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Smart Energy Summer Archive |
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Frequently Asked Questions:
Hybrids v. Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FlexFuels)
- How does a hybrid work?
- What is a Flexible Fuel vehicle?
- What are some concerns about flexfuel vehicles?
- What are some concerns about hybrids?
- How do these vehicles help us end our oil addiction and save at the gas pump?
- How do these vehicles curb global warming emissions?
- What are some concerns about hybrids?
Q: How does a hybrid work?
A: A hybrid vehicle combines an electric motor with an efficient gasoline internal combustion engine. Traditional engines are highly inefficient at low speeds, so the electric motor provides most of the power at low speeds and a sophisticated computer turns on the gas engine only when it is needed and can operate more efficiently. At certain times, such as when a vehicle is slowing or going downhill, the energy from braking is used to recharge the battery. Hybrids never need to be plugged in. In short, hybrid cars marry the best of both technologies to maximize fuel efficiency, while remaining practical.
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Q: What is a Flexible Fuel vehicle?
A: A flexible fuel, or flexfuel, vehicle operates in exactly the same way as a traditional gasoline engine. The "flexible" nature of the vehicle refers to its ability to run on both regular gasoline and high-concentration ethanol. Most engines can only run on a fuel blend containing a maximum of 10% ethanol; flexfuel vehicles can run on E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. The main difference between a regular vehicle and flexfuel is a sensor in the fuel line to determine which fuel the car is running on. Flexfuels cost the same as regular vehicles.
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Q: What are some concerns about flexfuel vehicles?
A: Flexfuels actually run on E85 less than 1% of the time (see questions 5-6 for details), so they don't actually realize any of the benefits many associate with renewable fuels, such as reducing our dependence on oil. More importantly, a loophole in the fuel economy (CAFE) law allows automakers to receive a 1.2 mile per gallon credit against the already low 27.5 mpg minimum fuel economy standard. This essentially allows automakers to produce an extra gas guzzler for each flexfuel they make. This loophole undermines the already very weak fuel economy standards in place, while increasing our dependence on oil. Currently, Ford, GM, DaimlerChrysler, and Nissan take advantage of this loophole, with Toyota recently announcing its intention to begin manufacturing flexfuels.
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Q: What are some concerns about hybrids?
A: All hybrids are not created equally. Like any engine, a hybrid can be engineered with efficiency, performance, or a mix of the two in mind. Some hybrids like the Prius are designed to be as efficient as possible and deliver excellent fuel economy, savings to the consumer at the pump, and significantly decreased emissions. By contrast, others like the Lexus SUV hybrid use the electric motor to boost performance and realize virtually zero gain in efficiency or a reduction in emissions.
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Q: How do these vehicles help us end our oil addiction and save at the gas pump?
A: When hybrid technology is applied toward increasing fuel efficiency, hybrid vehicles go significantly farther on each gallon of gas. If all of our vehicles averaged nearly the same fuel economy as a Toyota Prius, we would save millions of barrels of oil per day-at least as much as we import from the Persian Gulf or could ever get from the Arctic Refuge, combined. The economics of a hybrid are simple, using less gas means spending less money at the pump. At current gas prices, the average driver of a Prius could save around $600 a year. Since flexfuel vehicles run on gas more than 99% of the time they don't do anything to help us curb our dangerous oil dependence. Indeed, in 2002 the Department of Transportation concluded the production of flexfuel vehicles would cause us to use an additional 17 billion gallons of gas by 2008. Flexfuels actually get worse gas mileage, since each gallon of ethanol only has 2/3 as much energy as a gallon of gas. Ethanol is also currently more expensive to produce than gas-even at today's prices, so it means higher, not lower fuel costs.
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Q: How do these vehicles curb global warming emissions?
A: A hybrid directly reduces the amount of gasoline consumed, resulting in a direct reduction in the amount carbon dioxide (the main contributor to global warming) and other pollutants produced by the vehicle. A Toyota Prius, for example, will emit about 1/3 as much CO2 over its lifetime as a large conventional sedan. The Bush administration has reported that even though they are capable of running on E85, flexfuels actually run on regular gas 99% of time. Many people may not even know the vehicle they own is a flexfuel. The same 2002 report indicated that the production of flexfuels will actually increase global warming pollution by 238 million metric tons annually.
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Q: Are there government tax credits for purchasing either of these vehicles?
A: A federal tax credit of up to $3,400 is available for purchasing a hybrid, with the actual amount varying depending on which vehicle you purchase and when you purchase it. A tax credit is even better than a tax deduction, since it directly reduces your federal tax bill. Some states also offer other hybrid purchase incentives. These incentives can help defray the added expense of a hybrid. A 2007 Toyota Camry hybrid, priced at $25,900, averages about $4,000 more than other models with conventional engines, though it is actually cheaper than models with the highest trim level. There is no comprehensive set of incentives for consumers comparable to those offered to hybrid purchasers. The only real incentive offered for flexfuels is the one that allows automakers to avoid meeting the already low fuel economy standards under the CAFE law.
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