Tags: alternative, energy resources

Canadian Federal Government & Sustainable Development Technology Canada announce funding contributions to the Integrated Waste Hydrogen Utilization Project (IWHUP).

North Vancouver, BC (PRWEB) October 14, 2005 — The Honourable David L. Emerson, Minister of Industry, Honourable Don Bell, Member of Parliament for North Vancouver and Vicky J. Sharpe of Sustainable Development Technology Canada, today announced a $12.2 million contribution to support the demonstration of the Integrated Waste Hydrogen Utilization Project (IWHUP) in the Vancouver area.

IWHUP will demonstrate innovative clean energy solutions that make use of an existing but currently untapped source of hydrogen fuel ? hydrogen emitted as the by-product of a sodium chlorate manufacturing plant in the North Vancouver area. When utilized in fuel cells and related technologies, hydrogen offers the potential to significantly reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants in Canada and around the world. By making use of this fuel source right here in North Vancouver, this project will demonstrate the viability of using hydrogen captured as a by-product in real-life applications, opening the door to future opportunities across Canada.

?Protecting our environment calls on industry, government and individual Canadians to participate and cooperate in a meaningful way, making changes that have an impact,? said Minister Emerson.

?Projects like this demonstrate a public and private sector commitment to making the hydrogen economy a reality, and to promoting innovation and demonstration of the real potential of green energy technologies here in Canada,? added Don Bell.

?The Government of Canada continues to work with Canadians to research and develop clean energy solutions and innovative approaches to energy production,? said the Honourable John McCallum, Minister of National Revenue and Acting Minister of Natural Resources, on behalf of the Honourable St?phane Dion, Minister of the Environment. ?By supporting projects such as the Integrated Waste Hydrogen Utilization Project, we can help build a solid foundation for moving forward on climate change and ensuring our future prosperity.?

As part of IWHUP Easywash will make a sizable cash contribution to the project and be the host for the demonstration of the fuel cell system fuelled with hydrogen from the project. This phase of IWHUP is in partnership with Sacr?-Davey Innovations Inc. and Nuvera Fuel Cells. The fuel cell will provide the majority of the electricity demands for the carwash as well as heat the building and water used to wash vehicles at Easywash. This is the first such application of a hydrogen fuel cell in the carwash industry.

?Our partnership in IWHUP only goes to further Easywash’s commitment to working toward the Triple Bottom Line; having a positive impact on our local community socially, environmentally and economically.? said Geoff Baker, President of Easywash. ?We are proud to be a part of this groundbreaking project (IWHUP) and look forward to assisting the overall development of a sustainable hydrogen energy economy in Canada.?

Other participants in IWHUP include: Clean Energy, Dynetek Industries Ltd., Great West Life Realty Advisors, Hydrogen Technology & Energy Corporation, Powertech Labs, Questair Technologies Inc., and TransLink.

For more information about Easywash please contact:

Easywash Inc.
Geoff Baker - President
Toll Free Phone/Fax
1-888-ECO-FRIENDLY (326-3743)
www.easywash.ca

Hydrogen Fuel