Hybrid enhancement

Voice of the People : Jim Mateja missed the point in his March 31 article on hybrid vehicles by not providing the whole story ("Hybrids burn up more energy in the making," Business, March 31). Mr. Mateja correctly points out that the reason more electricity is required to manufacture hybrid vehicles is because "it takes a lot of energy to produce the electric systems for hybrids as well as exotic lightweight glass, aluminum and steel that goes into them." However, he failed to note that the energy savings recover the extra energy used within the first few years of the life of the vehicle and provide significant energy savings over the life of the vehicle. This is primarily due to the higher efficiency of hybrid drive systems and to the lower rolling resistance due to the use of lightweight material and special tires.

The problem with transportation systems in the United States and throughout the world is that unlike the electric sector, oil is the sole source of energy for transportation. Oil presents many challenges and is unsustainable (i.e. peak of oil production, negative environmental impact, vulnerability of the refining infrastructure, and exploding demand for oil from emerging economies such as India and China). The sustainable solution for the oil problem is the "electrification" of transportation systems through hybrid electric and eventually full electric vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. In these systems the hydrogen can be produced from several plentiful sources such as clean coal, natural gas, nuclear and ultimately renewable solar and wind.

It is also important to emphasize that these advanced vehicles are good for the economy and create jobs in addition to their environmental and energy security values. Although, as Mateja wrote, Toyota Prius is currently produced in Japan, both Toyota and Honda have announced that they will soon open new hybrid manufacturing facilities in the US. In addition, the high gasoline prices and consumer demand has pushed US auto makers to introduce vehicles such as the Ford Escape hybrid, while GM and Damler-Chrysler have announced that they will introduce hybrid models in the next year or two.

Hybrid technology should not be perceived as a threat to SUV’s but rather a means to enhance their performance and fuel efficiency. I’ll be the first to hug the Indiana-built Hummer H2 as Mateja suggests—if it can get 50 miles per gallon.

Said Al-Hallaj, PhD
Research Associate Professor
Coordinator, Renewable Energy Programs
Illinois Institute of Technology

Founded in 1890, IIT is a Ph.D.-granting technological university awarding degrees in the sciences, mathematics and engineering, as well as architecture, psychology, design, business and law. IIT’s interprofessional, technology-focused curriculum prepares the university’s 6,200 students for leadership roles in an increasingly complex and culturally diverse global workplace.