Welcome to our Chemistry 333 website on hybrid and electric
cars. This
site presents and explores these two rising alternatives to the
regular internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in the automobile
industry today. Environmental concerns such as vehicular emissions
of carbon dioxide and pollutant gases as well as political issues
like national dependence on foreign oil have induced scientists
to find ways of changing traditional automobiles. While neither
is set to take over the automobile industry permanently, both hybrids
and electric cars are being greatly explored in the immense search
and need for the next generation of automobiles which are more
efficient, use alternatives to fossil fuels, and are safer for
the environment.
For the short term, hybrid vehicles that still
use a combustion engine offer an efficient alternative to conventional
automobiles. Over the long term, zero emission vehicles (ZEVs)
such as electric or fuel cell cars offer the best option for an
environmentally friendly transportation system.
Check out the links to the left to learn in depth
about hybrid and electric cars, the environmental importance and
impact of these vehicles, and some key prospects and issues for
the future of the automobile industry.
|
