...1. Are hybrid electrical vehicles a radical innovation or an incremental innovation? Are they competence enhancing or competence destroying, and from whose perspective? How would you answer these questions for fuel cell vehicles? Hybrid electrical cars/vehicles could be considered an incremental innovation because they build on existing engine technology, and do not require big changes in the fueling infrastructure or in consumer behavior. It is still a bridging technology from current fossil energy and just supplemented by battery-powered emission that basically charged by fuel engine. When we looing at it from major stakeholders (customers, automakers, petroleum companies)’s point of view, the technology will likely be seen as competence enhancing, though it might be seen as competence destroying to an automaker that is unwilling to develop a hybrid electric vehicle. I would consider fuel-cell vehicles are a more radical innovation that requires more significant changes to be made to the body of a vehicle, to its engine, to the fueling infrastructure, and to consumer behavior. Fuel cell vehicles are competence destroying for the petroleum companies, gas stations and perhaps even for many automakers. They might be competence enhancing for battery makers (since the vehicles will require much larger and advanced batteries). Until we know more about the changes consumers will have to make to use fuel-cell vehicles, it is difficult to assess whether the technology will be...
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...Written by: swiss_2415 Hybrid Vehicles 1 Hybrid Vehicles: (Effects on the environment) Arthur Gil Environmental Investigations Professor April 4,2005 Hybrid Vehicles 2 As gasoline prices increase and the environment becomes unstable, people will begin to look for other modes to power their automobiles. One of those modes is know as hybrid power. A vehicle is considered a hybrid when it combines two or more sources of power. For example, a mo-ped (a motorized pedal bike) is a type of hybrid because it combines the power of a gasoline engines with the pedal power of the rider. Hybrid vehicles are an alternative being used to decrease the emissions of vehicles and to decrease the amount of fossil fuels being used. Hybrid vehicles also cost less to operate because of the decreased fuel usage. The gasoline-electric hybrid car is a cross between a gasoline-powered car and an electric car. Hybrid vehicles are all around us. Most of the locomotives we see pulling trains are diesel-electric hybrids. According too How Cars Work, Cities like Seattle have diesel-electric buses these can draw electric power from overhead wires or run on diesel when they are away from the wires. There are two kinds of hybrids. The parallel hybrid has a fuel tank which supplies gasoline to the engine. But it also has a set of batteries that supplies power to an electric motor. Both the engine and the electric motor can turn the transmission at the same time, and the transmission then turns the wheels...
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...the money that it generates for oil companies. During the last decade hybrid automobiles have begun to take a more prominent role in the automobile industry. “Historically, many in the automobile and oil industries have fought progress on electric cars. It's the same story we've seen before with seat belts and catalytic converters: The automakers leave the technology on the shelf until policymakers require them to do what is in the best interests of the American people.” (Anair & Shahan, 20011). Policy will dictate how the industry will be impacted over the next five years. Lawmakers are constantly changing the rules and regulations that automakers have to produce cars by. In the following essay we will use a macro trend analysis to determine the path of the hybrid vehicle. Issues Legislation has evolved over recent years requiring automakers to adhere to a minimum fuel economy standard. As gas prices continue to rise, people have started to trend toward more energy efficient means of transportation. Hybrid vehicles have an electric motor along with rechargeable batteries and have an increased efficiency of up to 50 percent. There is an onboard computer that switches between gas and electric power. The hybrid car runs on the energy of the battery when it is cruising, using less energy. When it needs additional power, the fuel engine is used for energy purposes. The market for hybrids can be analyzed by looking at the macro-environmental trends (macro...
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...now is a hybrid vehicle. The question that comes to mind is, are hybrid vehicles worth it? With record high gas prices due to the price of oil, most car owners out there have major concerns over their gas usage. Over the past ten years, the cost of gasoline has grown 250%! The price of oil has doubled since January of this year. The high prices of oil and gas is the driving factor for most of the people to trade their gas powered vehicles for hybrid vehicles. These vehicles promise to give consumers more mileage per gallon, the truth is that only a few vehicles currently in the market actually make any sort of financial sense. There are quite a few issues with buying hybrid vehicles, even with gas prices at more than $4 a gallon. First, these vehicles are much higher in price than their gas powered counter part so, the premiums attached to their price tags do not justify extra mileage that you get. In some cases car dealers are selling popular vehicles at much higher prices than MSRP. Second, there are no laws and regulations controlling the technology, price, and the mileage per gallon required out of these vehicles. Currently, there are hybrid vehicles in the market that offer an improvement of 3MPG to 18 MPG over their gas powered counterpart. This is a huge range that needs to be controlled. Third, the demand of these vehicles is driving the prices of the vehicles even higher, if people knew that it would take many years for fuel savings to pay back the hybrid premium...
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...outlines the research I would like to continue regarding the feasibility of alternative energy sources in vehicles, particularly in hybrid vehicles. I have included a summary of the topic, a description of the graphics I plan to use, deadlines that will be met, costs involved, and an outline for the report. I am quite eager to research this topic more and appreciate you taking the time to read through this proposal. If you need to get a hold of me, you can reach me at bpryan@ualberta.ca. Attached: “Proposal: Are Hybrids Really That Good?” Proposal: Are Hybrids Really That Good? Introduction The following is a proposal to write a research report analysing the efficiency and environmental sustainability of switching from a traditional fuel burning vehicle to a hybrid. This proposal will contain some information on the contents of the research paper, a presumed audience level, a schedule and outline for the areas I will address in the paper, as well as my qualifications for researching this topic. A budget as well as a list of project deadlines will also be added to the end of this proposal. With regards to my topic, it will focus on the most common type of hybrid: the electric hybrid. This vehicle combines an internal combustion engine with one or more electric motors to decrease fuel consumption and contribute less to pollution. These electric hybrids have always interested me and so to have the opportunity to research this topic would really open my eyes to the cold hard facts...
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...Hybrid Vehicles A hybrid is a type of automobile that utilizes two or more propulsion systems. Current hybrids integrate an internal combustion engine and an electric motor and battery. Depending on their design, certain hybrids can operate primarily on the internal combustion engine with some assistance from the electric motor. Other systems rely predominantly on the electric motor; these systems use the internal combustion engine only when significant power is needed to propel the car or when the battery system needs recharging. The Basic Types of Hybrids: * Mild Hybrid: The electric motor and battery act as an assist to the internal combustion engine. * Full Hybrid: The two propulsion systems (electric motor and internal combustion engine) can work independently or in conjunction with each other. * Plug in hybrids: The internal combustion engine acts only as a back-up to the main rechargeable motor and battery system. How Mild & Full Hybrids Work Both mild and full hybrids never need to be plugged in, however there are some features that distinguish the two. A mild hybrid is one that cannot drive on the electric motor alone—it always needs the internal combustion engine to propel the vehicle while the motor acts as an assist. One such example is the Chevrolet Silverado pickup hybrid, which features a massive V8 power plant, incorporating two small electric motors. These motors act only to start the internal comusbtion engine, and recharge the battery...
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...manufacturers to begin producing hybrid vehicle; first four door hybrid sedan was unveiled by Toyota in 2000. The Toyota Prius’ success encouraged it competitors to roll out their hybrid cars as well setting a common standard for environmentally friendly and efficient vehicles. The relationship of consumer and manufacturer in the car industry on a macro level has always been one in relative equilibrium. As demand increases the car manufacturers have increased supply. The green movement in the United States pushed for hybrid vehicles and car manufacturers responded by producing more vehicles, making the supply line more open. The next venture for an ultimate environmentally friendly vehicle has been the all-electric, plug-in vehicles. The market for all electric vehicles is heavily influenced by numerous variables: government influence to decrease gas consumption, media attitude for a green planet to decrease the potential effects of global warming, and –the big one- gas both its supply influenced by international politics and its consistent rising cost. The production of hybrid cars has increased profoundly since Toyota first released the Prius in 2000. Competitors such as a Ford and GM began releasing hybrids in 2004 and 2007 respectively; increasing consumer options from 2 hybrid vehicles to 10. The graph below shows hybrid market share breakdown in the United States: The table below shows the increasing proportion of hybrid vehicles sold from 2000 to 2006...
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...and of environmental pollution. If people do not develop any substitutes to burning fossil fuels in the next few decades, people will experience a new and large-scale energy crisis. In the U.S., there is a high demand for gasoline. However, if people start to use alternatives fuel vehicles, it can lower the demand of oil, which will in turn minimize the oil-dependence and potential environmental problems. Jim Motavalli, the editor of E: The Environmental Magazine, once said in his book Forward Drive, that “At long last, technological wizardry is being applied to the automobile, with the result being a new generation of cleaner cars. The gasoline engine represents yesterday’s solution to our transportation problems” (Motavalli, XIII) Today, hybrid cars are the best solution for America’s addiction to fossil fuels because they use clean energy to power vehicles, have compatible performance compared to conventional gasoline and diesel cars, and provide economic incentive for buyers. People believe that carbon dioxide (CO2) is one the causes of greenhouse effects. Scientists claim that CO2 accumulates in the atmosphere and traps the heat from getting out of the Earth. Thus, global temperature is increasing. As the problem of global warming and greenhouse effect become more evident, Americans have to find more renewable and cleaner energy sources...
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...Ford Hybrids Q1. The case indicates that several different product categories may provide suitable analogs for the diffusion of hybrid cars. a. Based on the case, explain why these product categories may provide as suitable analogs. b. Go to the “Dataset for Finding p and q Parameters” excel file. Using “Bass Forecasting Model ► Estimate parameters using analogy” find the analog product from the window and select the appropriate designated cells where the data will be placed. The software will insert the p&q parameters into the designated empty cells. Save this excel file and paste the complete “Forecasting Scenario” output to your report. A.) Based on the case, the four product categories we chose were “ABS, Diesel cars in Europe, Hybrid Corn, and Electronic Fuel Injection.” As read in the case, since 1976, purchases of diesel vehicles have increased steadily in Western Europe. This is good to keep in mind when forecasting for potential hybrid sales. The case also mentions “under the hood innovation” which would tie in with the product categories ABS and electronic fuel injection. Overall, the case is focusing on the production of hybrid vehicles, which supports the “hybrid corn” product category. With these four categories we were able to create a forecast model using p and q parameters as seen below in part B. B.) Q2. Go to the excel sheet titled “Ford Hybrid Car Sales Forecasts” and fill it out. Explain in detail how you come up with forecasts of “U.S. Total Number...
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...Paper #2: Ford Hybrid Jennifer Bevins 3/25/12 The Ford Hybrid was a great addition to the Ford Motorcars family of vehicles. It kept the company competitive in the automotive market and is helping the environment. Building an SUV of this caliber was not an easy task for the team assigned to the project, but their hard work paid off when the new vehicle was unveiled. There were many stages in the development of the new vehicle including: conceptualization, planning, execution, and termination. The SUV hybrid was first conceptualized when a manager test drove the Toyota Prius, a small hybrid car. The person liked the idea of the hybrid motor but wanted something larger with more horsepower and towing capabilities. With the idea for the new SUV the project moved into the planning stage where it stayed for several years. When the company came to a time crunch on the project it was forced to move to the execution stage where the SUV was actually built to scale and trouble shooting and problem solving took place. When the vehicle made it to the termination phase it was turned over to the consumer. Since going to the consumer Ford has had great success with its hybrid vehicle (Department of Energy). With the complexity of the Ford Hybrid project, it was a good idea for Phil Martens to have two project managers. In the beginning, Prabhaker Patil was a great fit because of his previous history working in product development. He was a PhD scientist with over 15 years of experience...
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... TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary Introduction What is a Hybrid Vehicle a. Brief History and Explanation b. How it Works c. Recent Popularity and Expected Future Sales Demographics a. Age b. Gender c. Income d. Ethnicity Psychographics Green Marketing Strategies The Decision Making Process a. About the Process b. Problem Recognition c. Information Search d. Evaluation of Alternatives e. Product Choice and Outcome f. Conclusion Diffusion of Innovation a. About the Process b. Compatibility c. Trialability d. Complexity e. Observability f. Relative advantage g. Prediction of Future Diffusion Conclusion Works Cited 2 3 4 6 9 10 12 16 20 23 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This is a comprehensive report that discusses the innovation of the fuel efficient and environmentally friendly hybrid vehicle, which types of consumers purchase them and suggests certain Consumer Behavior concepts that explain why they are becoming so popular. The report begins with a brief explanation of the vehicles history along with a short explanation of how the vehicle operates. It also explains how the impacts of our economy and the environment have created a new wave of popularity and demand for the hybrid. It then transitions into the demographics and psychographics segment of the hybrid target market: age, gender, income, ethnicity, and the environmentally conscious attitudes that create the demand to purchase a hybrid vehicle. The next section of the report suggests three consumer behavior...
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...M3_A2 “A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses an on-board rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) and a fuel based power source for vehicle propulsion. These vehicles use much less fuel than their counterparts and produce less emissions. Hybrid vehicles recharge their batteries by capturing kinetic energy through regenerative braking. Some hybrids use the combustion engine to generate electricity by spinning a generator to either recharge the battery or directly feed power to an electric motor that drives the vehicle. This takes place when cruising or in other situations where just light thrust is needed.” (Orloff) Hybrid Car Advantages Clean energy. An electric motor together with a gas powered engine make a vehicle that has lower emissions and better gas mileage. It conserves energy while having the power of a standard engine. Performance improvements. New technologies allow hybrids the same kind of performance as normal cars, and they are continuing to develop, improving efficiency, getting better mileage, and reducing emissions even further. Incentives. Varying from state to state and federally, hybrids may come with a tax benefit and savings in the form of much less money spent on fuel. Regenerative braking. Each time you brake, the battery is recharged a little, eliminating the need for stopping to recharge the battery periodically. Lower fossil fuel dependence. Because hybrids are much cleaner and require...
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...Hybrid Cars Hybrid Cars “Some hybrid cars are ahead of our current times. Others tend to turn heads because of their cut and dry appearance as they travel the streets. Either way, they are becoming increasingly popular. Many drivers have decided that hybrid cars are more adept because of their fuel efficiency and their ability to conserve our environment. Others appreciate the savings at the pump and admire the convenience of filling up less often” (Hewitt, Lyons, Suchocki, & Yeh, 2007). So which hybrid cars have the best technology, manufacturing, price, and impact on our environment? According to Kelley Blue Book, as of June 2012, the highest consumer rated hybrids are listed below along with their scores: 1. 2012 Toyota Prius C 9.7 / 10 2. 2011 BMW X6 9.5 / 10 3. 2011 Mercedes-Benz S-Class 9.4 / 10 4. 2011 Lincoln MKZ 9.2 / 10 5. 2011 Honda CR-Z 9.2 / 10 (Listing provided by Kelley Blue Book, www.kbb.com, 2012) “The 2012 Toyota Prius C is the number one choice of consumers. The biggest advantages begin with the low starting price below $20,000. It has an augmented body and great battery and powertrain position. It is great for fuel economy as it allows better than 50 miles per gallon. The size of this vehicle is also admirable because it is convenient when trying to find a place to park. The gas engine is conjoined with an electric motor and the system also holds braking energy in a nickel metal hydride battery...
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...hybrid vehicle Abstract The topic of this research paper is the impact of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) on the environment and society. The methodologies used to carry out research on this topic include collecting information on HEVs, their components, pollution caused by the manufacturing of their batteries, their economics, and their safety. The conclusions of the report are that HEVs adversely impact the environment and society. iii Table of Contents Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... ii Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... iii Table of Figures ............................................................................................................................. vi Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 1. Definition of the Problem ........................................................................................................... 6 1.1 Fossil Fuels ............................................................................................................................ 6 1.2 Air Pollution .......................................................................................................................... 7 1.2.1...
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...Sales of hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles fell to a 16-month low in May, dragged down by real and imagined supply constraints and increased competition from lower-priced gas-powered small cars, reports Edmunds’ AutoObserver.com, the premier online resource for automotive industry analysis. May sales of hybrid and electric-drive vehicles were off 35.8 percent from a year earlier, lead by dramatic declines in sales of Toyota and Honda models. Overall, Toyota and Lexus hybrids dropped 45.1 percent for the month. Honda, the second-largest producer of hybrids, saw its sales in the segment fall 29 percent in May. "For those selling hybrids, it is incredibly bad luck that the Japanese earthquake and associated production disruptions occurred as gas prices were reaching their highest levels in three years," said Edmunds.com Chief Economist Lacey Plache. "While Japanese automakers may well gain back their lost share on other vehicles, hybrids will face an even steeper climb back to previous levels, given the greater and growing competition from fuel-efficient, non-hybrid vehicles." Leading the slump was the decline in Toyota Prius sales, which traditionally account for about half of the hybrid market. A total of 6,924 Priuses were sold in May, down 51 percent from the same month last year. Low supply and higher prices have made the popular hybrid less palatable to consumers. A pricing analysis by Edmunds.com found that the effective cost of a new Prius was $2,500 more in May than...
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