Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid Pickup

Vehicles with larger, less fuel-efficient engines will benefit more from hybrid technology, thus big pickup trucks, vans and SUVs are prime candidates for the gas-saving benefits of hybrid technology. The Chevrolet Silverado hybrid pickup feature GM's 5300 Vortec V-8 and Hydra-Matic 4L60-E four-speed automatic transmission system, coupled with hybrid technology that delivers 10 to 12 percent improved fuel economy over GM half-ton pickups.

It features a powerful 42-volt lead-acid battery pack underneath the rear seat, an auxiliary starter-generator between the engine and the transmission, an electronic control module, and a regenerative braking system, which charges the battery while braking, and coasting.

With an auxiliary generator capability, the truck's generator can operate when the truck is parked without a key in the ignition. The hybrid Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups could power tools or appliances for up to 32 hours non-stop. This design shuts the engine down before the tank is emptied, allowing enough gas to drive to a station for refuelling. All power supply circuits are protected by a ground fault detection system to prevent overloads and short circuits.

A compact electric motor that generates up to 14,000 watts of continuous electric power makes this pickup truck more fuel-efficient. The main function of the triplet deep-cycle lead acid batteries is to serve the starter generator to instantly restart the engine. When the Silverado Hybrid comes to a stop while in Drive or Park, the engine will automatically shut off. When the driver takes his/her foot off the brake and puts it on the accelerator pedal, the engine re-starts automatically and almost seamlessly.

One feature of GM's Hybrid pickups that is likely to attract buyers is its double 120 volt power outlets inside the box near the tailgate, and another two 120 volt outlets inside the rear cab. These can be used for power tools, compressors, generators, heaters, appliances or any other electrical appliance. The outlets can be deactivated with a button on the dashboard to avoid any unauthorized use of the external 120 volts outlets.

The Silverado Hybrid extended cab is a comfortable, smooth-riding pickup with a quiet, V8 engine, a roomy cab with good ventilation and excellent outward visibility, and a rugged hard-wearing chassis.

Volkswagen Touran Hymotion: Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle

Car manufacturer know that rising oil prices and tougher environmental rules will increase the public's interest in vehicles that use less fuel with reduced tail pipe emissions.

Hybrids increase fuel efficiency by capturing the energy normally lost to friction braking and storing it in a battery for later use when driving power is again required. Different than internal combustion engine hybrids, Volkswagen's hydrogen fuel cell hybrid emits only water.

The VW Touran Hymotion has high-torque electric motor that draws its power from a fuel cell and is absolutely emission free. The standard version, driven by gasoline and diesel engines, which are as agile as they are economical, is by far the most successful van available in Germany. In the Touran HyMotion, an 80 kW electric motor provides vehement propulsion.

The core element of this fuel cell is an extremely thin plastic film (membrane). This spatially separates the reagents, hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is broken down into positively and negatively charged particles (protons and electrons). The protons are able to pass directly through the membrane, while the electrons take a more indirect route via an external current circuit, driving the electric motor. On the other side of the membrane, the protons, electrons and oxygen blend to form water (H2O).

The hydrogen is transported in gaseous form at 350 bar in a special tank fitted in the Touran. A capacity of 1.9 kg hydrogen when converted corresponds to the energy contained in 7.5 litres of petrol. In combination with the electric motor's high efficiency, this quantity of hydrogen provides the vehicle with a range of about 160 kilometres.

Mercury Mariner Hybrid

The Mercury Mariner Hybrid applies both gasoline engine and electric car motor, which gives a 50% gain in driving efficiency with a much lower emission. All this is achieved by the use of half dozen powertrain components, which work in perfect unison. Ford motor has 40 patents in hybrid engine technology and 70 pending.

"The greatest appeal of the Mercury Mariner Hybrid is that it satisfies both your environmental conscience and sense of style. Mariner Hybrid retains the clean, tailored appearance of the conventional Mariner," said Peter Horbury, Executive Director, North American Design.

Being a fully hybrid, the Mercury Mariner employs both series- and parallel-hybrid characteristics. The gasoline engine shuts down to conserve fuel during coasting, at stoplight, and at low speeds. The electric motor, taking up electricity from the battery, is able to drive the vehicle without assistance up to 25 miles per hour.

It has 2.3-liter DOHC Duratec four-cylinder engine with 2 ac electric motors with 250 D-size nickel-metal hydride batteries in a compact, rear-mounted, sealed package. The vehicle could go up to 25 mph with only electric power. The gas engine automatically shuts down at traffic light, during coasting or when vehicle is crawling at low speeds. 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid has a groovier fuel economy in city driving where electric motor runs the vehicle up to as much as 25 mph.

The Mariner hybrid has 16-inch, five-spoke aluminum wheels wrapped with 235/70R-16 all-season tires and a discreet air vent in the driver's side rear-quarter window that helps cool the rear-mounted nickel-metal hydride battery pack. It has an all-new Intelligent four-wheel drive System, which automatically carry-overs torque from front to rear as required by road conditions without driver intervention.

Mariner powertrains include a 2.3-liter 16-valve I-4 and a 3.0-liter 24-valve V-6 Duratec engine. Both engines come with a standard 4-speed automatic transaxle.

It also features a front end with the vertical, satin-aluminum-finished waterfall grill framing the floating Mercury emblem. The fascia features a stacked-element theme with complex refractor headlights over inset fog lamps. A high-impact-plastic (HIP) aluminum-look bumper insert and U-shaped air intake below the bumper.

Mariner has the latest level of the Personal Safety SystemTM, one of the most comprehensive and technologically advanced safety systems available in any vehicle in any class. Seat-mounted front side air bags and side air curtain air bags are optional.

"Mariner Hybrid fits perfectly with Mercury's design philosophy," says Richard Gresens, Mariner chief designer. "It's a stylish, elegant design with clean simple lines. It's an urban sport-utility, comfortable going to a club downtown, yet still possessing all of the capability and versatility of a sport-utility. At the same time, it's environmentally friendly."

Lexus GS 450h: Full Hybrid Technology Car

The Lexus GS 450h is the world's first hybrid luxury sedan and the first full hybrid vehicle with a front engine and rear wheel drive.

'Once again, we have applied our formula of no compromise engineering - this time to a luxury sport sedan which proves to us that hybrid power trains can work superbly in virtually any application,' said Lexus Vice President of Marketing Mark Templin. 'It's very important to continue pursuing substantial reductions in fuel consumption and emissions, while continuing to improve performance and driving pleasure. Our customers would not have it any other way.

It will be a rear wheel drive full hybrid making it able to travel at low speeds under electric propulsion alone. Lexus says the GS 450h will have gas mileage similar to the average 2-liter, 4-cylinder compact sedan.

The Lexus GS 450h is a Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle or called SULEV. A SULEV-rated vehicle is 90% cleaner than the average new car.

The GS 450h will have a 3.5-liter V6 engine mixed with a high-output electric motor--all driving the rear wheels--to pack HP at the level of a V8 engine. Lexus says it will have HP equal to a 4.5 liter V8. 0-60 acceleration is expected to be less than 6 seconds. For perspective, the 2006 GS 430 has a 4.3-liter V8 that has 300 HP.

It is built on the GS 430 platform and offers similar standard equipment and options, including a sunroof and perforated leather seats. It's visually identical to the GS 430, except for a large air dam on the front bumper to cool the electric motor, a power meter on the dashboard instead of an odometer, and 18-inch light-alloy wheels.

Hybrid technology, driving dynamics, motoring comfort and generous space inside redefines the new Lexus GS450h. Featuring more powerful and fuel efficient engines, innovative assistance systems, a wide range of safety features, as well as a superior standard of equipment, the new Toyota Lexus of today need no less than superior BMW replacement parts when the need arises.