Car Corner

The Dodge corporation has made some nice sedans over the years, and the 2009 Dodge Avenger SXT will not disappoint loyal Dodge customers. A stylish and classy sedan, the 2009 Dodge Avenger SXT has the features of a luxury car, just in a little smaller version and at a greatly reduced price. The 2009 Dodge Avenger SXT starts at only ,255, and gets excellent gas mileage – 21 miles per gallon in the city and 30 miles per gallon on the highway. The best part of this is the ability to do so while driving in comfort and style.

For dependability and performance, the 2009 Dodge Avenger SXT is as good as any in it’s class. With a 2.4 Liter, 4 cylinder DOHC 16 valve engine that has a 173 Horsepower output, the 2009 Dodge Avenger SXT can hold it’s own with most other sedans. The 4 speed automatic transmission, power rack-and-pinion steering and front stabilizer bar ensures a smooth ride with good control in all conditions. The power front disc and rear drum brakes on the 2009 Dodge Avenger SXT makes for certain stopping in all weather.

The external appearance on the 2009 Dodge Avenger SXT will make a great first impression on the consumer, and will make you look twice at the sticker price. It is difficult to believe a car that looks like this costs so little. With 16 inch steel wheels with wheel covers and all season tires and body color door handles and grille, the 2009 Dodge Avenger is a looker. The front and rear solar glass and tinted glass windows make the 2009 Dodge Avenger SXT look more like a small limousine than a mid-size sedan. Available in inferno red crystal pearl, tor red, light sandstone metallic and 5 other vibrant colors, the 2009 Dodge Avenger SXT gives consumers a nice range of options.

The interior of the 2009 Dodge Avenger has all of the comforts of home – and a few home doesn’t have. With cloth low back bucket seats, an electroluminescent instrument cluster and a floor console with a sliding armrest makes driving a joy. The 2009 Dodge Avenger SXT has a sport steering wheel, a tilt and telescoping steering column, air conditioning, and power and window and door locks. The audio system on the 2009 Dodge Avenger SXT consists of an AM/FM stereo with a CD player and MP3 capabilities with 4 outstanding speakers.

The safety of the 2009 Dodge Avenger SXT is more than required to make all occupants feel protected. Advanced multi-stage front airbags, supplemental side curtain airbags, and rear door child protection locks are superior features. The 2009 Dodge Avenger SXT also has a quality security alarm illuminated entry and a tire pressure monitor.

The 2009 Dodge Avenger is a quality car at an excellent price, and is sure to easily please most consumers searching for a beautiful sedan.

The Lexus GS 300 is one of the less common luxury cars on the road. The GS sedans from Lexus pride themselves on “rebellious luxury”, basically making them the quickest Lexus sedans (with the exception of any performance lexus, of course) made by the upper-class division of Toyota Co. Indeed, as many reviewers will testify, the Lexus mid-size power sedan lives up to its name.

The No. 1 item to consider when buying a Lexus is whether you want dependability from your car. If you aren\’t too interested in reliability, Lexus may not be for you. However, for those of us who enjoy a car starting up when we turn that key, the GS 300 satisfies, delivers, and breaks performance benchmarks. The second generation of the GS (of which the GS 300 is a part of) was in production from 1997 – 2004. An excellent quality GS 300 with about 90,000 miles on it will cost you about 10k (2001 year model). That is a great price for someone who wants luxury on the value. Since its a Lexus, these babies will last you for years, and the mileage is no significant detour because of the company’s legendary reliability.

Lexus parts do cost quite a pretty penny, however the low replacement rate as compared to competitors such as chrysler, mercedes, and bmw makes it less costly over a period of time. The second generation Lexus styling isn’t the most bold (in fact it is supposed to be more subtle of a design). The interior, however, is luxurious and grand. The seats, steering wheel, and shifter are all leather so be careful during the summer months not to get burnt (I have). The sports package, which I was lucky as to own for a year, is an extensive package that includes much from chrome rims with the lexus marquee to an increased limiter and sports suspension. Also, remember the GS 400 is also available for those who desire more power.

The GS 400 is the powerful twin to the economical GS 300. Expect to spend about a few thousand extra for the upgrade. MPGs will suffer, but you are looking at a massive horsepower increase (from 228 hp to 300 hp). The GS 300 will reach from 0 – 60 in 7.6 seconds while its brother will do that feat in a mere 5.4 seconds. The 400 was upgraded in 2001 to the GS 430, which featured the same specs but with an increased torque.

Other miscellanious additions to the GS (many of which occured in the 2nd generation’s facelift in 2001) include woodtrim on the inside, paddle shifters on the steering wheel, a clearer (and red-er) upgrade to the taillights, and optional xenon lights.

The Lexus GS 300 is a beautiful sedan that has a smooth ride with the touch of youth. It is quite speedy compared to other Lexus models with modest power. It is for the subtle, intellectual, power-loving car driver. If you are in the market for an inexpensive luxury car, consider Lexus’ second-generation GS series. You won’t be sorry.

Hybrid cars are considered as the car of the future. It is able to effectively conserve fuel and at the same time, it only produces low levels of toxic fumes. Because of these benefits, hybrid cars are now growing in popularity every single day. Many people are now considering getting rid of their conventional cars and purchase a hybrid car to help in cutting fuel consumption cost.

Hybrid cars have two engines for it to effectively conserve fuel consumption. It has the traditional gasoline engine and it also has an electric motor and batteries. The two engines work together in order to cut fuel consumption. With this technology, you will be able to cut fuel usage by more than half. Just imagine, with a hybrid car, you will be able to go more than 60 miles to the gallon. With this kind of savings, hybrid cars are definitely the car of the future.

Hybrid car owners virtually do not feel the increasing cost in fuel prices. This is the main advantage of the hybrid car. There are other advantages that a hybrid car can give you. Recently, the President of the United States has signed an agreement that hybrid car buyers will be able to enjoy tax incentives. This means that by owning a hybrid car, you will be able to save money on taxes.

There are other benefits that the government imposes on hybrid car owners, such as free parking, and free entry to car pool lanes. Some even offer discounted fees on toll gates.

The braking in hybrid cars is also configured to capture the energy released and uses it to charge the batteries inside the hybrid car. This means that unlike electric cars, hybrid cars do not actually need to be charged from your home electric outlet.

However, with all the advantages that a hybrid car can give you, there are also disadvantages. The main disadvantage of hybrid cars is that the retail price is quite expensive. Only people who have enough money can purchase hybrid cars. However, the twist in all this is that hybrid cars are actually cheaper when compared to conventional cars in the long run. If you compute the total fuel consumption of both cars, you will actually see that you can save a lot more money on hybrid cars.

The only thing is that hybrid cars are expensive right from the car lot.

Hybrid cars are relatively heavy because of the heavy batteries installed inside the car. This is why hybrid car manufacturers integrates smaller internal combustion engines and are constructed with light materials and should be aerodynamic in order to maximize efficiency. This means that hybrid cars can never really go fast.

Another issue about hybrid cars is that it is very risky in accidents. What makes a hybrid car work effectively is also what makes it risky if it ever gets involved in an accident. This is because hybrid cars stores high amount of voltage in its batteries. This means that there is a high chance of getting electrocuted when you get involved in an accident. This also means that it is relatively difficult for rescuers to get the drivers and passengers out of the hybrid cars because of the dangers of high voltage in the car.

These are the advantages and the disadvantages of hybrid cars. Car manufacturers today are now looking for ways to get rid of the disadvantages of hybrid cars. In the near future, you will see that hybrid cars will be lighter and also contains less risk due to high voltage dangers.

Aftermarket Auto Lights to Match Ultimate Driving Machine’s High Standards

Aftermarket   abound in the market nowadays, making it easier for anyone to upgrade, repair, customize or refurbish his vehicle. Various kinds of replacement car, truck and other auto parts and accessories can be easily bought and they are offered in very affordable deals not only for auto mechanics and retail store owners but most especially to individual do-it-yourself users who want to save in their repair needs. Even stock automotive parts of major European makes that used to be so hard to replace are now conveniently offered in thousands of auto parts stores online.

  are among the most finely made car parts in the industry—parts that make a BMW the “Ultimate Driving Machine.” That tagline isn’t pure hype that’s meant only to attract people; it’s a statement based on BMW’s almost century-old tradition of excellence in manufacturing aircraft engines, railway brakes and automobiles. It is only apt to replace stock BMW parts with equally high quality replacement or aftermarket BMW parts that could match this vehicle’s performance. Exterior parts such as the auto lights, the wheels, the hood and other body parts require precision to be able to live up to BMW’s perfect balance of form and function.

Now the good news is Auto Parts Discount is offering the most sophisticated aftermarket automotive lights for BMW cars and thousands of other BMW auto parts. Featured in the store are BMW parts such as auto  , taillights, fog lights, corner lights and clear    made by top car parts manufacturers and are guaranteed superior quality. They are perfect ways to improve not only your car’s safety but as well as its style. All BMW headlamps, taillights, and fog lights from this store are superbly designed to match every spec of your BMW, whether it’s a BMW 3 series, BMW 4 series or BMW M roadster.

Why get aftermarket auto lights for your BMW? Aftermarket auto parts do not mean inferior. Some non-OEM auto lights may not meet high quality standards of your vehicle manufacturer but this is not true to all, especially when you are getting replacement parts from trusted BMW dealers like Auto Parts Wholesale. Here you are assured to get the most dependable products for your BMW ranging from BMW auto lights to  , radiator support,   , tarter and a whole lot more.

Lights such as the headlamps, fog lights and tail lights are very essential in your vehicle so they must be durable and reliable enough to give you the long quality service. When driving through unfamiliar and dark places, driving without auto lights is like committing suicide, so make sure you are equipped with premium quality lights that could not only light up your way and make your car visible as you move down the road but could give you peace of mind no matter how bad the weather or the circumstances are.

When it debuted in 2006, it could have easily been considered an oxymoron — a luxury, hybrid sport utility vehicle? But with its series of upgrades, the newly named Lexus RX 450h has become mainstream in its short tenure.

The RX 450h no longer attracts a “wow-factor” response because it initiated a new vehicle segment. Instead, it garners attention for the same reasons as its siblings — class. In short, it deserves the manufacturer’s luxury brand high praise reputation.

The Weekly Driver’s Ratings

Acceleration (5)
An increase of 27 horsepower to 295 is one of the numerous changes this year. The vehicle is also 400 pounds heavier. The new statistics don’t make a lot of acceleration difference. The hybrid won’t win a drag race off the line. But when a powerful, steady burst is necessary, the 450h is quicker than some SUVs I’ve driven equipped with V8s.

Braking/Steering/Handling (6)
Steady, firm braking with a surprisingly small turning radius. When facing a parallel parking scenario or maneuvering through tight parking spots in the mall, I nearly forget I was driving an SUV. The new Lexus, in a word, is nimble — particularly considering its size.

Cargo Room (7)
There’s 40 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat. That’s substantial, and didn’t go unnoticed by the review experts at Edmunds.com. They pointed out a Toyota Sienna minivan has about 43 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place. The hybrid RX has a deep center console and there’s also a substantial cargo area just below the center stack. It’s a unique use of space and with easy access. There’s no third seat option.

Controls (7)
Intuitive, classic design, small learning curve, perfectly positioned. The Lexus RX 450h is a luxury car,  right. Would you expect anything less?

Details (7)
Real wood is used as accents in the cabin. The rear seat slides and reclines with ease. Lexus manufacturers cars with a purpose. Materials are first-class, used in a well orchestrated smooth design with all parts ideally positioned. It’s like driving while sitting in a interior decorator’s family room. Standard equipment is impressive: alloy wheels, multi-adjustable power front seats, a power tilt-telescoping steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control and a nine-speaker stereo.

Front Seats (7)
Quality leather, ideal firmness and more than adequate, foot, leg and head room. Sit in the driver’s seat and it’s not too dissimilar from being at the head of the table at a dinner party and being in control of the serving platters and utensils — and liking it.

Fuel Economy (8)
You want 50 mpg, this ain’t the car. But in its unique designation as a midsized luxury SUV, the RX 450h has the best fuel economy in its class with estimates of 30 mpg (city) and 28 mpg (hwy). The hybrid can function in gas-engine-only, electric-only or combination modes depending on conditions.

Quietness (7)
Like all hybrids, there’s an adjustment for anyone operating a hybrid for the first time. Is the engine on? Is the engine off? It’s hard to tell. The RX 450h is quiet during city and highway driving, although like many other hybrids, the transition from electric to gas engine is audible.

Rear Seats (7)
Rear passengers can get comfortable thanks to the seat’s reclining and sliding adjustments. That seat is split 40/20/40 for passenger comfort and cargo-carrying flexibility.

Ride Quality (7)
Among several several key highlights throughout the brand is the Lexus smooth, tight ride. The 450h is no different. The suspension is soft and some have complained it’s “spongy.” I didn’t notice anything but comfort at any speed and in any driving circumstance.

Total (68 out of  100)

Class — hybrid SUV.

For standard equipment/option package information, visit: http://www.lexus.com.

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) —  ,250,00

Price As Driven — ,115.00

Mileage Estimates — 30 mpg (city), 28 mpg (hwy).

Warranty —  Bumper-to-bumper, 4 years/50,000 miles; Powertain, 6 years/70,000 miles; Corrosion, 6 years/unlimited miles; Hybrid battery/components, 8 years/100,000 miles.

What Others Say:

“The 2010 Lexus RX 450h pleases green do-gooders and upscale shopaholics alike. Driving enthusiasts, though, should look elsewhere.”

—- CarConnection.com

“The 2010 Lexus RX 450h drives a lot like its gas-powered RX 350 sibling, delivering both a smooth ride and reasonably tight handling despite its extra weight (which is only noticeable when changing direction at higher speeds).”

—- Edmunds.com

The Weekly Driver’s Final Words:

“It’s a hybrid just like the hot-selling Toyota Prius. But who knew more than a decade ago, one hybrid (Prius) would get nearly twice the gas mileage as another hybrid (the Lexus RX 450h)? The Prius defines economy and efficiency; The Lexus RX 450h defines as good as luxury and efficiency can get in an SUV.  It’s hard not to like once the sticker shock subsides.”

when most people are perfectly happy with their gasoline-powered cars. The reason is twofold: to reduce tailpipe emissions and to improve mileage. The current standards require that the average mileage of all the new cars sold by an automaker should be 27.5 mpg (8.55 liters per 100 km). This means that if an automaker sells one hybrid car that gets 60 mpg (3.92 liters per 100 km), it can then sell four big, expensive luxury cars that only get 20 mpg (11.76 liters per 100 km)! when a car pulled up to the gas pump lately and been shocked by the high price of gasoline? As the pump clicked past or , maybe you thought about trading in car for something that gets better mileage. Or maybe worried that the car is contributing to the greenhouse effect. The auto industry has the technology to address these concerns. It’s the hybrid car. You’re probably aware of hybrid.

Any vehicle is a hybrid when it combines two or more sources of power. This is an improvement over the electric car, which uses gasoline engine along with electric motor powered by batteries. In the seriessystem of the hybrid car engine driven generator is employed to recharge the batteries while the electric motor drives the car. Where as in parallel system the heat engine is directly connected to the electric motor.

The key to a hybrid car is that the gasoline engine can be much smaller than the one in a conventional car and therefore more efficient.

INTRODUCTION

We might wonder why anyone would build such a complicated machine when most people are perfectly happy with their gasoline-powered cars. The reason is twofold: to reduce tailpipe emissions and to improve mileage. The  emissions standards dictate how much of each type of pollution a car is allowed to emit in to atmosphere. The amount is usually specified in grams per mile (g/mi). The low emissions vehicle (LEV) standard allows 3.4 g/mi of carbon monoxide.

The key thing here is that the amount of pollution allowed does not depend on the mileage of the car gets. But a car that burns twice as much gas to go a mile will generate approximately twice as much pollution. That pollution will have to be removed by the emissions control equipment on the car. So decreasing the fuel consumption of the car is one of the surest ways to decrease emissions. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is another type of pollution a car produces. The government does not regulate it, but scientists suspect that it contributes to global warming. Since it is not regulated, a car has no devices for removing CO2 from the exhaust, so a car that burns twice as much gas adds twice as much CO2 to the atmosphere. Automakers have another strong incentive to improve mileage. They are required by law to meet Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. The current standards require that the average mileage of all the new cars sold by an automaker should be 27.5 mpg (8.55 liters per 100 km). This means that if an automaker sells one hybrid car that gets 60 mpg (3.92 liters per 100 km).

What is hybrid?

Any vehicle is a hybrid when it combines two or more sources of power. In fact, many people have probably owned a hybrid vehicle at some point. For example, a mo-ped (a motorized pedal bike) is a type of hybrid because it combines the power of a gasoline engine with the pedal power of its rider.

Hybrid vehicles are all around us. Most of the locomotives we see pulling trains are diesel-electric hybrids. We have diesel-electric trains — these can draw electric power from overhead wires or run on diesel when they are away from the wires. Giant mining trucks are often diesel-electric hybrids.

The gasoline-electric hybrid car is just that — a cross between a gasoline-powered car and an electric car.

How hybrid car works:

The below figure shows a gas-powered car. It has a fuel tank, which supplies gasoline to the engine. The engine then turns a transmission, which turns the wheels. an electric car, which has a set of batteries that provides electricity to an electric motor. The motor turns a transmission, and the transmission turns the wheels.

Hybrid structure:

 Two types of hybrid system have been  employed

1.Parallel system:

it has a fuel tank, which supplies gasoline to the engine. But it also has a set of batteries that supplies power to an electric motor. Both the engine and the electric motor can turn the transmission at the same time, and the transmission then turns the wheels. a typical parallel hybrid car notice that the fuel tank and gas engine connect to the transmission. The batteries and electric motor also connect to the transmission independently. As a result, in a parallel hybrid, both the electric motor and the gas engine can provide propulsion power.

2.Series system:

By contrast, in a series hybrid the gasoline engine turns a generator, and the generator can either charge the batteries or power an electric motor that drives the transmission. Thus, the gasoline engine never directly powers the vehicle.

Hybrid car configuration:

Hybrid cars contain the following parts:

Gasoline engine - The hybrid car has a gasoline engine much like the one you will find on most cars. However, the engine on a hybrid is smaller and uses advanced technologies to reduce emissions and increase efficiency.

Fuel tank- The fuel tank in a hybrid is the energy storage device for the gasoline engine. Gasoline has a much higher energy density than batteries do. For example, it takes about 1,000 pounds of batteries to store as much energy as 1 gallon (7 pounds) of gasoline.

Electric motor- The electric motor on a hybrid car is very sophisticated. Advanced electronics allow it to act as a motor as well as a generator. For example, when it needs to, it can draw energy from the batteries to accelerate the car. But acting as a generator, it can slow the car down and return energy to the batteries.

Generator.- The generator is similar to an electric motor, but it acts only to produce electrical power. It is used mostly on series hybrids.

Batteries - The batteries in a hybrid car are the energy storage device for the electric motor. Unlike the gasoline in the fuel tank, which can only power the gasoline engine, the electric motor on a hybrid car can put energy into the batteries as well as draw energy from them.

Transmission- The transmission on a hybrid car performs the same basic function as the transmission on a conventional car. Some hybrids have conventional transmissions. Others  radically different ones.

Hybrid system operates in four phases:

Start/Stop- When we turn the ignition key of the  Hybrid car, the electric motor comes to life. The electric motor, in turn, starts the gasoline engine. The car then performs a series of checks to determine if it can switch to electric-only operation: It checks to see if the batteries are charged, if the operating temperatures are okay and if interior climate control settings are in the appropriate range (the air conditioning’s maximum setting requires the gasoline engine to run). If everything checks out, the engine will then shut off, leaving the car running under electric-only power. This process only takes a second or two.

When we come to a stop in the  Hybrid car, the gasoline engine actually shuts off. The car runs on electric-only while you’re at a stoplight or waiting in line at the drive-thru. The hybrid put a lot of effort into making the gasoline engine on-off cycles as smooth and seamless as possible, but testers reported a discernible shudder in the vehicle when the engine went on or off. This is common to all hybrid cars.

Electric Drive- As the Hybrid car accelerates from a stop, it does so under electric power. Electric motors are good at generating torque at lower rpm ranges, so they’re perfect for this purpose. At about 25 mph, the gasoline engine starts back up. If we are driving in heavy city traffic, we could go all day using only electric power. The electric motor and gasoline engine operate in tandem up to highway cruising speeds.

Regenerative Braking- Whenever we apply the brakes on a car, the kinetic energy of the car’s movement is dissipated as heat. In a hybrid car, the brakes take some of that energy and, using the electric motor as a generator, put power back into the batteries. This is why hybrids actually get better mileage in start/stop city driving than they do on open highways. Every red light recharges the batteries.

Electric Assisted Cruising - At highway cruising speeds (roughly 50 to 70 mph or 80 to 110 kph), the gasoline engine does most of the work. It’s most efficient at this speed range. But because the Hybrid car has a small, four-cylinder engine, it needs a little help when passing. When a speed boost is called for, the electric motor kicks in and adds its horsepower to that of the gasoline engine.

The “Power Split Device”

The power split device is the heart of the hybrid car. This is a clever gearbox that hooks the gasoline engine, generator and electric motor together. It allows the car to operate like a parallel hybrid — the electric motor can power the car by itself, the gas engine can power the car by itself or they can power the car together.

Figure . The Prius planetary gear set

The power split device also allows the car to operate like a series hybrid — the gasoline engine can operate independently of the vehicle speed, charging the batteries or providing power to the wheels as needed. It also acts as a continuously variable transmission (CVT), eliminating the need for a manual or automatic transmission. Finally, because the power split device allows the generator to start the engine, the car does not need a starter.

The power split device is a planetary gear set . The electric motor is connected to the ring gear of the gear set. It is also directly connected to the differential, which drives the wheels. So, whatever speed the electric motor and ring gear spin at determines the speed of the car.

The generator is connected to the sun gear of the gear set, and the engine is connected to the planet carrier. The speed of the ring gear depends on all three components, so they all have to work together at all times to control the output speed.

Driving mechanism

When you accelerate, initially the electric motor and batteries provide all of the power. The ring gear of the power split device is connected to the electric motor, so it starts to spin with the motor. The planet carrier, which is connected to the engine, is stationary because the engine is not running. Since the ring gear is spinning, the planets have to spin, which causes the sun gear and generator to spin. As the car accelerates, the generator spins at whatever speed it needs to in order for the engine to remain off. You can see all of this in Figure.

Figure next page . power split device as the car accelerates from 0 to 30 mph.

Once the car reach about 40 mph (64 kph), the gasoline engine will turn on. The generator suddenly changes speed, causing the planet carrier to turn and start the engine. Once the engine is running, it settles into a constant speed while the generator varies its speed to match the output speed with the electric motor. If you are really accelerating hard, the motor will draw extra power from the batteries. Once you are up to freeway speed, the car will move under a combination of gas and electric power, with all of the electricity coming from the generator.

Efficient Engines for hybrid car

Most cars require a relatively big engine to produce enough power to accelerate the car quickly. In a small engine, however, the efficiency can be improved by using smaller, lighter parts, by reducing the number of cylinders and by operating the engine closer to its maximum load.

There are several reasons why smaller engines are more efficient than big ones:

The big engine is heavier than the small engine, so the car uses extra energy every time it accelerates or drives up a hill.

The pistons and other internal components are heavier, requiring more energy each time they go up and down in the cylinder.

The displacement of the cylinders is larger, so more fuel is required by each cylinder.

Bigger engines usually have more cylinders, and each cylinder uses fuel every time the engine fires, even if the car isn’t moving.

This explains why two of the same model cars with different engines can get different mileage. If both cars are driving along the freeway at the same speed, the one with the smaller engine uses less energy. Both engines have to output the same amount of power to drive the car, but the small engine uses less power to drive itself.

Hybrid Performance

The key to a hybrid car is that the gasoline engine can be much smaller than the one in a conventional car and therefore more efficient. But how can this smaller engine provide the power your car needs to keep up with the more powerful cars on the road? Let’s compare a car  with its big V-8 engine, to our hybrid car with its small gas engine and electric motor. The engine in the in V-8 has more than enough power to handle any driving situation. The engine in the hybrid car is powerful enough to move the car along on the freeway, but when it needs to get the car moving in a hurry, or go up a steep hill, it needs help. That “help” comes from the electric motor and battery — this system steps in to provide the necessary extra power.

The gas engine on a conventional car is sized for the peak power requirement (those few times when you floor the accelerator pedal). In fact, most drivers use the peak power of their engines less than one percent of the time. The hybrid car uses a much smaller engine, one that is sized closer to the average power requirement than to the peak power.

Hybrid Efficiency

Besides a smaller, more efficient engine, today’s hybrids use many other tricks to increase fuel efficiency. Some of those tricks will help any type of car get better mileage, and some only apply to a hybrid. To squeeze every last mile out of a gallon of gasoline, a hybrid car can:

Recover energy and store it in the battery – Whenever we step on the brake pedal in your car, we are removing energy from the car. The faster a car is going, the more kinetic energy it has. The brakes of a car remove this energy and dissipate it in the form of heat. A hybrid car can capture some of this energy and store it in the battery to use later. It does this by using “regenerative braking.” That is, instead of just using the brakes to stop the car, the electric motor that drives the hybrid can also slow the car. In this mode, the electric motor acts as a generator and charges the batteries while the car is slowing down.

Sometimes shut off the engine – A hybrid car does not need to rely on the gasoline engine all of the time because it has an alternate power source — the electric motor and batteries. So the hybrid car can sometimes turn off the gasoline engine, for example when the vehicle is stopped at a red light.

Figure 5. The frontal area profile of a small and large car

Advanced aerodynamics to reduce drag- When we are driving on the freeway, most of the work we`r engine does goes into pushing the car through the air. This force is known as aerodynamic drag. This drag force can be reduced in a variety of ways. One sure way is to reduce the frontal area of the car (Figure 5). Think of how a big SUV has to push a much greater area through the air than a tiny sports car.

Reducing disturbances around objects that stick out from the car or eliminating them altogether can also help to improve the aerodynamics. For example, covers over the wheel housings smooth the airflow and reduce drag. And sometimes, mirrors are replaced with small cameras.

Low-rolling resistance tires- The tires on most cars are optimized to give a smooth ride, minimize noise, and provide good traction in a variety of weather conditions. But they are rarely optimized for efficiency. In fact, the tires cause a surprising amount of drag while you are driving. Hybrid cars use special tires that are both stiffer and inflated to a higher pressure than conventional tires. The result is that they cause about half the drag of regular tires.

Lightweight materials- Reducing the overall weight of a car is one easy way to increase the mileage. A lighter vehicle uses less energy each time you accelerate or drive up a hill. Composite materials like carbon fiber or lightweight metals like aluminum and magnesium can be used to reduce weight.

Conclusion

Over the past four years, more than 100,000 hybrids have been sold in the United States.  Even though that’s not a huge percentage of the more than 17 million new cars and trucks that are sold in the U.S. each year, it’s enough of an incentive to get more manufacturers on the hybrid bandwagon. Analysts suggest that the market this year, alone, could muster up the sales of the past four combined.

Three hybrid cars are now available at present — the Honda Civic Hybrid, the Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius.

Skoda Auto India Private Limited has introduced Laura in 2005. The main policy behind the introduction of this luxury sedan is to create its attendance stronger in the luxury D-plus car section of India. The vehicle whether new or second hand offers cutting-edge engine technology, well-finished exteriors and elegant interiors. It has so much to present that can show to be an actual price for money. The car is particularly planned to outfit the Indian roads. It performs amazingly well and amazes you with its striking looks.

Skoda Laura due to superb and bold looks additionally with super performance is appropriate the matter of pride to the car owner and desire to the viewer. The most attractive alloy wheels make the looks better and superior. The sparkling fog lights are integrated on sleek colored front bumper of the vehicle. Xenon headlamps, with power washers, are the unique specifications of the sedan. The electrically variable side view mirrors are outfitted with front turn signal lamps. Body decorated door handles put in to the class of Skoda Laura.

The front of Laura is eye-catching and so is the rear side. Ease matters a lot in an automobile, but when it comes to Laura, it is the easiest thing to trouble about. It has a large boot space in the cabin. The attractive cushioned seats offer a high degree of coziness to their passengers.

Various specification such as rich leather upholstery, 4-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat, dual zone climatronic air conditioners, automatic sun roof sliders, sole storage compartment along with illuminated, refrigerated glove compartment are available in the vehicle. The excellent safety features include powerful windshield wiper with rain sensors, Anti-lock Braking System, Acceleration Skid Restrain system, Electronic Stability Program, Tire Pressure Monitoring and auto dimming rear-view mirror among others.

The safety specification of Skoda Laura has been joined with great care which can be seen on the official site as well as online classified website. Such safety specification ensures to the passenger that they will be saving during any event of accidents. The cabin of the vehicle is outfitted with six air bags, two in the front and two side bags. The rest two bags can be used as a safety screen. For the Indian car lovers, Skoda India Laura is offered in three different variants include Ambiente, Elegance and Laurin & Klement.

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Do you should have a Lexus Service in Bellevue WA? If so, you could have come to the best place. Bellevue Car Restore has several products for any type of vehicle, even a Lexus. The services obtainable are inexpensive and you’ll be able to be sure which you will probably be given total service for any type of Restoration which you could possibly must have. At Bellevue Automobile Fix, we pride ourselves in helping just about every individual fix their automobile. We have a wide range of experience and we have served men and women inside the following zip codes: 98004, 98005, 98006, 98007, 98008, 98009, 98015, 98101, 98111, and 98199. We know what you look for when you search for the right Lexus Service in Bellevue WA. We know exactly what you must have, and our deepest motive is always to enable you to.

We are not like any other Lexus Service in Bellevue WA. Regardless of whether you’ll need pre buyer inspections, brake Restore service, or even engine Fix providers, we can fix your car or truck and make it brand new. We also offer rentals if you might have no other automobile to use although We’re servicing your Lexus. If you’ll need a towing service, we have no qualms with providing that as well. By making use of us as your Lexus Service in Bellevue WA, you will acquire top quality service and top quality maintenance. We know how very difficult it should be to part along with your vehicle and put it into the hands of an unknown stranger. This is why we operate tough being kind and courteous to both you and your automobile. Furthermore, we run particular specials to help you pay for everything. As an example, We’re cu

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The new 2007 Lexus LS 460, the largest and most expensive sedan by Lexus is by far the best release so far by the luxury division of Toyota Motor Corporation. This fourth generation of the full-size RWD, which has been, for eighteen years, the flagship of Lexus has a more attractive and even more aggressive stance, thanks to Lexus new design style, L-Finesse.

The state-of-the-art exterior lighting features a Dual-swivel Adaptive Front Lighting System, with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps which are more energy-effective, durable, and brighter than conventional halogen headlamps.

The Intuitive Parking Assist uses sensors to alert drivers when they get too close to other parked cars, and with the help of the Advanced Parking Guidance System, this car will virtually park itself.

The electrochromic outside mirrors automatically reduce glare, when the light is too bright. A Smart Access Key activates both the doors and the ignition. The 19-inch wheels ensure an increased accuracy on handling.

The interior offers one of the most luxurious, executive-class seating available on the market: leather-trimmed seats, with a memory system which holds the driver’s and the passenger’s favorite position, the 8 GB hard-disk on the surround sound audio system, the voice-activated navigation system are but a few of the features which add up to making the Lexus LS 460 2007 one of the most comfortable cars available on the market.

A 4.6 liter engine with 380 hp and 367 lb-ft of torque (an amazing 36 percent more powerful than its predecessor) is actually the world’s first V8 engine which combines port and direct fuel injection, powering an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in a staggering 5.4 seconds.

Another novelty is the eight-speed automatic transmission, which, together with the direct injection system and the dual variable valve timing, significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions, earning this model a well-deserved certification as an Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV II).

The Dynamic Radar Cruise Control helps maintain a safe distance from car in front, and the Electronic Controlled Braking (ECB) system is set to increase the level of safety both in critical situations and while parking the car.

Its safety features include sophisticated airbag placement, for optimal protection for all passengers, the ECB, as mentioned above, ABS, both prepared by the Pre-Collision System, an advanced Tire Pressure Monitor System, and three-points seatbelts, ensuring a high level of protection in critical situations.

All features considered, the Lexus LS 460 2007 takes this combination of luxury, manageability and safety to new heights, bringing it ever closer to the much more expensive sedans from Rolls-Royce and Maybach.

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