On the 25th of July 2009 the United states government STARTED offering insentives for people to trade in there old gas guzzling vehicles for new fuel efficent cars for the purpose of stimulating sluggish car sales and to stimulate the economy.
Many people took advantage of this program, and purchased a more fuel efficient vehicle to help reduce their fuel & gas bills.
Unfortunatly the majority of americans either could not afford to purchase a new fuel efficient car or were unable to participate in the goverments program.

   Nearly all the advances in automotive technology in the past 30 years have been directed toward producing bigger engines and faster vehicles. With many of the cars on the road today fuel mileage and emissions was not a big concern until the last few years and most of the advertising from automotive manufacturers programmed us to waste fuel and drive faster.

This kind of advertising from many of the worlds car manufacturers does not promote good energy conservation!!

   You can decrease your petroleum use and help with the environment by actually trying to get the best fuel economy possible out of your present car.We shouldn't have to give up comfort, safety and enjoyment our larger vehicles just to save fuel.

changing driving habits

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· Vehicle Condition & Maintenance (keeping it tuned up)
· Fuel Variations ( different grades of fuel)
· Vehicle Variations ( large vs. small)
· Engine Break-In (or engine age)
· Type of tires (low or high rolling resistance)

   Therefore, EPA ratings can be a useful for comparing the fuel economies for different vehicles but may not accurately predict the average MPG you will get from your vehicle

Under CAFE,( corporate average fuel economy) the required average fuel economy for all world wide car manufacturers in the US is 27.5 mpg for passenger cars and 21.6 mpg for light-duty trucks and SUVs under 8,500 pounds., and amazingly the average fuel economy for today's new economy cars and trucks is lower than it was 20 years ago.

  Congress recently passed legislation to decrease our dependence on foreign oil by increasing corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards on new cars and trucks to 35 mpg by model year 2020. This could reduce our petroleum use by 25 billion gallons by 2030.

   When we can’t afford a new hybrid or fuel effecient car, why do we need to make your existing car or truck more economical?

   Today, over half of the oil we use is imported (60%), and our dependence will increase as we use up domestic resources.
Most of the world’s developed oil reserves are concentrated in the Middle East, and about 70% are controlled by OPEC members.

  Oil price shocks and price manipulation by OPEC and the commodities market have cost our economy dearly—about $1.9 trillion from 2004 to 2008—and each major shock was followed by a recession.

  When we reduce imported oil, we will reduce cartel market control and the economic impact of price shocks reducing demand.
 

   There are many ways that car companies are improving internal combustion powered technologies to make all cars large and small into fuel efficent cars that will reduce fuel consumption substantially while reducing environmental impact and saving energy.

   Many of the European car makers have been working on improving economy for years. That doesn't mean the domestics car manufacturers don't built fuel-efficient cars and trucks.

Ultimately, the solution to this problem lies in technological progress:

Gas & diesel vehicles

   Engine and drive train technologies that will help with fuel efficiency on many of the new fuel efficent vehicles.

   Common wisdom says that if you want the best fuel economy you should buy a car with a manual transmission. That's not true anymore; many automatics get similar or better fuel economy than their manual counterparts

  Some new cars have deactivating cylinders when they are not needed. This will save 7.5% in fuel consumption.

   Look for improve engine efficiency by the optimization of the flow of fuel & air into the engine for various engine speeds. This can save 5% in fuel consumption

   Conceder Turbochargers & Superchargers that increase engine power, allowing smaller downsized engines that increase performance without lowering fuel economy. This can save 7.5% in fuel consumption

   Direct Fuel Injection with turbo charging delivers higher performance with lower fuel consumption. This can save 11-13% in fuel consumption

Look at Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVTs) that have an infinite number of "gears", providing seamless acceleration and improved fuel economy. This can save 6% in fuel consumption

New Automated Manual Transmissions (AMTs) combine the efficiency of manual transmissions with the convenience of automatics (gears shift automatically). This can save 7% in fuel consumption

A very new technology in some hybrids automatically turns the engine on/off when the vehicle is stopped to reduce fuel consumed during idling. This will save 8% in fuel consumption

Diesel powered cars and trucks

Diesel vehicles are making a big comeback. Diesel engines are more powerful and fuel-efficient than similar-sized gasoline engines  (30-35% more fuel efficient). Plus, today's diesel vehicles large and small have improved durability over diesels of the past.

Today's diesels must meet the same emissions standards as gasoline vehicles, and advances in engine technologies, ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, and improved fuel treatments have made this possible.
Emissions reduction from particulates and smog-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx) are being reduced with new "clean" diesel fuels, such as ultra-low sulfur diesel and biodiesel, and advances in emission control technologies have reduce these pollutants also.

Hybrid vehicles

Despite the rapid growth and popularity of the hybrid fuel efficient car market, hybrids accounted for only 1.8% of new car sales in 2008. The other major reason why hybrids are not everywhere is because there retail prices much higher than that of the comparable non-hybrid economy car. They can cost from $3000to$6000 more than a equivalent gas or diesel powered fuel efficient car And will take 10-15 years to make the extra money spent on the hybrid back in fuel savings at the pump.

If you listen to enthusiasts of hybrid economy cars they are the best invention since the airplane. While there are many good reasons to purchase a hybrid car, including new tax incentive for US owners, it helps to have a clear understanding of how much they actually cost.

All this new technology comes at a price: a hybrid car is complex and expensive and the savviest mechanic will not be able to repair it with out the most expensive advanced tools. Many people say that hybrids are more than likely a transition technology and will be obsolete in a very short time. Hydrogen or fuel cell powered cars will be the cars of the future.

If you are a green thinking type of person, there are many ways to increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions - changing driving habits, using public transport, car pooling, riding a bicycle and even walking, and if you can afford it purchasing a more fuel efficient economy car can make a big difference. Think about what you are really trying to accomplish before purchasing a hybrid. Hybrid cars are more expensive to repair and maintain, you must think about how much of your hard earned dollars you are willing to spend on new technology just because it is in fashion right now..



The future of hybrid vehicles could be very bright when development has progressed to a point that variety and versatility is greater than the ugly tiny little econo boxes we have now.

Plug in electric/hybrid economy cars.

With the new energy technologies of wind and solar electricity generation the electric plug in  car could also have a bright future.

Unfortunately our electric infrastructure right now is not designed to handle charging cars. It barely can handle air conditioners in the warmest climates during the summer. When demand outpaces supply the price of electricity will go up. With the higher electrical utility prices it will be harder for everyone to afford all of the required electrical usage in our homes and businesses. Causing demand to go up this fast will have dramatic side effects.

About 49% of U.S. electricity is generated using coal, so in some regions a plug-in running on its batteries is nearly the equivalent of a coal-burning vehicle. The trade-off is one that even plug-in backers acknowledge. It could undercut the appeal of vehicles that appear capable of using little gasoline/fuel in town and getting 50 to 80 mpg overall fuel economy.

With new solar and wind electrical power technologies not fully developed,and large numbers of plug-in hybrids being recharged with power from the least-sophisticated coal plants, "There is a possibility for significant increases of toxic waste into our environment

Fuel cell vehicles

Although they are not expected to reach the mass market before 2011, fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) may someday revolutionize transportation.
This new energy technology has the potential to significantly reduce fuel consumption and harmful emissions, as well as our dependence on foreign oil. FCVs will have many other benefits as well.


A big change in the future:

FCVs represent a major departure from vehicles with conventional internal combustion engines. Like battery-electric vehicles, FCVs are powered by electric motors. But while battery electric vehicles use electricity from an external source (and store it in a battery), FCVs create their own electricity. Fuel cells on board the vehicle creates electricity through a chemical reaction using hydrogen fuel and oxygen from the air.

Be smart and conceder all of your alternatives when making your decision to get a car loan for a new / used car purchase of a hybrid / fuel efficent  car or truck