TransforMISS: The transformMISS electric vehicle has got multiple functions. It can change itself to a bike to a trike to a car. Its designer Thierry Dumaine has placed the electric motors in the hubs of the wheels. He has used recycled paperboard for interiors. The car is a two seater and is both right and left-hand drive. The steering position can be changed. The best and astonishing feature of the car is that it can be driven with both 2,3 and 4 wheels depending on the traffic conditions.

Peugeot Globule

The Peugeot Globule is a car that looks like a worm. It has 4 independent cabins that has been covered with a flexible polymer. Each cabin has got its own electric motors and share a centralized battery. All the 4 cabins can have different configurations and more such pods can be added to the car. This would help in seating more passengers. They can also be vertically stacked when parking space is tight.

Minulux:

Minulux takes the concept car technology to the extreme. The car has been designed to be stationary for most of the time. It actually behaves as a solar panel. The top has made of solar curtains. The solar wings are controlled to follow the sun’s angle. The car was designed by Jukka Rautiainen who studied in the Royal College of London.

Rinspeed iChange:

This car also uses solar panels. These panels are roof-mounted and charge the lithium-ion battery packs. It has 2 such packs- for long and short distances. The designers claim that the car has got a speed of upto 135 miles/hour. The car can be morphed from an iPhone application and can be changed from a single seater to a 3-seater.

Mazda TONBO:

The TONBO has been charged with hydrogen fuel cell. The car’s main ability is that it can swim. It is an amphibious car and has been designed by DedekDesign with Mazda Europe.

As said to a South Korean Newspaper, the company is planning a hybrid, basically due to the need of making cars that are cheaper to run and eco-friendly.

Tata also said that the car would be priced low. This is because the demand for low priced goods in India is a lot higher than high-end goods. The same trend would be seen all across the world and would make the development crucial of global standard products.

However, he didn’t make it clear about when the production for the hybrid Nano would start. He neither gave details about the engine or its cost. But according to the ongoing ‘Nano’ plans, the car is sure going to be low priced.

Toyota ‘charging’ plans cannot leave Honda behind which said that it would launch its much awaited CR-Z hybrid sports car early next year. It would be interesting to see the icons battling it out on emission cutting technologies as well.

Suzuki, in bid to be in race with rivals, introduced hybrid versions of its cars like SX4 and Swift. Their hybrids might take around couple of years to be produced.

Mitsubishi Motors has taken a step further on its plans to introduce a hybrid into the market. The company plans to launch a hybrid version of the Outlander SUV in 2013. it is planned to be launched with a petrol-electric engine.

Nissan displayed its concept, what is named as the Land Glider. The unique feature of this car is that it tilts like a motorcycle when taking a turn. It is powered by an electric motor. The car has built in computers and the tilt is controlled by them.

It is an interesting sight to see car makers battling out on the scene of producing hybrid cars. The battle might be competitive for them but the final result is saving the earth from global warming. And as it is said, Hybrids are the future.

About the Hambach Plant:

The Smart plant in Hambach was started in 1997. It has been producing Smart fortwo vehicles since then and started producing the current generation smart fortwo in 2007. it celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2008 as well as celebrated the 1 million vehicle roll-out milestone.

The brand new Mercedes-Benz ML450 SUV will be showcased at the auto show in Los Angeles, which is to take place from December 4th to the 14th. With a total performance of 335 horse power and 381 pound-feet of torque, this hybrid machine has an increased fuel efficiency of 46 percent compared to a V8 powered ML550 model. It has a V6 gasoline engine, 2 electric motors and other highly complex electronic systems. It is set to be released in the U.S and Canada before it hits the rest of the world. The hybrid is a joint undertaking between Chrysler, BMW, GM and Mercedes. At low speeds, the ML450 can operate on electric power alone. For higher speeds the V6 engine powers it up. The SUV has a hybrid system in which, the car, can be driven only on its electric motor or can be combined with the power of its V6 engine. The ML450 has been dubbed as the most economical petrol hybrid in its class.

Also making its debut at the auto show is B-class F-cell. It’s an electric car which is able to create its own power as it is powered by hydrogen fuel cell, developed by Daimler AG. Its efficiency and cold weather performance has been drastically increased. This environmental friendly vehicle is claimed to have a range of 240 miles. Around 200 F-cells are said to be given on a special lease program to the buyers in the Europe and US.

The price for the Prius is not yet decided. But since it is a CBU (completely built-up unit), it is going to cost a eye-popping price of around 30 lacs. This price tag is almost the double of what the car’s price in Japan is. The steep price is because of the high 105% import duty in india. All Toyota can hope for, is a special government concession to lower down the import duty for eco-friendly cars in India. It might have many buyers then. Till then, the Prius would have to deal only with few exclusive buyers who think from their heart. Though an exceptional car, buying it, paying double the price is not that a sensitive idea for everyone.

The plan to launch the first hybrid cars were made as early as 1665. It was first tried in 1769 when a Frenchman, Nicholas Cugnot built a steamed motor carriage that was capable of doing 6 miles an hour. The next trial was made in 1825 when British inventor G.Gurney built a steam car did an 85 mile journey in 10 hours.
Few years later in1839, Robert Anderson of Scotland built the first electric vehicle. Soon Sir David Solomon Developed a light electric motor and very heavy storage battery car which had a poor driving range and speed. It was in 1886 when the first electric powered taxicab was introduced in England for the first time. It used a battery with 28 cells.

Between 1890-1910 , there were many improvements in battery technologies. New batteries were introduced like Tudor’s lead-acid battery or nickel-ion battery developed by Edison and Junger.

Young German Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, in 1898, built the Lohner Electric Chaise. It was the world’s first front wheel drive. His second car, a hybrid that travelled 39 miles on batteries alone. The next year saw Pope Mfg. Company merging with two smaller electric companies to form the first large scale operation in American automobile history. It was called Electric Vehicle Company and it had assets of about $200 million.

1900 was the year of the first Automobile Show. It was conducted in New York City after Americans car manufacturers had made 1681 steam, 1575 electric and 936 gasoline cars. People preferred electric as their first choice and steam followed a close second.
Between the years 1900 and 1990, there were many new inventions in hybrids. There was the gasoline electric engine by Krieger, the failed electric-gas powered vehicle by Woods Interurban, the small cars by General Motors and Toyota. Few of them succeeded and the rest weren’t as successful.

The main research and production of hybrids was seen after the 1990s when most of the firms started planning hybrids. They had this in their mind, that the future of automobiles belong to hybrids. Related to this, Toyota Motor Corp. announced a goal setting document which highligted developing cars with lowest emissions possible. This was known as the ‘Earth Charter’.
In 1997, Toyota launched its ambitious car in Japan, the Prius which was to be previously launched in 1999. Their first year sales crossed 18000 units. During the same year, Audi launched a vehicle based on its A4 variant. It was the first hybrid car that was produced in volumes. It had a 90bhp 1.9 litre Tdi engine and a 29 bhp electric powered motor. It did not do well commercially and hence was discontinued.

Soonafter 1997, electric cars like Honda’s EV Plus, GMs EV1 and Ford Ranger Pick-up were introduced in California but the interest for these cars soon subsidied. Hence all these models were dropped. Honda, a key player, in 1999 launched its two-door Insight which was a instant hit. It also won many awards for its mileage in city as well as on highway.

The Toyota finally launched it first four-door hybrid, the Prius in the the United States.
2002 was the year when Honda introduced the Honda Civic Hybrid, its second commercial launched hybrid gasoline-electric car after Insight. The appearance and drivability of the Civic Hybrid was (and still is) identical to the conventional Civic.

Toyota Prius II won 2004 Car of the Year Awards from Motor Trend Magazine and the North American Auto Show. Toyota was taken by a pleasant shock to see the demand of the vehicle and ramped up its production from 36,000 to 47,000 cars for the United States. Interested buyers had to wait upto 6 months for the 2004 Prius. Toyota Motor Corp. Sales President U.S.A. Jim Press termed it “the hottest car we’ve ever had.”

In September 2004, Ford launched the Escape Hybrid. It was the first hybrid from an American Manufacturer and the first SUV hybrid across the globe.

There are many different power sources which power hybrid cars. Few of them are listed below:

• on-board and out-board rechargeable energy storage system.
• gasoline fuel system.
• hydrogen powered.
• battery.
• renewable solar energy.
• vacumm compressed air.
• liquidified nitrogen.
• self-propelled ie. rowing, pedalling, etc.
• steam powered via stirling engine and thermogenerator.
• coal.

Where Hybrid Power Technology is used:
Hybrid Powered Techonology is used in different kinds of automotives ranging from two-wheelers to choppers. The details are provided in the list below:

Timeline:
The first steam powered vehicle was planned in 1665 by Flemish jesuit priest and astronomer Ferdinand Verbiest. He thought of developing a four-wheeled unmanned steam car for the Chinese Emperor Khang Hsi. But it was first executed in 1769 by Frenchman Nicholas Cugnot who built a steam-powered carriage which was capable of doing 6 miles in an hour. Steam powered cars dominated the landscape until the late 19th century.

The first electric car was developed in 1839 by Robert Anderson of Aberdeen, Scotland. Next to follow was dual powered engines equipped with electric motor and heavy storage batteries. The latest to be showcased is the world’s first hybrid sports car by Honda Motor Corp called CR-Z and is to be launched in 2010.

Top Hybrid Manufacturers:
The top spots of hybrid vehicle manufacturing are dominated by automotive companies mentioned: