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With the increasing concern about environmental issues such as pollution and global warming, as well as the unbelievable rise in the price of gasoline, it is no wonder thathybrid vehicles are gaining popularity. Hybrid cars have been relatively common for years, with hybrid Sport Utility Vehicles in close competition, but what about hybrid trucks? We don't see those too often. Automotive manufacturing giant General Motors, however, believes that will change.

In 2005, GM introduced [tag-tec]hybrid [/tag]versions of the Chevy Silverado and the GMC Sierra in Florida, California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and Alaska. In 2006 the company made the vehicles available nationwide. These hybrid pickup trucks have 5.3 liter V-8 engines which have exactly the same amount of power and torque as there non-hybrid counterparts (295 horsepower, 325 pound/feet of torque). They can carry the same size loads, tow the same weights, and accelerate to the same degree that regular non-hybrid GM pickup trucks can. And they do it all while providing the most efficient gas mileage of any full-sized pickup on the market—about 20 miles per gallon on the highway. These hybrid trucks also feature a 2400 watt generator that can be used to power electrical devices, making them ideal for contractors or construction workers.

When compared to the Toyota Prius, a small hybrid car that gets 50 miles per gallon, 20 mpg might not sound like much. It is in fact only about a 10 percent difference from the fuel consumption of regular non-hybrid GM trucks. This is because the Prius is what is known as a “full hybrid,” which means that its internal combustion engine can shut off completely when the car is idle or driving at low speeds, relying solely on battery power and drastically improving fuel efficiency. This type of fuel savings is great, but it requires a significant compromise of power, which is something that the general pickup truck owner simply will not stand for.

Many truck owners use their vehicles for work related purposes, such as hauling heavy loads, and it is essential that a hybrid pickup truck be able to do this. If automotive manufacturers sacrifice power to gain fuel economy in hybrid trucks, their customers will disappear. Acutely aware of this, General Motors has decided that a little improvement is better than none at all.

Hybrid Cars and Trucks and the Environment

With fossil fuel emissions at levels of billions of tons per year and global warming becoming increasingly obvious, it is clear that sooner or later something must be done. For decades, scientists and researchers have tried to find alternative fuel sources, but there simply was nothing as convenient as the old standby—oil. The oil infrastructure is so vast and developed that is has become impossible to think of cars without thinking of gasoline, and many Americans are loath to change. But they must. Every major city in the country—New York, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, and most notably Las Angeles—is plagued by pollution. The cities are shrouded by smog, there are pollution warnings on weather reports, and at times it is impossible even to take a deep breath without noticing that something is wrong with the air. This is not a world that most of us want to live in. But if more people are willing to take the plunge and buy a hybrid car or truck, the effects over time will be enormous. A hybrid truck might be more expensive initially, but the fuel savings will soon make it worthwhile. And as hybrid technology improves, the cost of these vehicles will no doubt be reduced, making the future a lot brighter, and a lot less smoggy, for the next generation of Earthlings.

Are you a Greenie? Are you tired of ridiculous GAS PRICES? Check out Dan's hybrid car blog for the latest inside scoop on all things hybrid! Save the environment and save some $$$.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Riffle http://EzineArticles.com/?Hybrid-Trucks—Its-About-Time!&id=574716

Energy Tags: hybrid, hybrid car

Over the past 15 years, small pickup trucks in North America have transformed from somewhat practical mini-haulers into slightly smaller versions of their bigger cousins in the full-size market.

This steroidal growth has made these ostensibly smaller pickups much more capable than their initial versions, particularly when it comes to hauling and towing capacity, but their size has made them less practical in an urban environment.

Enter Toyota, who has apparently decided that what the world really needs is a truck that isn’t quite big enough to be useful, but still isn’t quite small enough to be convenient.

Energy Tags: alternative energy, battery technology

Wind power

Meeting the growing demand for wind power in Europe will be a struggle, according to a report.

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Energy Tags: energy resources, clean energy

Bio diesel fuels (made from plant or animal fats and some form of alcohol) are used by many localities, to run trucks or buses. But vegetable oil has some legal barriers. Vegetable oil has to be certified by the federal government for use as a motor oil.

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Of the fossil fuels, natural gas is the cleanest source of energy to use for many of our every day needs and activities. It plays an important part in reducing pollution so that a clean and healthy environment can be maintained. Because of its almost perfect combustion process, very few byproducts are emitted into the atmosphere as pollutants. The environmentally friendly attributes of natural gas reduce air pollution.

Composed primarily of methane, the main products of the combustion of natural gas are carbon dioxide and water vapor which are the same compounds we exhale when we breathe. Unlike other fossil fuels, the combustion of natural gas releases very small amounts of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, virtually no ash or particulate matter, and low levels of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and other reactive hydrocarbons.

Transportation vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, and buses contribute greatly to the air pollution in the United States. This kind of air pollution makes for low visibility, smog, and various greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), more than 80 percent of air pollution in cities is produced by transportation vehicles. Natural gas can be used to cut down on these high levels of pollution from gasoline and diesel powered cars, trucks, and buses.

According to the EPA, vehicles operating on compressed natural gas have reductions in carbon monoxide emissions of up to 97 percent and reductions in carbon dioxide emissions of 25 percent. Nitrogen oxide emissions, and other non-methane hydrocarbon emissions could all be reduced drastically. Because of the relatively simple makeup of natural gas, there are fewer toxic and carcinogenic emissions from vehicles running on natural gas.

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Energy Tags: natural gas