I Hate When That Happens

We Minnesotans are a hardy bunch, we endure the long, cold, dark winter, and we do try to make the best of it. But this time of the year I think we all go a little crazy to get outdoors. I have a friend that actually has a countdown timer on his computer that lets him know how many days, hours and minutes remain until the official start of the state Bass fishing season. Well for me I know spring is just around the corner when the Minneapolis Car show rolls into town. And as usual there were many very interesting vehicles to check out. It’s obvious that our love affair with cars and pick-ups is very much alive when you look at what is out there and dream about those proto types that are in the planning stage. It seems that performance is still a very hot item, as horsepower and superchargers are still the talk around the show.

Of course one of the big topics was the Hybrid car. This vehicle uses a gasoline engine coupled with a larger battery pack, generator and an electric motor to power the vehicle. Of course the advantages are fuel saving as well as environmental benefits.

It’s interesting as I enter into conversations with people about Hybrid vehicles. Many people think that this is brand new technology. In fact this technology has been around for years. I once read an article that said that a man named Piper had a patent application for a gas/electric car in 1905. Its purpose was to enhance the car’s acceleration from 0 to 25mph in 11 seconds, which was three times faster than contemporary cars. Another example of a hybrid is a moped. This uses pedal power and a gas engine. And of course the railroad has used hybrid technology for years. They use a diesel engine to run a generator which provides power to run an electric motor that drives the train.

But of course now the big push for hybrids is sparked by the price of gasoline exceeding $2.00 per gallon. We have known for years about the oil supply issues and the environmental consequences of burning fossil fuel. But until it really hits us in the pocketbook we are not really motivated to change our habits. There is only a handful of Hybrid available at this time. Those in the market now are Honda, Toyota and Ford. Coming soon are full size Pick-ups from GM and Dodge. Of course with any new technology I’m sure there are bugs to work out.

So what are the factors in actually buying a hybrid? The original price will be a factor, any repairs or maintenance will need to be considered. I think there may be issues arise that we have never dealt with before, just like when computers were introduced into vehicles. There will be a learning curve for both the public and the technicians working on these vehicles. And of course the price gas climbs to will motivate people to give it a try. Also the manufactures continue working on present vehicles to make them more efficient for the future. It will be interesting to see what happens as our country enters into this uncharted territory of alternate fueled vehicles. If I know anything about cars, I’m sure they will give us plenty of opportunity in the future to say “I Hate When That Happens”