HYBRID VEHICLE TRENDS IN 2006

**The Effect of Oil Prices on Conventional Cars

Oil prices all over the world have touched a new peak in 2005 forcing many potential car buyers to opt for fuel-efficient alternatives such as hybrid cars. With continuous rise of fuel prices, potential buyers of cars look for an alternative means to save the burden of exorbitant cost of running and maintaining a conventional car. This has led to the introduction of hybrid cars in the market. These hybrid cars became so popular that they were sold out immediately leaving many potential buyers to be put on the waiting list. Among the hybrid cars, the ones manufactured by Toyota and Honda were the most popular. Thus, the trends favoring increased demand for hybrid vehicle is likely to continue in 2006 and beyond.

**Demand for Hybrid Vehicles

Owing to heavy demand of hybrid cars the sales of conventional cars have plummeted down to such an extent that automakers have thrown in sops such as rebates, lower monthly payments, free maintenance and oil change for two years to attract customers towards conventional cars. It is unlikely that the sale of conventional cars is likely to go up even with these sops. This is primarily because of chances of further fuel price hike and growing concerns related to environmental pollution. This is a clear indication that 2006 would witness a further increase in the demand for hybrid cars.

**Why a Hybrid Car

Hybrid cars offer an ingenious way of overcoming the problems associated with conventional cars. Hybrid car has a gasoline engine and an electric motor. During acceleration, the hybrid gasoline engine runs the electric motor while it shuts down itself after sometime. There is no need to worry about recharging the batteries in a hybrid car because the gasoline engine will do so automatically. While braking for a long period, the electric motor takes over thereby reducing the dependency on gasoline engine and fuel, further reducing running cost of the vehicle. Moreover, the hybrid cars use the energy loss during deceleration and braking to charge the batteries, which further reduces the fuel dependence of hybrid cars.

**Hybrid Cars versus Electric Cars

Some people argue that why go for hybrid cars when you can have an electric car that not at all dependant on gasoline. However, in the end, hybrid cars are far better than the electric cars. An electric car can cover less distance without recharging its batteries than a hybrid car. An electric car battery requires a recharge every 80 to 160 km, whereas a hybrid car can charge its batteries with its gasoline engine without having to stop. The speed of the electric car is also limited to about 96 km per hour whereas this disadvantage of lower speed on speed highways is not there with a hybrid car.

Considering the aforementioned advantages, the hybrid cars may be the answer to the problems of global warming, climatic changes, rising fuel prices. Hybrid cars are the fuel-efficient vehicle for the future and thereby the experts foresee a positive trend for hybrid cars in 2006 and beyond.

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