GREEN ENERGY

Over the years, many car manufacturers have started to get in on the green movement with their vehicles in an attempt to be more environmentally friendly. Green-energy cars are powered by alternative fuels and high-end technology such as electricity, batteries, compressed air, hydrogen, fuel cells, ethanol, flexible fuel, natural gas, clean diesel, and more. These alternative fuels are not only better for the environment, but they are also more efficient in creating vehicles that will be sustainable and last for years to come.

Many people have started to make the switch from gas-powered vehicles to green-energy vehicles because over the years, more benefits and incentives have encouraged people to do so, like tax credits, special highway lanes, and less frequent required car maintenance, which can save the vehicle owner money in the long run.

Many car buyers are swayed by green vehicles because they are better for the environment and have less or no emissions, meaning that buyers can feel like they are doing their part to help achieve cleaner air and add fewer greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere. Since so many car companies have begun to make the switch to electric cars, hybrid cars, and plug-in hybrids, there are many different types of vehicles to choose from that offer an environmentally friendly car while also allowing an owner’s unique personality to shine through.

Hybrid cars were the beginning of the green vehicle movement. They combine an electric motor with a gasoline engine to power the car, which means less gasoline burned and better fuel economy because the gasoline engine isn’t in use every moment of every trip. The added benefit of having the electric motor is that these cars can get a performance boost in some circumstances. In hybrid vehicles, the electricity comes from a high-voltage battery pack that charges when the car decelerates and also makes use of the gas engine to keep the battery charged. Hybrid cars are typically less expensive than other green vehicles.

Electric vehicles have quickly become a popular option that car companies are making available to the public. Big names in the auto industry and brand-new companies alike are getting involved in creating electric vehicles, or EVs. These cars are propelled by electric motors that run on batteries, rather than gas-powered engines, so they are quiet and produce no exhaust emissions. The batteries are rechargeable lithium-ion batteries specifically designed for high capacity; they are relatively small but pack a big punch, as they have a high power-to-weight ratio. Because of the benefits that fully electric vehicles have for the environment as well as the vehicle owner, governments have begun to create incentives for potential buyers to choose an electric vehicle, such as tax credits and subsidies.

Plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles have a battery that is charged when it is plugged in. These cars also have a combustion engine, but the primary power comes from the battery. Different cars have different-size batteries, and those batteries dictate how far the car can travel on battery power alone. Businesses and apartments all around the world have begun to add charging stations so while a person is at home or out shopping, they can plug in their car and allow the battery to recharge.

The switch to greener cars is just starting, but due to the desire to go green as well as the incentives available, more than 1% of the cars currently on the road are greener vehicles. That number is expected to grow as more car companies create new environmentally friendly vehicles that are just as efficient, if not more so, than ones that run on gasoline.