smart cars [ Article ]
Once relegated to the realm of concept cars and drawing boards, alternative fuel vehicles are gaining in popularity. A new generation of hybrid cars uses gasoline engines to generate electricity, cutting emissions and bypassing some of the limitations of all-electric cars. Here's a look inside the Toyota Prius, coming out next year, and at other technologies expected to reach the market in the next few years:
1: Insulation in the roof and floor cuts heat entering the car through the roof and floor.
2: Side and rear windows shut out ultraviolet rays, keeping cars cooler in sunshine.
3: Getting there from here
Digital databases that store atlases give maps and verbal directions as you drive. But technology expected to reach the market in the next year will use wireless links to provide current traffic conditions, as well as restaurant and movie listings and locations.
4: Where's the juice?
Power is provided by batteries when the car is starting, or at low speeds when the gasoline engine is inefficient.
As you accelerate, the electric generator turns on the gasoline engine for more power.
At normal speeds, power from the gasoline engine runs the generator, which produces electricity.
During full-throttle acceleration, batteries provide extra power to the wheels without the driver changing gears.
5: Conventional hydraulic brakes supply extra braking power when needed.
6: Regenerative brakes charge batteries as the car slows, reclaiming energy lost in conventional cars. This is especially efficient in stop-and-go city driving.
