In a world that is “addicted” to oil, as some would say, it is obvious that we must let go of our old habits. After over one hundred years of petroleum use, we have polluted our air, turned our seas black, and warmed the Earth to possibly dangerous levels. Now there's a new era of thinking and a huge shift of public interest has occurred. We are in The Hybrid Revolution, but could more than a century of abuse mean that it is too late for a change? Well, I say that it's better late than never.
Recent spikes in energy prices have opened the door to alternate energy sources. Most of these fuels are old in technology but new to the public. Despite the rigorous efforts of many individuals, it takes the actions of many to bring to light the actions of a few. So as this door to alternate fuels is swung wide open, we can step into a realm of thinking that I have been anticipating for quite some time.
In 2005, I predicted that 2006 will be the biggest push for hybrids in our history. So far, it seems that I was right and recent marketing campaigns are just a sign of what the rest of the year has in store. Lexus has announced the RX 400h SUV series. This beast sports the Hybrid Synergy Drive system and boasts a whopping 36 miles per gallon on the highway, without any noticeable loss in horsepower. While that is a great jump in SUV hybrids, I think that Ford is about to reinvent the truck. According to recent reports, Ford is planning to put a regenerative braking system in the F-150 series of pickups, as well as other models. This system will allow a standard F-150 series pickup to reach 60 miles per gallon on the highway.
Yes, I said 60 miles per gallon. Fuel conservation is made possible with a hydraulic braking system that causes a pump/motor to force hydraulic fluid out of a low-pressure accumulator and into a high-pressure accumulator, increasing the pressure of nitrogen gas stored there to 5,000 psi. When the vehicle accelerates, the stored pressure from the nitrogen gas is converted to re-usable energy, applying torque to the driveshaft, via the clutch. This is the kind of technology that should have been released during the 1990s. Unfortunately, it has taken two wars for oil and a slew of natural disasters to finally wake us up from our deep, oily slumber. As reality slams the people of Earth, we must use caution on the road ahead.
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