Hybrid Power

Last week, I wrote about how the "Greenhouse Effect" and "Global Warming" have lead innovators to look for environment-friendly alternative fuels for our cars. These challenges materialized in different forms, one of which is already available in the Automotive Market. The Hybrid Car or the HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) was introduced to the Philippine Market in 2009.

By definition, a hybrid vehicle is one that uses two or more distinct power sources to move a vehicle.  The term most commonly refers to electric-driven vehicles, which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors. However other mechanisms to capture and utilize energy are included.

History shows that this eco-friendly invention isn't really a modern concept.   Since the late 19th and  early 20th centuries, back when the idea that cars must run on gasoline wasn't yet a norm, inventors tinkered with a number of ways in which automobiles could be powered. These alternative energy sources came from electricity, coal and even alcohol. The history of hybrid electric vehicles, however, began shortly after the dawn of the 20th century.

In the turn of the 1900 century, the Lohner-Porsche Elektromobil made its debut at the Paris Exposition, an expo to showcase new inventions. Although initially a purely electric vehicle, designer Ferdinand Porsche soon added an internal combustion engine to recharge the batteries, making it the first hybrid electric vehicle.

Woods Motor Company introduced the Woods Dual Power in 1917, a hybrid electric vehicle with a 4-cylinder internal combustion engine. The Dual Power had a top speed of barley around 60 kmh, a far cry from what Modern Hybrid can achieve today. The concept failed to sell.

Between the 60's and the 70's, Electrical engineer Victor Wouk built a prototype Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) based on the Buick Skylark. When the U.S. government decided not to invest in the vehicle's further development, Wouk ran out of money and abandoned the project.

In 1968, GM developed the GM 512, an experimental vehicle that runs on electricity at low speeds and gasoline at high speeds. This development was another step in finding an alternative fuel source in lieu of the Oil Crisis in the late 60s and 70s.

Audi demonstrated the experimental Audi Duo in 1989. It combined a hefty 12-horsepower electric motor with a 139-horsepower internal combustion engine. Audi developed further generations of the Duo over much of the following decade.

In response to a challenge from Executive Vice President Akihiro Wadi to develop more fuel-efficient vehicles, Toyota introduced the Prius and began marketing it in Japan in 1997.  The Prius became the first successful full production HEV and instantly gained praises among environmentalist.

In 1998, Honda announced its production of its HEV, the Insight. Subsequently, Toyota began selling the Prius while Honda introduced the Insight to the US Market in 2001. Both cars claimed glam stature as eco-conscious Hollywood Stars bought and endorsed the HEVs. In 2002,  Honda introduced the Accord Hybrid. Many more hybrid cars followed over the next few years with Ford introducing the first hybrid SUV, the 2005 Ford Escape.

In the Philippines, the market for Hybrid Vehicles is at a "standstill" with the pending approval of the Senate Bill No. 2856, or the Electric, Hybrid and other Alternative Fuel Vehicles Incentives Act of 2011 providing incentives for "the manufacture, assembly, conversion and importation of electric, hybrid and other alternative fuel vehicles." The counterpart bill in Congress, House Bill No. 5460, has passed on its third reading last April 5, 2012.  When approved, the bill will significantly lower the cost of the HEV's through tax incentives, making it more sensible and affordable to own one.