Electric Autos: Driving Our Future

By Michael Skatoli

In the next year electric cars, or zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) as they are often known, will be an everyday sight on roads right across the globe. The stuff of science fiction books will have become science fact.

Basic ZEVs are already for sale to consumers in some parts of the world and are ready to become significantly more sophisticated and widespread in the coming years.

The idea of an electric car is nothing new, it has been around for many years. However, the pressing need to decrease carbon emissions in an attempt to slow global warming has quickened the development of the next generation of road transport.

Consumer electric cars and ZEVs are already being manufactured and will soon be widely available in car dealers around the globe. We are already familiar with hybrid cars, which have been on the streets for a number of years. These vehicles use both electric and gasoline propulsion to help reduce emissions. Electric vehicles take clean motoring to a higher level, in that they have no emissions whatsoever - they don't even have a tail pipe. The benefits of this are likely to be dramatic, especially in polluted urban areas, as electric vehicles and ZEVs become the norm.

So how does the electric vehicle work? Electric vehicles use electric motors and motor controllers in place of the traditional internal combustion engine. Rather than conventional gasoline, these vehicles are powered by electricity from batteries, although modern methods of energy storage are being developed that will probably replace battery packs in the not too distant future. Already, special refilling stations for the electric car revolution are being built on roadsides around the globe where motorists can stop and refuel their electric cars, just like at a normal filling station.

That said, for some people, the transition from the standard gasoline car that we all know and love to electric vehicles and ZEVs will require quite a big leap of faith. However, electric cars have so many advantages that the transition should be a pretty smooth one.

Running costs - The fact that electric cars are cheaper to run and cost less to maintain will likely win over their most steadfast opponents. Drivers will get far more miles for their dollar and the expense of maintaining these vehicles will be a lot cheaper than servicing a normal car.

Global warming - As electric vehicles become more widespread, the advantages to the environment will be huge. This is particularly the case in large urban areas where smog and air pollution at street level presents a serious health hazard to residents.

A few worries do remain over electric cars, such as the length of time it takes to recharge battery packs, the top speeds and acceleration of the cars, and concerns such as handling and performance. That said, as car makers pump more and more cash into fine tuning these vehicles, these concerns are likely to be dealt with sooner rather than later. - 21392

About the Author:

Michael is a columnist with over 15 years writing experience. Michael is engaged as a freelance writer for our b2b site and has become the company expert on electric vehicles. Be sure to visit our useful website for additional information on Zevs and Electric Vehicle.

Water Engines For Cars

By Todd Foley

It would be nice to have cars that can run on water and eliminate the need for fuel. Is it possible? Gallons of water would literally power the engine.

When hydrogen burns, it releases water. The only thing to come out the tailpipe is hot air. It is perfectly safe and it can work.

Can this work? Yes. How much would it cost to retrofit your vehicle?

Just replace your fuel tank with the recovery system, add water and away you go! The only things you'll change some are non-lethal carbon rods annually. They cost somewhere in the range of what you pay for gasoline in a month of driving.

It is a great step if the technology can be "consumer friendly." Some fear that large oil and the U.S. automobile industry will never let happen. They have a lot to lose, mainly oil.

Other forms of energy for cars have been around for decades. This is not new. Forms of energy will take place despite the power of the oil industry.

They'll probably use industrial espionage to steal the idea and shelve it until the oil really runs out, and go on making ridiculous profits. Alternative forms of energy for cars and alike have been around for decades. It isn't a matter of FINDING new forms of energy so much as implementing them despite the dogmatic grasp of the oil industry.

How the two sides can be divided? It seems very likely because the water is already in petrol and diesel; it is very easy to extract tons of energy. Water is much more efficient than gas fuel.

Water is much more effective than gas fuel. When you drive your car using the gas, most energy is lost as heat, pollution and vibration. In the car average, only 20% of the energy of gas is actually used by the engine.

When you drive your car using gas, most of the energy is wasted in the form of heat, pollution and vibration. In the average car, only 20% of the energy of the gas is actually used by the engine - the rest is wasted, and absorbed into the atmosphere (attacking the ozone layer and contributing to global warming). You would be using electricity from your car's battery to convert water into a gas called HHO. - 21392

About the Author:

It is very easy to extract tons of energy from it. Increase Fuel Economy The extra gas is only heating the water in that electrolysis cell and the wires that lead to it. There are all types of problems involved in generating electricity.

Cheap Old Car Maintenance - Three Things To Keep In Mind

By Jason Cromwell

Used cars need maintenance. If you neglect to maintain your old car properly, you are shooting yourself in the foot. Cars need maintenance on a regular basis. By maintaining your car properly, you can add years of life to you cheap old car. It will save you in the long term.

There are dozens if not hundreds of things you need to keep in mind when maintaining your car. Below, I have listed the ones that experience has taught me are the most essential.

1. Your car belt allows your engine to transition its movement into other parts of your car, such as the wheels. Should your car belt ever snap, then you've got a big problem on your hands. Without a car belt, it's not only the wheels that stop turning. Your engine will destroy itself it it runs long enough without a car belt present. Since your engine costs a lot of money, you are wise to take good care of it. This means keeping an eye on your car belt. Replace it in time and you will prevent major car problems in your future.

2. By keeping good maintenance records of your old car, you'll know exactly when to replace or maintain parts. After a certain time and distance, your car will require a belt change, new tires, an oil change, an oil filter change, etc. If you neglect to keep a record of this, sooner or later you will either pay for maintenance too early, or you'll forget to maintain something and end up with a broken car.

3. By changing the oil on a regular basis, you will know exactly what goes into your used car. It is recommended that you use whatever oil the manufacturer of your car recommends. Usually, even the cheapest of oil types make your used car perform well. Cheap oil is much, much better than running fresh out of it and driving without any oil at all. The oil keeps everything running smoothly. If you run out, there will be lots of friction in your car parts. This heavily increases wear and tear.

There are many other things that you can keep in mind when maintaining your old car. Too many to list them all here. These are just the most important ones. The ones that will save you the most money. If you're looking for other information on car maintenance, simply do a few searches online and you are likely to find what you're looking for. Always use the search engines to research the brand and model of the car you are about to buy. You may find out a few things that will make you change your mind. You'll never know if you don't do your proper research.

If you own a cheap old car, it is a good idea to look around for a trustworthy car mechanic. The ones you need to avoid are the ones that try to talk you into replacing more parts than strictly necessary. A good, honest car mechanic will usually try to talk you out of replacing parts that still have some life left in them. Find a good car mechanic and stick with him.

When it comes to used car maintenance, you can save yourself a lot of time, energy and resources by making sure you are an informed buyer. Knowledge is power. This is true everywhere, also in car buying, car ownership and car maintenance. So do yourself a favor by doing your research on cars whenever you are about to buy or maintain one. - 21392

About the Author:

Jason Cromwell is fond of cheap old cars. You can visit his website at cheap old cars for sale and at old cars for sale.

Technology Of Water Fuel Cells To Power Your Car?

By Alexis Jameson

If you believe that the water fuel cell technology is not capable of the performance of your car needs to be, you may need to think again. It might acquire a paradigm shift, but we have acted, and whether you are in a place to these points to save energy and reduce the acquisition of almost 60%. They are easy to install, but people seem not to know.

The person credited with the research of water fuel cells is Stanley Meyer. He was a researcher in the U.S. who unfortunately died before he could see his idea of entering the market. In fact his claim that these cells can power a car were fired for fraud, because it went against the laws of thermodynamics. In 1996 a court in Ohio, came to this conclusion!

Fortunately the concept of a perpetual energy source from water fuels cells did not die with Stanley Meyer when he sadly passed away in 1998. His idea was that the hydrogen and oxygen molecules would be split, the hydrogen would be used as the energy source and return to the system to reconstitute with oxygen molecules again creating water.

It would have been nice for Mr. Meyer to have survived to see his concept come to fruition, but such is life! The fact that the court found his claims to be fraudulent did not stop other researchers exploring his dynamic ideas.

There are many speculations about the concept of water fuel cells, but it's reality and nobody can put their hands on them, not a big secret.

It is amazing that this alternative energy source to a car or other machinery for the issue is not fully accepted in the mainstream. Gas prices are unbelievably high, and this gas is the source of energy available, but it seems to be slow in adoption.

The advantages of using alternative energy sources are very important. We all know that. However, there seems to be a certain reluctance on the part of customers, probably by the myths that these cells reduces the operation of the car. Apparently not!

Gas prices continue to increase further in the future. This is dramatically affected, not only because of the pollutants emitted from motor vehicles with gas, but also by the fact that fossil fuels is limited, so more than ever, the mining will take over while looking for this. This alternative energy, ready and available, it is enough to use them. - 21392

About the Author:

Sick of the high prices for gasoline? Turn your car to a hybrid using the risk-free and tested water fuel cell. For further information visit http://GasPriceRelief.net now.

Hybrid Cars and Plug-in Hybrid Cars

By Colin Jones

Hybrid cars are on everyone's lips these days. Twenty, forty, or fifty dollars for a tank of fuel? Who in their right mind really wants to pay that sort of money? But, frustrated, the gas consumer sighs, but pays up. However, hybrid vehicles are being applauded for the little amount of gas they need to operate, and they are flying off the lots of car dealerships each and everyday in ever increasing numbers.

But what about a plug-in hybrid? Most consumers have heard that these cars are great as well. Then, a person might be asking him or herself, what exactly a plug-in hybrid is? How do they work, and what the difference between a plug-in hybrid and a regular hybrid is?

Plug-in hybrids are able to run solely on batteries, but they use fuel also. These kinds of hybrid cars have some of the characteristics of hybrid vehicles. They are also are very similar to electric vehicles.

Plug-in hybrid vehicles must be charged externally by plugging them into an electrical power source. The combustion engine of plug-in hybrid vehicles is engaged only as a back up. These cars can run only on batteries if so desired, but it is to be expected that these kinds of hybrid cars are recharged daily.

Hybrid cars travel just as many miles as a conventional car. Designed to go the extra mile where gas-mileage is concerned, hybrids can be driven on the highway, in cities, or wherever else a person needs to drive.

On the other hand, plug-in hybrids are designed to handle commuter-type distances, meaning about twenty to sixty miles between destinations. This way, the plug-in hybrid does not have to use its back up combustion engine, but plug-in hybrids can go further using fuel too.

Hybrids help to reduce pollution, but they do still pollute the atmosphere. Compared with plug-in hybrids, hybrid cars still have a long way to go as far as pollution is concerned. Because plug-in hybrid cars can run solely on their battery power, they don't have to emit waste fuel emissions at all.

Plug-in hybrids really do cut total greenhouse gas emissions and plug-in hybrids use practically no oil at all, imported or not. Studies have shown that electric hybrids emit at least 67% less greenhouse gases than diesel cars. Since the product used to power plug-in hybrids is completely renewable, the difference in greenhouse gas emissions may be even greater than the study determined.

There you have it - the major differences between plug-in hybrids and regular hybrid cars. It could make a big difference, but you would be surprised at how little it actually matters at the moment, but tht's only because plug-in hybrids are not being marketed to consumers yet! But this article should make you excited about the wonderful plug-in hybrid car, which will be featuring soon on a forecourt near you.

And it's going to be a great debut too - people already like regular hybrid cars, but they haven't seen anything until they see the new plug-in hybrid cars. However, for now, maybe we should just be satisfied with what we already have, because who knows? Before plug-in hybrid cars come out onto the forecourts, something even better might be introduced onto the market. - 21392

About the Author:

If this article has interested you at all in plug-in hybrid cars at all or Hybrid Cars in general, please click a blue link visit our website on hybrid vehicles.