Driving an automobile is a luxury that most of us take for granted. Automobiles are the primary means of transportation in United States, with ninety percent of American adults owning or previously owning a car or truck. What we don’t realize is that operating a car or truck is a responsibility that can bring serious consequences. Every year in the United States alone, more than ten thousand vehicular accidents occur. An average of four hundred Americans die each year as the result of automotive accidents. It’s a tragic figure, especially when you consider that many of these accidents could be prevented with proper maintenance and routine check-ups. Keeping your car well-maintained means reducing the risk of mishap or even death, and protecting your loved ones and fellow drivers.

Before hitting the road, be sure to conduct these checkups regularly:

Tires Most Americans use all-season tires. These tires should carry you safely from season to season, but it is imperative that you check the tires regularly for wear or damage. Ideally, tires should be checked on a weekly basis.

Brakes The brake system serves one main purposes: to slow down or stop the car when it is needed. If you step on the brake pedal and it goes all the way to the floor, you’ve got trouble. Late-model automobiles are equipped with a brake warning light. This dashboard indicator will light up if something is wrong with your brake system. If your brake warning light indicates trouble, it is imperative that you check the brake system immediately. Consult your owner’s manual for maintenance advice, and call an experienced mechanic for repairs. Brake repairs or replacements are no job for a weekend or hobby mechanic.

Headlights In 2005, over 2,300 pedestrians died because drivers suffered eye problems or had faulty headlights in the automobiles. Properly maintained vehicle headlights help you drive safely, and see more clearly. Replace your headlight bulbs at least once per year.

Wipers Many people don’t think of changing their wiper blades until it is too late. This is one of the easiest and most inexpensive parts of the car to maintain. Change your wiper blades twice a year, in the spring and just before winter.

There are 10 common reasons why automobile owners visit the mechanic:

1. Electronic/Ignition control 2. Suspension/steering 3. Electrical problem 4. Brake system 5. Oil change/filters/lube 6. Exhaust system 7. Radiator repairs 8. Fuel system/carburetor 9. Clutch/transmission 10. Air conditioning system

Routine check ups and proper maintenance of a car be expensive, and budget restrictions are often the leading factors in keeping car owners from living up to their responsibilities. This does not need to be a problem. The key is in knowing how to save on car maintenance and repairs. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) confirmed that $20 billion has been wasted on unnecessary auto repairs due to fraud and incompetence.

If your car is not performing to its full potential, remember the following tips to help you save money on repairs:

Preventive Maintenance Be your car’s best friend, and you can save a bundle. By conducting regular preventative maintenance, such as regular oil changes and radiator flushes, you prevent unnecessary damage to the car and save a lot of money in the long run. Regular checkups by a qualified repairperson will keep your car running better, longer.

Conserve Even automobiles need to take a break now and then. If you drive your car everyday the miles will add up quickly, and damage can occur prematurely. To avoid this, consider carpooling with friends and coworkers. Ask around to form your own carpool group. You’ll all save on maintenance, and you’ll be able to pool your fuel and parking expenses.

Estimate Before choosing a mechanic to repair your car, be sure to get a written estimate. If the mechanic wants more than your budget can afford, shop around. Compare estimates to find the best deal. Just be sure that you are paying for quality service.

Do It Yourself You’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish after doing a little research. Read over your owner’s manual from time to time. Learn as much as you can about your car. Understand potential problems and how to solve them. For example, that mysterious clunking noise might be bothersome, but could be as simple to fix as tightening a bolt. Regular maintenance tasks like oil changes and radiator flushes are fairly easy to do if you understand your vehicle and take the time to do the job properly.

As an automobile owner, you have a responsibility to keep your car properly maintained at all times. Consider it an investment in your car’s future, and remember that it could save a life.

Eighty percent of car buyers are using the Internet to research cars and used car prices. For vehicle research, the Internet’s great! For vehicle prices, the Internet sucks! It sucks because the prices do not reflect reality for the buyer or the seller. Web sites that place values on vehicles have created more confusion than ever.

“My car’s worth $25,800.” “I looked up used car prices on the web and my vehicle’s worth twenty grand.” I hear quotes like these everyday. I wish, for the customer’s sake, that the values are real. By “real” I mean a viable number according to market value.

As hard as it is to accept, even for me as a dealer, what we think a car is worth, and what it’s actually worth according to “market value” is often drastically different.

To find a vehicle’s value the context must first be discussed. What’s context?

Context includes, but is not limited to:

1) Vehicle condition: mileage, maintenance, 1-owner…etc 2) Desirability: new model, special editions, just plain cool… 3) Seasonality: plow trucks, convertibles, 4-wheel drive…etc 4) The Economy: factory incentives, gas prices, hybrids, SUVs 5) Location: Beverly Hills versus the Bronx

Now, each of the above context variables could easily have several sub categories. For example…

Vehicle condition is extremely relative. One person may think there vehicle is perfect, someone else states it needs $1000 worth of work.

Desirability is also relative. A bunch of very cool bells and whistles may not add any value, or it may add $1000’s.

Seasonality is relative. A convertible in the summer has more value than one during a Chicago winter. A plow truck in June will have significantly less value than in November in the northeast.

Economic recessions, exorbitant gas prices, combined with manufacturer incentives can shift new and used car prices all over the map.

Location has a major effect on used car prices. A convertible in California is worth more than one located in Canada.

To summarize, context funnels down to market value. Web sites such as Edmunds, NADA, and Kelley have drastically missed this mark, creating a host misinformation. To be fair, these are great research sites, but they can not be the final say on price.

Stating that a vehicle is worth a certain amount of money based on a web site’s data does not take the above factors into account. It’s a value based on misinformation.

These web sites have created an aura of trust when in actuality, the values are mythical. The market is the real indicator of vehicle worth—for better or worse.

What should one do? Buyers and sellers would be wise to follow the market. Check out autotrader.com, cars.com, and/or *ebaymotors.com and watch what vehicles are being advertised and sold for. While these sites are not the final word either, they’re much more accurate than web sites leaning heavily on opinion and averages.

Note: eBay used car pricing is generally wholesale. In other words, it would not be accurate to compare a wholesale-priced eBay car (which may need a significant amount of reconditioning) to a retail-priced vehicle in showroom and/or perfect working condition.

In the end, and this come straight from industry expert, Barry Roth, “Take the highest price and the lowest price you find on the Internet and throw them out. The remaining numbers in the middle is where one should wade. But don’t forget value. Price is one thing—value is the real key to a great car”

For more on used car values visit www.medwayimports.com/

The author had an opportunity to ask from the people who make a business survey the in Italy and found that the market of gas for vehicles was a quite interesting because many people do not know that in some countries, the engines of the cars they drive in everyday life have been modified in order to be able to burn other kinds of gas that cost more lower than diesel or benzene.

Italy is a country that uses gas as their fuel, which are Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

The number from LPG Euro cars users association and the number from the manufacturer that produces modification kits for cars for other kinds of fuel indicated that there are 1.3-1.4 million cars that use LPG (or GPL in Italian), while 0.3-0.4 million cars use CGN (or Metano in Italian). Italy is a country that uses these two kinds of fuel the most in Europe, as well as the production of modification kits for cars.

On April 28th, 2006, the price of LPG in Italy was Euro 0.63/liter (USD 0.75), while Benzene was Euro 1.50/liter (USD 1.76), which was 2.35 times difference. It is the normal system that the price of LPG is lower than 2.3-2.5 times of Benzene’s, while CNG’s is around Euro 0.50/Kilogram (USD 0.60). This means that CNG’s price depends on weight, not on volume.

Although LPG’s and CNG’s prices are much lower than diesel and benzene, the growth rate of them in Europe is slightly slow and starts to reach their peak point. We can see from many countries in Europe such as England, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, and France, or some countries in Asia such as Japan and South Korea, small-sized cars with low-rate fuel burning engines are more likely to be the majority rather than large-sized cars with high-rate fuel burning engines. Modification of cars for CNG or LPG is more suitable for large-sized cars rather than small ones because it needs some space in the cars to install it, and the installation fees and price for the equipment are high around Euro 1500.00 so that the break-event point will be around 2-3 years or more.

The general property of gas is no color and smell, but what we can smell from it is from the chemical mixed in so that we could notice the gas leak. Gas for cars is the fully burning fuel, and this helps reduce the green house effect which causes the global warming. However, there is also a disadvantage from it. It is a fuel that can harm engines in the long-term because it is gas itself. There is no lubricity property, and it also creates high temperature in burning process.

Even though the gas for cars has nothing to do with our everyday lives, in many countries, it is widely used because of the different price of fuel in each country. If the price is too high, the alternative choice is always considered in users’ calculation, especially with the public cars which run for very long distance each day. The cheaper one means the cheaper cost. Therefore, gas for cars would be a topic that must be talked about whenever the price of gas so high that many people cannot afford to use.

All modern car tires are now radial. Car tires are a tremendous blight on the environment, and there are about a billion car tires stockpiled in our country. Re-treaded passenger car tires are manufactured according to standards. Today’s passenger-car tires are safer at much higher speeds than 80 mph. While passenger-car tires are nearly all radials these days, ST tires are still available in bias-belted construction. We all know that our car tires are filled with air and that at certain times the air pressure in them decreases. The sport car tires are built to provide excellent traction and handling.

This standard specifies performance, labeling, and certification requirements for retreaded pneumatic passenger car tires. Higher-performance tires have softer, grip pier rubber with shorter tread life. There are quite a few levels of performance tires available on the market, from full-on race tires to general use passenger car tires. There are various types of performance tires that are sold in the market. Performance and luxury touring tires are quiet and handle incredibly well, sometimes it is hard to believe that these types of tires are having the ability to produce results like this. When using performance tires they tend to wear out quicker than usual everyday car tires that you would put on family cars. The largest accelerations that most high-performance car tires can withstand without breaking static friction are on the order of 0.

In the simplest of operations you can determine your chosen car or off-road vehicle and subsequently mount the rims of your choice visually on the vehicle. Plus-sizing is an option that allows vehicle owners to customize their vehicle by installing lower aspect ratio tires on wider- and larger-diameter rims. Lightweight metal rims are also available on the market.

The speed ratings of Goodyear passenger car tires are listed on the "Sizes Specifications" pages in the Car/Light Truck Tire Catalog. The materials and tooling Goodyear has developed to build its race tires help it build better passenger car tires.

All passenger car tires are all made from the same radial base so there is no need to sell in "balanced" sets as you put it. Car tires are cheap; you can pick up a used one just about anywhere. Your speedometer won’t read the correct speed if your car tires are not the right size. One important fact is that many automobile passenger tires are not intended to maneuver the car out of problem with speeds in excess of 75-80 mph. Make sure your car tires are in good condition and maintain a full tank of gas. Today’s car tires are built from steel and rubber which gives the tires the ability to last longer. Everyone knows car tires are inflated with air at high pressure to maintain their shape and will deflate when punctured.

When choosing a car tire it is best to speak to the dealership or auto mechanics to get their opinions on which tires are good for you type of car.

Today’s vehicles are equipped with an array of warning lights. Of course we’re all familiar will the seat belt warning and the door ajar indicator; however, with the automotive industry’s technological advancements there are a number of warning lights that can be quite alarming.

Following is a Question and Answer Guide on some of the more common Warning Light concerns. Note: due to the frequency of the Check Engine Warning Light, it has a section all its own. Visit www.repairtrust.com/check.html.

1) SRS Light (Supplemental Restraint System): the supplemental restraint system is your Airbag System. It may incorporate a variety of active, passive, and even pre-safe technology depending on the vehicle. Given that the SRS System is a safety system, it is well monitored with numerous sensors and automatic self-tests. The slightest malfunction in this system illuminates the SRS light.

“Can the vehicle be driven with an SRS Light on?” Yes, at the owner’s risk. There are thousands of vehicles on the road without SRS technology.

“Is the airbag going to blow up?” It’s unlikely. When the SRS Light is on the system is inoperative.

2) ABS Lights: The Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light is another common occurrence in today’s vehicles. The ABS system helps to keep you from skidding out of control during braking by limiting your wheels from locking up/skidding.

The ABS system is often integrated with traction control and stability systems, all of which are designed to keep you safe during panic stops, wheel slippage, and handling.

“Do I need brakes?” You might, but that’s not why the ABS Light is on. The ABS Warning System does not monitor disc brake pad or disc brake rotor wear (see the Padlight Warning section below)

“Can the vehicle be driven?” Like the SRS system, the vehicle can be driven at the owner’s risk as there are many vehicles still on the market without the enhanced safety features of ABS.

“Why is my ABS light on? How do I reset the ABS Light?” These are simple questions with a multitude of answers depending on the vehicle in question. For a QUICK and FREE solution, follow the information and guidelines for Resetting Check Engine Light, and apply them to your ABS light.

3) Low Coolant Light: The Low Coolant Light will come on when the coolant drops below the coolant level sensor—generally one to two quarts. If this light is on, there are two primary possibilities. The most common is a coolant leak. The other is an electrical fault in the warning lamp circuit. Have them checked out.

“Can it be driven?” If there are no major leaks, the vehicle is not overheating (and does not start to overheat), and there is still some evidence of coolant in the overflow bottle, it can be driven. If you can see coolant leaking on the ground—tow it. When in doubt, always tow it!

4) Red Oil Light On: Stop driving immediately and shut the engine off! If a Red Oil Warning Light comes on PAY ATTENTION.

The best case scenario is that your engine oil is a little low. The second best case scenario is that there is an electrical issue with the Oil Level Warning System circuit.

First, follow your owners’ manual’s instructions to check your oil. If low, add as recommended—make sure you don’t see it dripping or pouring out on the ground, which would indicate a “major” engine leak.

If the oil is not low and your engine is making ticking, knocking, or unusual noises, Tow it!

If everything appears ok, and you’re a bit of a gambler, it may just be an issue with the warning lamp circuit. In this case, get your vehicle checked out at your earliest convenience.

The worst case scenario is internal engine damage.

Note: many of today’s vehicles have very sensitive and sophisticated Oil Level Warning Systems. You may be alerted of oil level too high, or oil level too low. Again, refer to your owners’ manual’s instructions.

So whether it’s a 1993 Ford Aerostar Check Oil Light, or a question of “Why does oil light flash in Saab automobile,” PAY ATTENTION!

5) Red Brake Warning Lights: Generally, Red Warning Lights mean DANGER. In the case of a Red Brake Warning Light, there may be a hydraulic brake fluid leak. If the brake pedal feels abnormal or spongy—don’t drive—Tow It!

“Can I drive it?” If the car is stopping ok, and you’re a gambler, go ahead. If the brake pedal feels different than usual, or if the vehicle is not stopping properly, don’t drive it!

Note: make sure that your emergency brake is not on or partially engaged, as this will illuminate a Red Brake Warning Light.

6) Yellow Brake Warning Light (Padlight): This is an early warning system for brake pad wear. Essentially, as your disc brake pads wear down, at a certain point a sensor is tripped to alert you that you will need brakes soon.

“Can I drive the vehicle, and for how long?” Yes, you can continue to drive. How long depends on your driving style. City drivers (city driving is generally harder on brakes due to the constant stop and go) will likely need their brakes addressed before someone who does primarily highway driving.

“Will I do more damage to the brakes?” Depending on how long you continue to drive you could conceivably wear your disc brake pads down to the metal backing plate, which could then damage your disc brake rotors and, in rare cases, the disc brake calipers. However, with many of today’s brake systems, the replacement of the disc brake rotors along with the disc brake pads is required or strongly recommended.

Important: It is better to have your brakes checked early to increase the possibility of saving money by not having to replace the rotors. However, many of today’s brake disc pads and rotors require replacement not due to wear, but due to rust and corrosion; thus rotor replacement is often necessary anyway. Brake calipers rarely need replacing during regular brake work.

7) Air Suspension Lights (Airmatic, Air Ride, Hydraulic Suspensions): Suspension Warning Lights illuminate when the suspension’s monitoring system has detected a fault. Often there is a leak—either air or hydraulic fluid.

“Can I drive it?” Sometimes. But if the suspension is lower than usual, and/or the vehicle just doesn’t feel right—Tow It! Extensive damage could result if the suspension drops too low while driving.

Note: air suspension system repairs are best left to the best, state-of-the-art service center you can find, preferably a dealership.

Tire Pressure Warning Light: This recent technological development causes quite a bit of confusion. Put simply, if your tire is getting low on air, your car lets you know via sensors mounted in various places depending on the model.

“What is the low tire pressure warning light reset procedure?” Sometimes the reset procedure is as simple as pressing a button. Other times one has to set the tire pressures, recalibrate the on-board computer, genuflect and cross two fingers. Check your owners’ manual or call a specialist or dealer.

Note: Local shops and franchises (for the most part) lack familiarity with Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems given that this is a fairly recent technological development. You can refer to How to Reset Check Engine Light, and follow the tips, and suggestions for getting it reset.

9) Emission Warning Light: This light is similar to the Check Engine Light. Many European models such as Volvos have this type of Warning System. It’s essentially letting you know that an emissions component has failed or detected a fault. Follow the Check Engine Light information and tips to address this particular warning light.

Note: make sure you take it to a shop equipped to handle emissions work.

10) Resetting Oil Lights (Oil Change Warning Lamps): Whether it’s a Toyota Oil Light Procedure, an Oil Change Warning Light Reset 2005 GMC Envoy, or the process to Reset 1999 M3 Oil Service Light, all require a specific course of action.

Most owners’ manuals have this information. You should find it under maintenance or oil service. You can also call your local mechanic, who resets oil service lights everyday on a variety of models. A dealership will certainly have the information; however, finding someone in a dealership who can translate it effectively may be difficult.

If the above fails, see the process for Resetting Check Engine Light.

Note: several European models require special tools to reset the oil service light, thus it’s best to call or visit a specialist or dealer.

Note: This information is not a substitute for your vehicle’s owners’ manual. It is meant to be a general guide. Always refer to manufacturer vehicle-specific guidelines.

Note: PAY ATTENTION to how you are billed for any of the above warning concerns. Because of their technical nature they can get “unnecessarily” very pricy, quickly.

If you would like a car that looks almost ordinary, but that is as fast as many supercars, buy the BMW M5. Yes, on the outside, this is an ordinary European sedan – but under the hood is a 500 bhp V-10 engine that you might imagine came from a sports-racing car! Will it do 180 mph? No, it could, but it won’t because BMW uses a limiter to prevent you going faster than 155 mph on all its hot cars. Actually, BMW says it will do over 190 mph without the limiter in operation.

The BMW M5 is powered by a very advanced 5.0 liter V-10 engine, ad fits neatly into the standard engine compartment. This is a very special engine, being built in small numbers and at high cost by BMW’s M Center. It’s a 90-degree V-10, which means that it won’t be quite as smooth as some – in theory, at any rate.

ADVANCED 500 BHP V10 ENGINE

Maximum power is 500 bhp at 7,700 rpm – a real screamer this – while the maximum torque of 380 lb ft is produced at 6,100 rpm. Boy, you’re really going to keep this revving if you want to use all that power. Still, when it’s just mooching along at 4,000 rpm, this amazing unit produces quite a chunk of power.

Needless to say, it has all the features you’d expect in a supercar engine, such as a stiff aluminum block, twin overhead camshafts per bank of cylinders and and narrow 4-valve heads. BMW uses its variable valve timing system, and drives the inlet camshafts on each bank by chain, with a gear drive to the exhaust camshaft, a system pioneered by Toyota to save space.

SEVEN-SPEED SEQUENTIAL GEARBOX

Coupled to this marvel of a power plant, which would seem more at home in a slinky coupe, is a seven-speed sequential gearbox. This is the latest development of the BMW sporty semi-automatic. BMW claims it’s the first seven-speed box of its type. Mercedes-Benz has a seven-speed automatic, and Audi has a CVT with seven stages, but these are not quite the same.

Why all these seven-speed boxes? Well, for maximum acceleration, and so that you have the right gear coming out of any corner, the more gears the better. When you’ve got that many gears, the shift pattern gets pretty complicated with a manual box, so they’re going for either automatics or semi-automatics.

To go with the powerful power train are bigger brakes than standard, wider wheels and tires, and stiffer suspension. The handling is surprisingly good for such an ordinary-looking car.

HOT PERFORMER, QUIET LOOKS

The result of putting this engine in the BMW 5 Series is very hot acceleration for such a big car: 0-60 in 4.7 seconds, and 0-125 mph in 15.6 seconds.

Will people pay over $100,000 or so for a 500 bhp sedan? You bet they will. There are a lot of people out there that want supercar performance, but don’t’ want to have to struggle to get in and out of the car. They also want to travel with plenty of luggage, and have room in the trunk for two sets of golf clubs – and more.

And they’ll get a real kick from burning off cheeky guys in sports cars who get in the way. Cars that are much faster than they look, which we used to call Q cars, have quite a market. What’s it like to drive? Well, at normal speeds, the car is very quiet, and you would not know how power you had. In fact, there is a switch on the steering wheel which limits power to 400 bhp. To get the full 500 bhp, you need to press that.

So, most of the time you’ll drive with 400 bhp, and the problem is that the engine does not have a lot of power until you get to 5,000 rpm, an the power keeps coming in until you get to 8,000 rpm. You need deserted roads to use that power, but the car works pretty well in traffic and normal commuting. Not quite so good in everyday use is the gearbox. It does not have a torque converter, so it can be quite jerky when you shift up.

Having a helmet on when riding a motorcycle is just one of the things that the person needs to protect the head when one is cruising along the road. The individual will soon discover that having a visor is important because this can protect the eyes from wind, dust, dirt, rain, insects and debris that may be thrown from the vehicle ahead.

There are two types of visors that can be purchased for the helmet. The first is the detachable kind while the other is already built in. The one needed will really depend on the road conditions one faces everyday and the type of bike one is using.

For instance, motorbikes that have a windshield will only need the type that will protect the eyes. Those who don�t should probably get the face shield type since this will provide cover for the entire face.

Most of the visors out in the market are made of plastic. The individual should probably choose the kind that is transparent and not tinted since this could pose a problem when riding the motorcycle at night.

It is also a good idea to choose the kind that allows air to pass through inside so that it will not fog.

People who prefer the transparent one should find a helmet that is big enough to accommodate the sunglasses one will be using especially when it is sunny outside. The pair worn should be shatterproof and free of scratches since could also pose problems when keeping an eye on the road.

The person does not have to buy the same brand of visor as the helmet. There are some available that have made this compatible with any. All the customer will have to do is choose which model and the color of the shield. These are usually available in black, white or smoke.

The average price of a visor in the market today is less than $20 a piece. The individual can check out the local sporting goods store or order this item online.

Riding a motorcycle is considered to be much more dangerous than driving a car. Studies have shown the number of those injured has gone up by 12% in the past year.

Should the person still want to feel the thrill of having the wind pass from the front of the motorcycle to the back, it is advisable to invest in a visor. This small accessory could be the only thing protecting the individual against dirt or debris coming towards the biker.

Electric vehicles have been in existence since way back in 1830, and are becoming popular again with so many people being concerned about pollution and the rising cost of gasoline. Electric vehicles have been used for many years in the form of golf carts and have also been used as fleet vehicles by servicemen such as meter readers. However, due to the continued commitment and research efforts of the major car manufacturers, electric vehicles are becoming available today that are practical for normal street use, just as a gasoline powered vehicle would be.

Electric vehicles are popular because, unlike gasoline-powered vehicles, they produce no tailpipe emissions, which are known to cause heavy air pollution. Another reason for their popularity when compared to gasoline powered vehicles is that they actually use 75% of the power generated by the electricity, while a gasoline powered vehicle only uses 20% of the power produced by the gasoline, leaving the other 80% to pollute the air, clog up car components, etc.

While there is not a huge market for electric vehicles at this point in time, there are a number of companies that produce them for various reasons, with one of the reasons being NEV’s. A NEV is also known as a “neighborhood electric vehicle”. These electric vehicles are used in large, gated communities usually, and are normally built to accommodate one or two people. These small electric vehicles can reach speeds of 35 to 40 miles per hour.

In addition to the NEV’s that are available, there are a few car manufacturers that are producing and selling street compatible electric vehicles. The Dodge TEVan, an electric minivan built by the Chrysler Corporation, is currently being marketed to utility corporations with a price tag of approximately $100,000. Other companies that produce electric vehicle prototypes for demonstration purposes only include Honda, GM and Ford.

How an electric vehicle works is quite easy to understand. Since the electric vehicle runs on electricity, or a charge, the battery attached to the vehicle is plugged in prior to use in order for the battery to fully charge. Depending on how low the battery’s charge is, and also on the charging voltage that is used to charge the battery, charging can take anywhere between three and eight hours. Once charged, the electric vehicle will normally run for between 60 and 200 hours before the battery needs to be recharged.

A limited production electric vehicle can cost up to $40,000, however, many models that are available for everyday use can be purchased for $15,000 to $30,000, depending on the make and model, as well as the options that you desire the electric vehicle to have. There also exists the possibility to transform a regular gasoline powered vehicle into an electric vehicle; this is done by using a conversion kit, which can be purchased for about $5,000. Electrical vehicles are safe for the environment, economically priced, as well as fun to drive.

The elements of nature have been created for man alone. Every single need can be acquired and it is present in nature around us. Man only needs to travel and explore the hidden treasures of nature and use them for the fulfillment of his basic needs of life. Something that doesn’t need any searching shines up above in the sky. The sun is the basic source of life on earth. If there was no sun no life would have been possible.

Sun emits light which is known as the solar energy and you may have heard and studied about solar energy being used for thousands of purposes. This energy has been used for heating systems and thermal power plants are run through solar energy and so on. When you read or hear about these things you simply pass on because this is too common.

When it comes to solar powered cars it is very likely that you stop and think for a while. It is a promising future prospect and you wish you live long enough to see only solar powered cars racing down the streets, no running out gas, no waiting at the filling station, no more paying for the petrol. Imagine how quickly you would be able to increase your standard of living.

Solar powered cars have been in existence since the mid of the 19th century. They have been increasing in number year by year and organizations tend to hold solar powered car racing each year and thousands of people invest their money and bet on their solar powered cars. The mechanism of these cars is very simple. The batteries installed in these light bodied cars charge themselves from the solar energy. Then this energy is converted by them into electrical energy thus it helps the motor run.

Now this prospect is very simple or more likely it sounds very simple and trouble free. The sun shines everyday and there doesn’t seem to be any such problem with these cars. But the fact is that the amount of energy stored at a time by these cars enables them to drive at a very slow pace. The road has to be leveled and not steep because that requires even more energy. It will need more powerful batteries and more storage capacity.

Have you never noticed that this is the reason why solar powered cars are small; light weighed, and can carry one person at a time? There are many technical facts that render the concept of these cars as vague.

Many people claim to worry about the environment, but continue to drive their exhaust polluting vehicles through a thick layer of smog. Our energy resources are suffering a terrible blow and so few people are actually willing to do anything about it. One solution to consider is the use of a hybrid vehicle. They emit less pollution that a standard oil burning type and offer less gas used per mile! Imagine the savings. But that’s not the only reason you should consider a hybrid.

The EPA or Environmental Protection Agency, when doing a comparison between a hybrid and regular vehicle, finds some very interesting facts. Vehicles are tested to determine what type of emissions they are polluting into the air we breathe, then they are rated by those conclusions. Among their choice vehicles, the hybrid along with SUV’s and eventually minivan’s are the pick of the liter! The Toyota Camry puts out more than half of what its hybrid counterpart, the Toyota Prius hybrid does, in carbon dioxide. Nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons are diminished by two-thirds and halves supported by their green house emission rating for pollutants. With the exception of trucks, hybrid vehicles have the more favorable of ratings and top their categories over and over. When faced with the fact that hybrids put 97% less pollutants and toxins into the air when compared with gas-burning vehicles, it becomes harder to justify why we continue to drive the latter.

Hybrids are the better choice for so many reasons, including the evidence that they emit fewer pollutants and the fact that they get phenomenally better mpg, between 20 and 30 for larger engine models likes trucks or SUV’s and well into the 60 range for cars! Manuals traditionally get better mpg than automatics, which is evident by the Honda Insight whose automatic gets 50mpg and middle 60’s for it’s manual. Aside from being more efficient, the greenhouse effect and fossil fuel debate would be null and void by the use of hybrid only vehicles. It’s unfortunate that our vehicles only allow for 15 to 18mpg, but can that argument really justify the damage they are doing to our environment? Society as a whole needs to get serious about conserving our fuel, and hybrid vehicles are definitely a step in the right direction.

Have you ever been stuck in traffic on a hot day, in a busy city? How was the air quality around you? Could you take a deep breath and exhale on a smile? Probably not. It’s not just the environment we need to concern ourselves with. Our bodies and health suffer from the effects of carbon monoxide and methane, being emitted into the air by our vehicles. We are doing damage to our lungs everyday. Did you know that one third of all air pollution in America is in direct relation to that which our vehicles output? Researchers are studying the effects these pollutants have on the human body as we speak and direct links to cancer are being found. Sounds scary doesn’t it? Yet another reason why hybrid cars are the better, more health conscious choice.

If you could reduce the amount of carbon dioxide being polluted into the air by 10 tons, would you? The fact of the matter is, 1 vehicle getting 25mpg instead of 20mpg, would do exactly that. The EPA measures the effects these pollutants have on all living things and reports its findings on every industry. Today, with the advance in our technology, there is no reason for the continued desecration of our environment by the use of these inefficient, toxic vehicles. Yes, it’s true there is much left to learn and the EPA is continually breaking ground and finding new solutions to old problems. How we put the information they provide us with, to use, is up to us. We are responsible for our world and our bodies and in the long run, it is the population as a whole who will undoubtedly have to answer for our actions or lack thereof.