Consumer concerns over environmental pollution and increasing fuel costs have led to more demand for cars that emit less harmful gasses and are more fuel-efficient.
General Motors has now joined other car manufacturers in introducing cars that use hybrid technology. Governments have also been encouraging consumers to turn to hybrid technology. For example, buying a Saturn Aura hybrid entitles the car buyer to a $1300 tax credit.
Economical driving from hybrid cars
According to EPA assessments, the Aura hybrid delivers 24 mpg in city driving, and 32mpg in highway driving. It has a 2.4-liter, 164 horsepower, 4-cylinder engine with 4-speed automatic transmission and electric motor assist.
It is classified as a mild hybrid because it cannot run on electricity alone even when driving at slow speeds. It has an electric motor that is powered by a battery pack, and functions as a battery charger, or as an aid to the 2.4-liter fuel engine. The hybrid system automatically turns off the engine when the car is immobile and it blocks gas supply when decelerating.
How does this hybrid technology work?
The Saturn Aura uses GM's Belt Alternator System hybrid technology. During motoring, the car's hybrid system is used to restart the fuel engine when the brakes are released. The hybrid system supplies transitory acceleration support when needed then transforms the DC energy to a three-phase alternating current (AC) power to operate the motor-generator unit as an electric engine.
The hybrid system when it is in generating mode supplies 12-volt auxiliary energy. It also supplies enough energy to charge the battery pack. Power to run the engine comes from the fuel during acceleration, or the kinetic energy of the car during deceleration. The three-phase AC output is then transformed to DC energy to energize the hybrid battery pack and the car's accessory battery.
The Saturn hybrid is a safe, cheap and well-equipped car.
A Saturn hybrid is relatively cheap and comes with power mirrors, air-conditioning system, airbags, locks and windows, power steering and cruise control. It is considered a safe vehicle with a five-star safety rating and a four-star mark in rollover risk.
However, it offers less fuel savings compared to a Toyota hybrid for example.
Other features include a vehicle navigation system which uses voice-activated instructions and text-based details in the dashboard monitor. It is equipped with an advanced digital audio player which can play and index WMA discs and MP3.
About the Author
Visit Green-Hybrid-Cars.com for useful information and resources about Saturn Aura hybrid, Ford hybrid Escape and Honda hybrid SUV.
|
