Hybrid Trucks Could be the Answer

Older Americans will remember the mile-long lines at the gas stations during the late 1970's when gas was scarce. Anyone living in America today knows the problems associated with obtaining oil from the Middle East. Many other countries have similar issues. Hybrid trucks and cars could very well resolve our dependence on that mineral slime--oil--that someday will be depleted. Hybrid cars and trucks could very well be the answer to the world's gasoline problems.

A hybrid truck or car is a relatively simple type of automobile. Simply stated, a hybrid truck, car, or anything else that runs on gasoline is a vehicle that uses two fuels: electricity and gasoline. The driver of a hybrid vehicle can switch back and forth between these propellants. In the near future, there could be no more running out of gas at the least opportune time. For this reason, the US military has been using hybrid trucks and cars for decades; when essential personnel such as group and installation commanders plus re-supply vehicles and other critical equipment run out of gas, lives and the mission could be lost. Hybrid vehicles have the potential to eliminate these problems.

How Do Hybrid Trucks and Cars Help the Economy?

Most of the civilized world depends on cars for personal transportation. Similarly, large trucks are primarily responsible for hauling supplies and food all over the world. These gigantic vehicles not only use huge amounts of gasoline, but their exhaust is also a serious pollutant in the environment. Hybrid trucks, built for the long haul, help the economy by using a limitless fuel–electricity–which is much less expensive to obtain and utilize. Keeping the environment clean affects everyone; it is expensive to keep our food and water sources unpolluted. Hybrid vehicles that primarily use electricity as a propellant go a long way toward helping the economy by reducing the demand for gasoline. Hybrid vehicles also keep the cost of living down, because consumers no longer have to pay a week's salary just to fill up their vehicles, especially farm vehicles. By adopting hybrid vehicles as a standard, we can create a domino effect that will eventually have long term results on both our economy and environment..

The hybrid trucks are a positive step on the road to meeting the zero-emission requirements that may be imposed in urban centers like New York City, Houston, and Los Angeles. Anyone flying into the Los Angeles area is literally shrouded in air pollution. The economical and environmental health of the United States is slowly disintegrating, and unless Americans are willing to make lifestyle changes and support the manufacture of hybrid trucks, large equipment and cars, this disintegration will continue until the very air we all breathe is toxic. Companies that use heavy-duty hybrid trucks are eligible for a large federal tax credit. This alone indicates that the federal government is cognizant of the harm to our health and wallets caused by an over-dependence on gasoline.

Disadvantages of Hybrid Trucks, Cars, and other Vehicles

No type of energy source is without its disadvantages. Older Hybrid trucks and other vehicles have batteries that must be re-charged, which some might find inconvenient because on the average, it takes about three hours to re-charge batteries of this type. A hybrid vehicle's capacity for acceration and climbing is still inferior to that of vehicles powered exclusively by gasoline. Accessories like heaters, radios, CD players and air conditioners drain the battery even more quickly than driving alone. Since battery recharging stations are rare, the owner of the hybrid truck or other vehicle will most likely need to purchase a battery charger for personal use.

No form of transportation is without problems. It is a simple matter of weighing the pros and cons of owning a hybrid vehicle, and making an informed decision.