Economical and Environmental Cost-Benefit Analysis on Hybrid Cars Essay

A mark gondola is a gondola propelled by the application of two or more than power sources. First attempts to introduce hybrid rail mood cars goes arse to mid 1660, way before the discovery and introduction of the fuel powered accomplished cars but were neer commercially reachd until 21st ascorbic biting when Japanese car manufacturer, Toyota produced the Toyota prius exclusively for its domestic market. In fact, it is estimated that the first-year attempt to produce a hybrid car was in 1665.The delay in the production of this variance of vehicles was because of two main reasons first, the limited range in the distance the vehicles could cover and secondly the difficulty and dear(p) function of recharging their batteries. Furthermore, it is a basic science concept that the more complex a machine is the more it is prone to failure and thus the idea of commercial production of hybrid vehicles has been a slow process over the centuries.Worlds population explosion, demand for fresh ventilate and green cities, dwindling crude deposits, over dependency in overseas anele, economic recession and orbiculate warming atomic number 18 meet some of the environmental and economic factors that dumbfound forced domains leading car manufacturers to leave to the market car models that are non all environmentally couthy but in addition equal put upive. A cost-benefit analysis on this topic testament attempt to bring out the cost of getting a hybrid car into the road in comparison to the benefits that the being stands to reap as a allow of this venture.This research seeks to bring to the surface three major(ip) aspects that are associated with the introduction of hybrid cars into the dit world. These three issues are (i) The cost of producing a hybrid car The successful landing of a hybrid car is in focus under this area. It is not easy to get into the road a car that arranges use of a combination of two or more sources of energy. The research i nvolved is estimated to run to millions of dollars thus sky-rocketing the price of a hybrid car.(ii) Environmental factors Environmental factors simply refer to the concerns that a particular fictional character of car produces substances that injure our surroundings thus devising life on estate more stern and therefore more complex. These substances include green domiciliate gases as healthy as toxic metal compounds such as the ones that contain lead in their structure. (iii) scotch cost benefit factors Economic factors stupefy much to do with the living standards of people as cold as the generation and investment of property is concerned.The economic make up of the world has gotten pegged heavily on crude and there are concerns from all right thinking citizen of the world that this is a self devour trend that is likely to create full economic problems if the oil industry hits a serious problem. This has already been witnessed before whereby a slight pass over in o il prices has sent shockwaves in economies in both the developed and the developing world. Literature refresh The make forer Vice President of the coupled States who later won the Democratic Party nomination and confused the presidency in a controversial manner to George W Bush, Mr.Al Gore, has had the world rethinking its actions as far as the degeneration of the environment is concerned. An inconvenient Truth, a film he worked on captures the problems that are already being experienced in various parts of the world as a result of world(a) warming. This, he says is being fuelled by the use of environmentally unfriendly cars that use oil or flatulence (Gore, 2006, para1-3). It is not surprising that he went a head to win a Nobel Prize for this peace of work. voltaic and hybrid cars have always received much appreciation due to the perceived ability to articulated lorry this burning issue of climate change.Their ability to cut the emission of these toxic substances into the at mosphere that lead to ostracize climatic shift is the major reason for this (Anderson and Anderson, 2004, pp 6-10). In recognition of this serious problem, vital steps have been made in the research that is involved in the development and production of cars that make use of a combination of two or three sources of locomotive energy. Chief among these is the research into electric cars that promise to shave the overreliance on oil (Westbrook, 2001, pp 34-39).The pioneer nation in the world in the research and possible push-down stack production of hybrid cars is Japan. But the appetite with which the United States of America has picked up the issue points to the significance of this suit of car. The driving force is the reduction in pollution, the saving that comes in terms of finances and most significantly national security that is put at lay on the line with too much dependency on irrelevant oil. The argument is often projected in terms of supplying their dollars to nations that fund terror groups such as al Qaeda (Boschert, 2006 pp 2-7).It is common knowledge that mass production of hybrid cars leave behind not only provide a partial solution to world environmental problems but also be a practical measure to save countries from losses running to millions of dollars due to escalating prices of world crude oil. The cost of producing a hybrid car The production of hybrid cars is not a cheap or a childlike venture. Confessions by companies that have dipped their fingers into this hot pot have clearly shown that more than just primary technology is in play in the production of this type of cars.Research that has been on-going for a long m now is very complicated and has consumed millions of dollars. At the end of the day, despite the hyped advantages of shifting from purely oil consuming cars to hybrid cars, the cost that must be borne has to be high (Westbrook,2001,pp 56-61). It is the overall ability of the hybrid car to assist man in solving most of his economic and environmental problems that make the whole play worthwhile. Environmental factors While scientists agree that there can never be perfect environmentally friendly hybrid cars and that this depends solely on the design and model of hybrid power system.It is worthy appreciating that the use of this configuration of vehicles will automatically lead to the reduction of global warming by approximately 0. 3 to 0. 5 percent and that more advanced models and designs in the coming years due to technological advances would reduce this mannequin even further. The problems of the quality of urban air, reduction of noise due to application of electric force back in fuel power conventional cars, and elimination of smog forming pollutants could be solved in a century if research on mass production of hybrid cars is defendn a priority.The main source of air pollutants in cities and major towns is battery-acid. Fuel powered conventional motor vehicles produce much higher level s of light speed dioxide (Co2) ampere-second monoxide (Co), nitrogen oxides (Nox) and hydro light speeds (Hc) and this from the primary source of these dangerous pollutants. This is mainly because fuel powered conventional cars (FPCC) make short trips that do not give time for electric motor warm ups and cold starts. It is mention that hybrid cars reduced the levels of the carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide by 97% in comparison to other(a) sources of these pollutants. atomic number 6 monoxide (C0), when inhaled for long periods interferes with the proper functioning of the brain in that it impairs the flow of oxygen (O2) into the brain. Once the brain kale working in the expected way, the person involved turns into a vegetable. Carbon dioxide and water vapor form the principal components of green house gases that bring about the green house effect. Green house effect is a scenario in which too much heat is trapped within the atmosphere due to the forepart of such toxic gases as carbon monoxide and this resultant effect is a highly raised earth temperature.Infact carbon dioxide (C02) is considered one of the major atmospheric pollutants, and is solely responsible for approximately 57% global warming. forbid set up of global warming include the rapidly declining numbers of polar bears and melting of ice in the tropical zone. It is therefore an open knowledge that releasing carbon dioxide (C02) into the atmosphere is detrimental to the lives of living reed organisms and the equilibrium of the ecosystem. treat and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are very dangerous air pollutants produced by combustion of sulphur containing fuels.Over the years, scientists have devised bureau of producing sulphur and lead free fuels but achieving an excellent degree is still a distant mirage. certification of these compounds in the air is harmful to plants, man and infrastructure. Exposure to high concentration of sulphur dioxide irritates respiratory tracts m aking breathing difficult and can easily cause lung problems. Sulfur Oxide contributes to respiratory illness. Patients suffering from heart diseases risk aggravating their conditions if exposed to even mild concentration of sulfur oxides.These components also form secondary pollutants when transported and combine with other elements forming sulphates, nitrate salts, nitrogen dioxides and even nitric acid vapor. This is what is commonly known as acid rain that corrodes buildings, burns vegetations, burns the homophile skin and destroys infrastructure. Chlorofluorocarbons also form component of green house gases that bring about the effect of global warming. When exposed to gamma rays, these compounds break down to release chlorine atoms.The presence of chlorine atoms in the atmosphere catalyses splitting of Ozone (O3) into oxygen gas (O2), however the negative effects of their presence overweigh their importance. Photochemical air pollution, usually known as smog and is commonly sported in the tropics and subtropics is also caused by incomplete combustion of gasoline emitted by fuel powered conventional vehicles. This process leads to the production of Ozone gas that is responsible for irritation in the eyes, extensive damage to plants and crops and lung complications.The release of carbon dioxide (C02), chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides (N0x) and other pollutants into the atmosphere contributes to the destruction of plants on the earths surface. Photosynthesis, the process by which trees produce oxygen from carbon dioxide is so vital to human life in fact it is verbalise that life cannot exist without trees. Destruction of trees by releasing these pollutants into the air is equal to destruction of both human life and plant life.While particulate matters are the main contributors to lung problems and most cancer cases, hydrocarbons are also a cause of lung problems and other tissue problems. Long exposure to high concentrations of hydrocarbons eventually leads to total organ failures. Furthermore it is a major contributor to birth defects and other complicated illnesses like cancer. With the commercial manufacture and introduction of hybrid cars, extensive damage to the environment is definitely reduced, quality of life enhanced and urban areas become clean to inhabit, the dream of world environmental rights groups.Economic factors Crude oil is the raw physical that propels almost all components of worlds economy in many ways. In fact the world is so dependent on crude oil that if its supply would be cut abruptly, major world economies like United States of America, Russia and China would immediately come to a standstill. United States depends on crude oil alone for 40% of its energy supply, triple than other sources. Overdependence on crude oil is not sizable enough. First, crude oil is a non-renewable source of energy and analysts predict it will be largely half-hearted within half a century.This rings an alarm bell that if measures are not put in place and countries go green by using hybrid cars, then the future is bleak and the sound out is in danger. Transportation sector depends entirely on oil for energy supply. Trucks, planes, ships cars and buses are propelled by motor engines that use oil. Introducing hybrid cars would reverse this trend, make the world safer from fluctuating oil prices and reduce dependence on this energy source (Paterson, 2007 para. 3-5).Reliance on crude oil for fuel supply is a major contributor to ethnic and tribal wars in Africa. This demonstrates the levels at which scramble for this commodity has reached. In fact notably China is so hungry for crude oil that it is ready to ignore the sufferings of millions of peoples around the world and specifically Sudan, so as to get its industry moving. It therefore points to the fact that lasting peace and safety will be found and armed conflicts reduced drastically when less fuel consuming cars are produced and thirstiness for oil curtailed. crossbreed cars are pocket friendly as they consume less gasoline in comparison to fuel powered conventional cars. Even though they are slightly expensive to purchase, the return is achieved in long term due to lower fuel consumption. Further, governments and notably the United States of America give tax incentives to buyers of hybrid cars in to a move aimed at reducing the average prices of these vehicles and thus support more people to purchase them. Dwindling petroleum deposits in a major concern to the world.It is widely acknowledged that only a total of one trillion barrels of recoverable crude oil reserves is available for exploration worldwide with only two percent (2%) of this value in the United States of America. Most of these oil deposits are found in the eastern hemisphere that is made up of countries that are well known for political instability. It is therefore very wise for countries that fall in the Western hemisphere and more so, the United States to adapt the mass production and commercial use of hybrid vehicles.This will not only cushion them from ever fluctuating oil prices but will also prevent the imminent collapse of most sectors of the economies of these countries. Conclusion From the foregoing, it is evident that the world stands to gain immensely from the introduction into the world of transportation hybrid cars. It is true that the cost of producing a hybrid car is not one that sends one gay all the way to the bank. In fact it is prohibitively high and the faint hearted who will not assume attention to the long term benefits of this hybrid car model will not dare.But the benefits or gains both in terms of saving a planet in peril and a global economy in a shambles are so enticing and crucial that it is actually the way to go. The environmental problems that come as a result of oil utilization in transport and other areas of life will be dealt with once and for all. For instance, the release o f dangerous gases such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide into the atmosphere that is responsible for global warming and numerous respiratory problems as well as problems in farming thorough such phenomena as acid rain will be solved.The economic woes that come up from over dependence on oil will also be contained. The availing of financial resources to rogue nations such as Iran that fund terrorist groups, the shaking of the global economy due to shifts in oil prices as well as the escalation of conflicts in most third world countries in the east and Africa as a result of scrambling over oil resources will be eliminated.ReferencesAnderson C. D & Anderson J (2004) Electric and Hybrid Cars A History. ISBN-10 0786418729, ISBN -13 978-0786418725, McFarland & Company. pp 6-10 Boschert, S. , (2006) Plug-Ins The cars that will recharge America.pp 2-7 ISBN-10 0865715718, ISBN-13 978-0865715714, New Society Publishers. Gore, A. (2006) An Inconvenient Truth. Retrieved on 24th March 2009 from http//www. climatecrisis. net/aboutthefilm/. Para 1-3. Paterson, B. N. , (2007). Economic benefits of hybrid cars. Retrieved on 23rd March 2009 from http//www. helium. com/items/1026111-economic-benefits-of-hybrid-cars, para 3-5. Westbrook M. H, (2001) The Electric Car Development and Future of Battery, Hybrid and Fuel-Cell Cars. ISBN-10 0852960131, ISBN-13 978-0852960134. The Institution of Engineering and Technology. pp 56-61.