| Described by CIA Director James Woolsey: "A plug-in | | | | longer distances -- an electric car that runs clean and |
| hybrid is an electric car with an insurance policy - a | | | | efficiently without pollution, with a back-up system to |
| gas engine." | | | | ensure operation at all times. |
| No better description can I find than that. A solar | | | | The Kelley Book, a widely used reference for |
| powered hybrid is a vehicle that relies primarily on solar | | | | establishing vehicle value lists the following hybrid |
| powered electricity. However, to supplement and | | | | models as available in the United States for 2010 and |
| ensure operation, most also have a gas engine that | | | | 2011: |
| kicks in under certain pre-specified conditions, or when | | | | · Toyota Prius |
| the battery is depleted. | | | | · Honda Insight |
| There are two types of hybrid cars on the market | | | | · Toyota Camry |
| today...one is called a PHEV, or a plug-in hybrid, and the | | | | · Ford Fusion |
| other is simply a hybrid. The difference between the | | | | · Honda Civic |
| two hybrids is the battery. A PHEV has a battery | | | | · Toyota Highlander |
| capacity about 10 times that of the normal hybrid | | | | · Ford Escape |
| battery, and can be recharged by plugging into an | | | | · Lexus, various hybrid models: RX & GS 450h, HS |
| electrical outlet. A standard hybrid vehicle has a smaller | | | | 250h, LS 600h |
| battery, and recharges an electric motor that runs in | | | | · Nissan Altima |
| conjunction with the gas engine by its operation. By | | | | · Mercedes-Benz S-Class & ML-Class |
| true definition, a solar powered hybrid car would be | | | | · Cadillac Escalade |
| either the standard hybrid vehicle, or a PHEV that was | | | | · Chevrolet Tahoe |
| charged on a solar energy system. | | | | · Mercury Mariner & Milan |
| New advances in batteries are making the movement | | | | · BMW X6 |
| to full solar powered cars with zero emission vehicle | | | | · Chevrolet Malibu |
| for families, as well as individuals, and commercial use, | | | | · GMC Yukon |
| more and more viable. Many people with solar vehicles | | | | · Saturn VUE and Aura |
| are opting for solar panels on their roofs for a solar | | | | · Chevrolet Silverado (pick-up) 1500 |
| system used to charge their vehicles and, in many | | | | · GMC Sierra (pick-up) 1500 Crew Cab |
| cases, also create all the electricity necessary to run | | | | Their "top 10 green cars for 2010" list sites the following |
| their homes. However, until electric vehicles can | | | | hybrids (in reverse order): |
| operate for the same long distances without | | | | 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid |
| recharging as a standard vehicle can currently go | | | | 2010 Toyota Highlander Hybrid |
| between gas or diesel fill-ups, hybrids can provide the | | | | 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid |
| best solution. | | | | 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid |
| If the cost to the environment for continuing to use | | | | 2010 Honda Insight (hybrid) |
| fossil fuels for our vehicles were considered...even for | | | | 2010 Toyota Prius (hybrid) |
| a minute...in the calculation of cost per mile, solar | | | | Change comes slowly for all of us. With political |
| powered, or solar powdered hybrid cars would be the | | | | pressure by industry lobbyists slowing progress in this |
| only ones parked in our driveways and garages today. | | | | arena, it's going to be up to us to not only embrace the |
| Absent entrenched economic interests and politics, | | | | move to solar energy, particularly for our vehicles, but |
| solar power would be in a far different place today | | | | to pressure our political representatives to provide the |
| than it is. | | | | right kinds of incentives that will quickly bring solar |
| The electric hybrid, or a solar powered hybrid car is, | | | | energy to parity... and then allow it to quickly eclipse |
| for the moment, the best option available for driving | | | | and collapse our dependence...on fossil fuels. |