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An electric car is eco-friendly, sometimes with zero emissions, is an automobile that uses an electric motor for propulsion. It's a variety of electric vehicle (EV). Convetional gas-powered cars use common propulsion methods, such as the internal combustion engine (ICE).

Image of plugged-in electric car:

As mentioned above, electric cars are usually powered by on-board battery packs, and as such are usually battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Electric cars are the practical forms of transportation, which can be inexpensively recharged overnight.

As one new form of eco-friendly transportation, hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) combine the benefits of gasoline engines and electric motors. Current hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) integrate an internal combustion engine (ICE) and an electric motor and battery. Improved fuel economy, increased power, or additional auxiliary power for electronic devices and power tools, are the benefits of hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs). There are a lot of hybrid electric vehicles on the market, and most automobile manufacturers have announced plans to produce their own HEVs, or have manufactured some models, such as Toyota, Honda, Ford.

How do hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) work?
 

The basic types of hybrids include 3 types: mild hybrids, full hybrids, plug-in hybrids. These 3 hybrids funtion differently.

The hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) produces less emissions from the conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) than a comparably-sized gas-powered car, as the hybrid electric vehicle (HEV)'s gasoline-powered engine is usually smaller than a pure fossil-fuel vehicle, and if not used to directly drive the vehicle, can be geared to run at maximum efficiency, further improving fuel economy.
 

Let's check the types by degree of hybridization.

1. Full hybrid. Also called a strong hybrid sometimes. Full hybrid electric vehicle is a vehicle that can run on just the engine, just the batteries, or a combination of both. The examples of full hybrids include Ford Escape Hybrid, Ford Fusion Hybrid, and popular Toyota Prius.

1. parallel hybrids. For this type, the internal combustion engine (ICE) and the electric motor are both connected to the mechanical transmission and can simultaneously transmit power to drive the wheels. Usually the parallel hybrids can use a smaller battery pack. Parallel hybrids are more efficient for highway driving than in urban stop-and-go conditions. Honda's Insight, Civic, and Accord hybrids are parallel hybrids.

2. series hybrids. Here regarding series hybrids, only the electric motor drives the drivetrain, and the internal combustion engine (ICE) works as a generator to power the electric motor or to recharge the batteries. Series hybrids usually have a larger battery pack as compared to parallel hybrids. This makes them more expensive than parallel hybrids.

What's hybrid electric vehicle? Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), which is also called as hybrid vehicle, combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system (That's the conventional gas driven motor) with an electric propulsion system (electric motor). The combination of two engines, is to achieve better fuel economy than a conventional vehicle or better performance.

Below shows hybrid electric vehicle with 2 engines:

In fact a variety of types of hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) exist. The most common hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is hybrid electric car. And there's other type of HEV: hybrid electric trucks (pickups and tractors).

As I said, the total auto industry is embracing hybrid cars (hybrid-electric vehicles, HEVs) now. Gas-electric hybrid cars have become a practical choice for the consumers. Hybrids have survived many manufacturers of automobiles all, frankly speaking. Green incentives, more hybrid car choices in the market, oil spills, pump prices and environmental concerns are all giving the consumer reasons to consider hybrid vehicles and other "sustainable motoring" alternatives when choosing their next automobiles. We can mention some gas-electric hybrid cars in this industry for your reference in North America.

 

Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight Hybrid, Saturn Aura Hybrid, Toyota Prius, Toyota Camry Hybrid (Toyota Hybrid Camry in Australasia), Nissan Altima Hybrid, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid SUV, Lexus 250h Hybrid, Lexus 450h Hybrid SUV, Toyota Highlander Hybrid SUV, Mercury Mariner Hybrid SUV, Mazda Tribute compact SUV...

Why do we choose eco-friendly cars? The reasons may be different for different car owners. But high gasoline fuel prices and bad environmental affects may be the major ones. Hybrid cars are essentially car with 2 engines, namely our conventional gas driven motor, as well as eco friendly electric motor. They are so popular now. In fact ad the global market leader, the United States is registered with 1.6 million hybrids by December 2009.

Eco-friendly hybrid cars (hybrid-electric vehicles) have its intelligence to switch to the more optimal motor, which will give your driving speed, thus, helping you save on gas mileage.

 

Hybrid cars (hybrid-electric vehicles) are really environmentally friendly cars, helping us keep our environment clean and green, reducing tailpipe toxic emissions by about 90% and 50% less greenhouse gas emissions.

Electric Bike, is also know as e-bike, e-bicycle.Electric bikes are a new method of transportation for going green and environmental-friendly. We can go on many trips with the electric bike, reducing less use of cars, thus air pollution is reduced. Many of us may use eco-friendly electric bike to replace our vehicles, or even our trips on the train and bus for short distances.
 

In fact with recent advances in battery technology, we think electric motorbikes (electric motorcycles) are poised to explode onto the market as small, nimble commute ones that will be easy to find space for parking. But unfortunately the producers of eco-friendly electric motorcycle (electric motorbikes) seem to appear and disappear more frequently than the ones of larger vehicles, probably because start-up costs of such environmental-friendly motorcyles are relatively low, but market penetration is difficult, especially in North America. There's one example in the market of China. There are so many producers of eco-friendly electric motorcycle (electric motorbikes) in China just because start-up costs are low. But the technology of different producers in China is different. Some producers of environmentally friendly electric motorcycle don't pay any money on R&D. They buy everything from other suppliers and assemble in the workshop. (Maybe you will call Electric Scooter in China.)

 

In fact many manufacturers of automobiles, such as Audi, Toyota, Honda, General Motors, are or have developed electric cars or hybrid automobiles for environmentally friendly. So manufacturers of motorcycle will adapt to this trend of environmental-friendly too.

For example, Zero Motorcycles is one role in offering eco-friendly electric motorcycles in the market. And as one important role in the market of motorcyles, Harley Davidson is looking for ways to make their motorcycle green too. Harley Davidson may want to design one which is powered by lithium-ion batteries which run a brushless electric motor. :-) Harley Davidson still wants to be the king of the road with a zero-emission engine.