Hybrid Cars Today Videos

Watch a top list of great videos about hybrid cars today! You’ll find general information here about hybrid cars and hybrid car technology plus information about some specific hybrids.

Hybrid Cars

Top 5 Hybrid Cars For 2008

hybrid-car-prius

Demand For Hybrid Cars Continues To Rise

Developing hybrid cars

GM Richard Wagoner hybrid cars

Larry David Talking Hybrid Cars - Toyota Prius

City TV News item on Hybrid Cars

LA Auto Show: Hybrid Cars

Hybrid Cars

Gasoline/Electric Hybrid Cars, Trucks, SUVs

E3 TV: Hybrid cars

New Ford Hybrid Cars Benson Ford Huge Ford Dealer Easley. S

(Hybrid Cars) Overpriced? Increase MPG and Save Money!

Gasoline/Electric Hybrid Cars, Trucks, SUVs

I hope this hybrid car information is helpful to you- if you are shopping for a Hybrid car now or just want to learn more about hybrids.

Car shoppers profit from auto crash

BAuto sales are way, way down. Here’s the facts:

• Through the first six months of 2008, sales were down 10.1% compared with last year. T


• Total vehicle sales nationwide in 2007 were 16.1 million. At the current rate of sales, 2008 totals could be well below 15 million.


• June GM sales declined 18% decline


• June Ford Motor sales were down 28%


• Chrysler was the worst off with sales down 36% for June

But auto dealer woes means great buys from consumers ready to buy a new car. Here are four critical tips for getting the best car deal:

1. Take advantage of huge rebates and incentives available now. Check FightingChance.com and Edmunds.com for the latest incentives to use in your negotiations.


2. Learn what auto dealers are paying for the model you want to buy. Knowing this gives you a negotiating edge. Check this site to get this information- FightingChance New Car Buying Info Package where visitors can  complete their $avOmeter Database


3. Consider taking over an existing short term lease. You can find these leases at Swapalease.com and LeaseTrader.com


4. Instead of trading in your old car, sell it yourself to get more money for it. There are many sites available to help you do this.

Here’s related stories about the auto sales slump.

must-see resources before buying a new car
- Confessions of a Car Salesman is an undercover look at the car buying process from the perspective of a salesman. Edmunds, a car-buying resource, sent one of their writers undercover to get a better understanding of how                                  10 common car-buying mistakes
- You can find more in-depth information and advice on each of the following subjects in Consumer Reports’ new 384-page Smart Buyer’s Guide to Buying or Leasing a Car, available in bookstores. It provides a five-step plan that guides you …cars are sold. …

Detroit working on fuler efficient cars

clipped from www.freep.com Detroit 3 race to build fun, fuel-frugal cars Aim is to develop vehicles more efficient than those of ’70s and ’80s In secure conference rooms, engineering centers and design studios across metro Detroit, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors are working to create a new generation of fuel-efficient vehicles without repeating the mistakes that crippled them when oil prices and emissions regulations shook their world in the 1970s and ’80s. They are honing new technologies, refining designs and scouring the Earth for fun, fuel-efficient cars they can build or sell in North America. From Chevrolet Corvettes and Ford F-150s to small cars engineered in Europe and Asia, every vehicle is being rethought as fuel prices skyrocket and new fuel-economy rules loom. Haunting their efforts is the ghost of failures past. Detroit’s automakers reduced emissions and fuel consumption in the ’70s and ’80s, but at the cost of style, performance, quality and reliability — the things that make a car desirable.

Related Stories

The electric car - the last sign of hope for troubled US car makers? - Instead, GM will reassign a large number of engineers to its new product line of electric vehicles and small fuel-efficient cars. The Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid will go on sale in 2010. The Chevy Volt is an electric vehicle with …

My ZAP - fuzzy crystal ball as to the future of cars and alternate fuels. They have dealt with crowded cities and high fuel costs for many years. What do they do? Mass transit, smaller cars, and more efficient cars. I think that we need a new …

Chevy Jolt: How Should Detroit Tackle the Gas Challenge? - He suggests Detroit’s fortunes—and America’s car-loving society—would be better served by developing just three new cars: a miserly minivan, a fuel-efficient pick-up and a stingy sedan. While not as revolutionary as electrics or plug-in …

GM may bring minicar to US - GM already was reviewing its lineup and seeking ways to produce more fuel-efficient cars “because of legislation with a 35-mile-per-gallon requirement,” Allen said. “That’s certainly something that impacts our portfolio planning.” …

Driving miles down

U.S. car owners drove 1.4 billion fewer highway miles in April than they did in April 2007, the Department of Transportation said Wednesday. Americans have driven 20 billion fewer miles overall this year, the Transportation Department says. That marks the sixth consecutive monthly drop and coincides with record gas prices and an increase in transit ridership, Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said. The chart below from the Federal Highways Administration shows a previous trend over the years of mileage traveled growing every year. This trend may change dramatically based on the high price of gas. What do you think?

Related Stories Below

FAQ Honda’s FCX Clarity

Here are frequently asked questions about Honda’s new FCX Clarity car, an emission free car just now being offered this summer:

This information came from Honda’s Clarity FCX web site. Pump-less.gac.com in no way guarantees the accuracy and completeness of information provided by the manufacturer. Consumers should use the same due diligence they would use in making any automobile purchase in considering the Honda Clarity FCX.

For more information about the Honda FCX, go to this related link.

Hybrid car buying info

With the high price of gas, lots of folks are thinking about other types of cars like Hybrids. Here’s some info I found about Hybrids you may find interesting.

Primer for Buying a Fuel-Efficient Car

Do you want a hybrid, or full electric automobile? Are you willing to search out alternative fuel options? Buying a car these days, whether buying a used car or a brand new vehicle, comes with almost too many choices. …

Hybrid Sports Cars May Be In Near Future

Many are wondering that if a hybrid power plant can be included into existing models, why they can’t be used in hybrid sports cars as well. One such innovation, constructed by a team of high schoolers built a diesel-electric hybrid …

Facts about Hybrid Cars

There are a number of myths and misrepresentations about hybrid cars but there are also a number of clear facts. Certain hybrid cars produce a significant amount less pollutants than conventional cars although the amount depends on the …

2007 Hybrid Cars - Changing The World?

If you’re thinking about buying one of the new 2007 hybrid cars, an internet search should reveal any dealers that are nearby to you. Ask about any local or countrywide incentives to buying a hybrid car – many areas are offering lower …

Ford predicts permanent shift to smaller cars

Americans are switching to buying smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles- a permanent trend, not a temporary shunning of big SUVs while they wait for record fuel prices to drop, Ford Motor CEO Alan Mulally says. Mulally says the stampede is a “structural change” and if, as Ford (F) predicts, fuel prices stay up, “That shift to small and medium-size cars and utilities is going to be permanent.”

Read the whole story at USA Today. Click here.

More related stories below:

• There’s No Ford In The Future For American Labor
- Ford is planning to build a new small car, the Fiesta in Mexico in order to cut American labor costs. The car is already being produced by Ford in China, India, Brazil, South Africa and Venezuela in order to cut labor costs. …
• Ford Flex rolls off the line
- Even so, the Flex is still a lot thirstier than the small cars and hybrids that have become the darlings of cost-conscious consumers. But Ford says there are plenty of customers who need the space offered by the Flex, …
• Ford To Release Small Car, Fiesta, In 2010
- Small cars are increasingly important in a world where an efficient use of space and fuel is ever more important. This certainly applies to vehicles, and Ford is taking note by introducing some exciting new cars on the global market. …
• Small Ford cars to replace large trucks
- “Ford is absolutely committed to leveraging our global assets to accelerate the shift to more fuel-efficient small cars and powertrain technologies that people really want and value,” said Ford president and CEO Alan Mulally. …
• Cutting Off the Guzzlers
- But, after years of resisting compacts and other small cars, complaining they were too low to the ground, perhaps less safe, and lacking the heft to tote what might need toting, many vehicle buyers have surrendered, giving up the keys …

Convert your vehicle?

Conversions

Conventional original equipment manufacturer (OEM) vehicles altered to operate on propane, natural gas, methane gas, ethanol, or electricity are classified as aftermarket alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) conversions. In the United States, all vehicle conversions (except those to run on electricity) must meet current applicable U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. EPA instituted these standards to assure unimpaired emission control of motor vehicles throughout their useful life. Vehicles operating in California must follow conversion rules issued by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

This section provides information about conversions. For more information, choose from the following links.

• What is an AFV Conversion?
• Vehicle Conversion Certification
• Certificates of Conformity
• Vehicle Converters
• Conversion Requirements

What is an AFV Conversion?

A converted vehicle is one that was originally designed to operate on gasoline or diesel and has been altered to run on an alternative fuel. Altering vehicles to run on compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are the two most common types of alternative fuel vehicle conversions.

OEM vehicles can be converted to “dedicated” AFVs, which means they operate exclusively on an alternative fuel such as propane or natural gas. They can also be converted to “bi-fuel” vehicles that have separate tanks for gasoline and the gaseous fuel. The desired fuel is usually accessed by flipping a switch to change tanks. Dual-fuel systems supply both fuels into the combustion chamber at the same time in various calibrated proportions. Currently there is no EPA certification available for converting OEM models to dual-fuel systems.

For more information on AFV conversions, visit the following sections.

• Natural Gas Vehicle Conversions
• Propane Vehicle Conversions
• Electric Vehicle Conversions
• Flexible Fuel Vehicle Conversions
• Conversion of Hybrid to Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle

Vehicle Conversion Certification

All vehicle conversions must be certified according to Mobile Source Enforcement Memorandum 1A (Memo 1A) issued in 1974; the Addendum to Memo 1A (PDF 32 KB), which was issued in 1997; and the Revision to the Addendum to Memo 1A (Revision), issued in 1998. Download Adobe Reader. The original purpose of Memo 1A was to enforce the tampering prohibitions under Section 203(a)(3) of the Clean Air Act with respect to maintenance and use of aftermarket parts. Its subsequent revisions outlined allowable procedures for converting vehicles to operate on alternative fuels while still complying with the Clean Air Act’s tampering prohibitions and ensuring that emissions are not degraded through the conversion process.

In the mid 1990s, testing determined that some vehicles converted to operate on alternative fuels, specifically natural gas and propane, produced worse emissions than those of baseline gasoline vehicles. EPA then issued the Addendum to Memorandum 1A in September 1997, requiring more stringent emissions testing for AFV conversions. The addendum specified three options for system manufacturers to demonstrate that it had a “reasonable basis” to believe its aftermarket part, vehicle add-on, or alteration to the vehicle would not adversely affect vehicle emissions performance.

Certificates of Conformity

EPA issues Certificates of Conformity that cover a “test group”—specific vehicle or engine models for certain model years that are modified to operate on an alternative fuel. Data for a test group retrofitted with a conversion companies’ alternative fuel system must be submitted to EPA for certification. Once the Certificate of Conformity is issued, vehicles in the test group may be converted by that conversion company to use that alternative fuel system.

Certificates of Conformity for “aftermarket” converters are signed by EPA and certify that the appropriate sections of the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR Parts 85 through 88) have been met. Certificates indicate:

• The original test group of vehicles as determined and provided by the OEM.
• The evaporative emissions family.
• The state(s) in which the test group is certified (e.g. California vs. 50 state sales areas).
• The “car line” (e.g., F-150, two-wheel drive, extended cab, 5.4-liter engine).
• The model year of the vehicles included in the test group.
• The emissions standards that are met.

An aftermarket conversion may only be performed on a vehicle if a Certificate of Conformity or CARB certification has been issued for that vehicle’s test group.

For information on CARB procedures, visit the Certification of Alternative Fuel Retrofit Systems section of the CARB Web site.

Vehicle Converters

The EPA refers to a vehicle converter as a “small volume manufacturer.” The vehicle converter holds the Certificate of Conformity. An individual or entity wishing to convert a vehicle to operate on an alternative fuel must go through a company or organization associated with a certificate holder, and the work must be performed by a licensed technician associated with that company. Examples of organizations that hold Certificates of Conformity issued by EPA include the designer of the conversion equipment, the producer or manufacturer of the equipment, and the company that performs the installations.

It is the responsibility of the certificate holder to ensure the equipment is properly installed and that it is safe, durable, and meets the emission standards of the original model year of the vehicle.

To qualify to perform aftermarket AFV conversions, potential certificate holders must complete an application and submit emissions test data to EPA for a test group of vehicles equipped with the retrofit system. Each year, certificate holders must file a new application to renew their certificates for test groups; they do not need to submit new test data in order to renew. For example, for the conversion of a model year (MY) 2003 vehicle, EPA can issue a MY 2004 certificate (enabling the certificate holder to convert that MY 2003 vehicle test group through the end of 2004 calendar year) or a MY 2007 certificate (enabling the certificate holder to convert that MY 2003 vehicle through the end of the 2007 calendar year).

The certificate holder could later apply for a MY 2008 certificate when EPA begins issuing them (enabling the certificate holder to convert that MY 2003 vehicle test group through the end of the 2008 calendar year). The certificates are valid through December 31 of each certification year. A manufacturer can reapply to convert prior year vehicles in subsequent years without conducting new emissions testing, as long as the conversion equipment and technologies are equivalent to what was first submitted.

If a Certificate of Conformity has not been issued for your vehicle, a certificate holder may consider applying for a Certificate of Conformity for that vehicle. The certificate holder may also provide an estimate on how much it would cost to convert your vehicle. See the Federal and State Laws and Incentives section to find incentives and other programs that could help offset conversion costs. Select Conversion Companies in the related links search to find companies that perform conversions.

Conversion Requirements

Beginning with MY 2005 light-duty vehicles (MY 2007 for heavy-duty vehicles between 8,500 lb. and 14,000 lb. gross vehicle weight rating), all conversions must be onboard diagnostic system (OBD II) compliant when operating on the alternative fuels. No false OBD codes or false malfunction indicator light (MIL) illumination should occur. For dual-fuel vehicles, the OBD II system must not be affected by the conversion when operating the vehicle on gasoline. Testing for compliance should be conducted by inducing failures to the emission system.

Deterioration factors (DFs) were updated on May 26, 2005, and alternative fuel converters must use these DFs for emissions measurements on vehicles using alternative fuels. These apply to dedicated AFVs and dual-fuel vehicles when operating on alternative fuels. For dual-fuel vehicles, the use of OEM DFs when operating on the fuel used by OEMs at the time the vehicle was originally certified is contingent on the alternative fuel converter not modifying the components or the location of the OEM emission control system. It is also contingent on the alternative fuel converter not modifying fuel control system or increasing the weight of the vehicle by more than 500 lb. Aftermarket converters must state that they have not altered the OEM’s emission control system and include it in their certification applications.

Ultra low sulfur diesel vehicles

Ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) is diesel fuel with 15 parts per million (ppm) or lower sulfur content. This ultra-low sulfur content enables use of advanced emission control technologies on light dury and heavy0duty diesel vehicles. Most highway diesel fuel refined in or imported into the United States is required to be ULSD as of 2006.

Petroleum-based ULSD is not considered an alternative fuel under the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct), but most ULSD fuels produced from non-petroleum and renewable sources are considered EPAct alternative fuels.

Ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) is diesel fuel with 15 parts per million (ppm) or lower sulfur content. U.S Environmental Protection Agency requires 80% of the highway diesel fuel refined in or imported into the United States (100% in California) to be ULSD as of 2006. One hundred percent must be ULSD nationwide by 2010. Different requirements apply to non-highway diesel.

Currently, the vast majority of ULSD is produced from petroleum. However, biodiesel, biomass-tp-liquids, coal-to-liquids, and gas-to-liquids diesel diesel; and hydrogeneration-derived-renewable diesel are inherently ultra-low sulfur fuels and could help meet ULSD requirements in the future. Petroleum-based ULSD is not considered an alternative fuel under the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct), but most ULSD fuels produced from non-petroleum and renewable sources are considered EPAct alternative fuels.

Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel as a Vehicle Fuel

Ultra-low sulfur content in diesel fuel is beneficial because it enables use of advanced emission control technologies on light-duty and heavy-duty diesel vehicles. The combination of ULSD with advanced emission control technologies is sometimes called Clean Diesel.

Nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and particulate matter (PM) are the two most harmful diesel pollutant emissions. These emissions can be controlled with the use of catalytic converters (for NO_x) and particulate traps (for PM). However, sulfur—in amounts that used to be allowable in diesel fuel—deactivates these devices and nullifies their emissions control benefits. Using ULSD enables these devices to work properly.

In general, ULSD should cause no noticeable impact on vehicle performance, although fuel economy might be slightly reduced because the process that produces ULSD can also reduce the fuel’s energy content. Removing sulfur from diesel reduces lubricity. This issue can be resolved by the addition of additives prior to retail sale that increase lubricity. In addition, blending biodiesel with ULSD also increases lubricity.

Using ULSD in older diesel vehicles might affect fuel system components or loosen deposits in fuel tanks. These vehicles should be monitored closely for fuel system problems and premature fuel filter plugging during the transition to ULSD. New vehicles designed to use ULSD must never be fueled with a higher-sulfur fuel. If kerosene is blended with ULSD for improved cold-weather performance, it must be ultra-low sulfur (15 ppm or lower) kerosene. New engine oils have been developed for use with new diesel vehicles fueled with ULSD.

Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Benefits

Although petroleum-based ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) is not an alternative fuel, it provides important environmental and fuel-saving benefits. ULSD produced from non-petroleum and renewable sources is even more advantageous. The following are benefits of ULSD:

• Ultra-low sulfur diesel enables use of advanced emission control technologies on light-duty and heavy-dutry diesel vehicles.
  • ULSD enables use of catalytic converters and particulate traps that nearly eliminate emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and particulate matter (PM), pollutants that are linked to serious health problems.
  • Emission reductions from use of Clean Diesel (ULSD combined with advanced emission control technologies) will be equivalent to removing the pollution from more than 90% of today’s trucks and buses, when the current heavy-duty vehicle fleet has been completely replaced in 2030.
  • ULSD will enable light-duty diesel vehicles to meet the same strict emissions standards as light-duty gasoline vehicles.
• Diesel engines are 20-40% more efficient than comparable gasoline engines.
  • The availability of low-emission light-duty diesel cars and trucks fueled with ULSD is likely to put more diesel vehicles on the road.
  • Replacing some gasoline vehicles with diesel vehicles will result in reduced U.S. petroleum fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Ultra-low sulfur diesel uses existing fueling infrastructure and works with existing engine and vehicle technologies.
• Inherently ultra-low sulfur biodiesel, biomass-to-liquids diesel, coal-to-liquids diesel, gas-to-liquids diesel, and hydrogeneration-derived renewable diesel provide additional environmental, energy security, and economic benefits.

For more about the benefits of ULSD, visit the Diesel Technology Forum and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Clean Diesel Campaign, which includes a Diesel Emissions Quantifier that estimates emission-reduction benefits of fleet ULSD use.

How to claim fuel efficient tax credits

Updated frequently — last updated Dec. 11, 2007

Vehicles Purchased or Placed in Service

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 replaced the clean-fuel burning deduction with a tax credit. A tax credit is subtracted directly from the total amount of federal tax owed, thus reducing or even eliminating the taxpayer’s tax obligation. The tax credit for hybrid vehicles applies to vehicles purchased or placed in service on or after January 1, 2006.

The credit is only available to the original purchaser of a new, qualifying vehicle. If a qualifying vehicle is leased to a consumer, the leasing company may claim the credit.

Hybrid vehicles have drive trains powered by both an internal combustion engine and a rechargeable battery. Many currently available hybrid vehicles may qualify for the tax credit.

These models have been certified for the credit in the following amounts:

† This reflects a decrease in the credit amount as of Oct. 1, 2006, due to the manufacturers meeting quarterly sales of 60,000 qualified hybrid cars — See Quarterly Sales, below.

†† This credit amount does not phase out. The full amount of the altenative fuel vehicle credit would be available for vehicles purchased on or before December 31, 2010.

Qualifed Cars and Credit Amounts

• Model Year 2008
• Model Year 2007
• Model Year 2006
• Model Year 2005

Quarterly Sales

Consumers seeking the credit may want to buy early since the full credit is only available for a limited time. Taxpayers may claim the full amount of the allowable credit up to the end of the first calendar quarter after the quarter in which the manufacturer records its sale of the 60,000th hybrid or advance lean burn technology. For the second and third calendar quarters after the quarter in which the 60,000th vehicle is sold, taxpayers may claim 50 percent of the credit. For the fourth and fifth calendar quarters, taxpayers may claim 25 percent of the credit. No credit is allowed after the fifth quarter.

For example, F Company is a manufacturer of hybrid motor vehicles, but not advanced lean burn technology motor vehicles. F Company sells its 60,000th hybrid car on March 31, 2006.

• Ms. Smith buys an F Company hybrid car on June 30, 2006, and claims the full credit.
• Ms. Maple buys an F Company hybrid car on Dec. 31, 2006, and claims 50 percent of the credit.
• Mr. Grey buys an F Company hybrid car on June 30, 2007, and claims 25 percent of the credit.
• Mr. Green buys an F Company hybrid car on July 1, 2007, and is unable to claim the credit, because the credit has phased out for F Company vehicles.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., has submitted quarterly reports indicating that its cumulative sales of qualified vehicles to retail dealiers has reached the 60,000-vehicle limit during the calendar quarter ending June 30, 2006. Effective Oct. 1, 2006, the tax credit amounts for certified Toyota models will be reduced. The models and allowable credits may be found in news releases IR-2006-145, Toyota Hybrids Begins Phaseout on October 1and IR-2006-154, Additional Toyota and Lexus Vehicles Certified for the Energy Tax Credit.

More detailed information may be found in the Summary of the Credit for Qualified Hybrid Vehicles

Vehicles Purchased or Placed in Service 2001 through 2005

In August 2002, the IRS announced that it had certified the first hybrid gas-electric automobile as eligible for the clean-burning fuel deduction, effective 2001. Federal law allowed individuals to claim a deduction for the incremental cost of buying a motor vehicle propelled by a clean-burning fuel. A tax deduction is subtracted from income, thus reducing the amount of adjusted gross income on which the taxpayer is taxed.

The deduction is only available to the original purchaser of a new, qualifying vehicle. If a qualifying vehicle is leased to a consumer, the leasing company may claim the credit.

Note: This information changes often. Click here to get the latest IRS info.

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