Entries from September 2006 ↓

Electric industrial vehicles, which can be used for a variety of manufacturing tasks, are a great option for industrial settings. In fact, the use of electric vehicles in industrial settings may be one of the best applications of new electric vehicle technology.

Why Are Electric Industrial Vehicles a Good Idea?

There is a wide range of electric industrial vehicles. Perhaps the most common is an electric forklift, used to move goods around warehouses and factories; this type of electric vehicles seems to have been introduced as early as the 1970s. Electric industrial vehicles can also be used to transport luggage at airports, to move heavy goods like books in libraries and parts used in manufacturing, and to tow large pieces of equipment.

In fact, some electric utility vehicles have towing capacities of at least one ton. Some companies even use electric industrial vehicles to transport staff between areas of large complexes in vehicles that look very similar to electric golf carts. This range of vehicles and applications makes the electric industrial vehicle a promising technology, especially for the manufacturing sector.

Industrial vehicles are often used in closed areas, near human workers. This necessitates the use of machines that run as cleanly as possible to protect workers from dangerous fuels. Because electric industrial vehicles produce no emissions, replacing gas-fueled forklifts and supply carts with electric industrial vehicles may induce significant improvements in the indoor air quality of factories and warehouses.

Additionally, the primary drawback of electric vehicles, the restricted range of distances they can cover before they need to be recharged, is less problematic in an industrial setting. Most manufacturers do not move goods across extremely long distances with any regularity. In addition, most companies can afford to absorb the cost of purchasing charging stations and equipment, especially when that cost can be spread among multiple electric industrial vehicles.

Potential Financial Benefits for Industry

Some manufacturers of electric industrial vehicles claim they run longer with less maintenance than traditional gas-powered industrial vehicles, which reduces upkeep costs. Additionally, electricity is a significantly cheaper power source than gasoline and other traditional fuel options; some estimate that electric industrial vehicles cost about 2 – 3 cents per mile. This represents a substantial savings from gasoline power, which, at best, is about 10 cents per mile and will continue to rise as gas costs increase.

Manufacturers who use electric industrial vehicles are making an environmentally conscious choice – reducing gas emissions and the use of fossil fuels is postulated to help improve problems like global warming and smog. If manufacturers use electric industrial vehicles, they can lay at least some claim to being a “greener” company, a fact that could prove to be useful marketing collateral. This could translate into increased sales revenue, which is never a bad thing.

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The past summer of hurricanes and rising gas prices has done much for the hybrid automobile industry. The highly debated war in Iraq, although not definitively linked politically to oil, has certainly affected the economy, including the price of gas. The public’s increasing interest in hybrid cars has evolved from skepticism to eager curiosity. Concerns about warranties, electrical issues and reliability in various weather conditions, has been appeased somewhat by major makers coming out with new and better hybrids. Before, many people thought that they might consider purchasing a hybrid one day when they were streamlined and technologically sound. Today, many more are asking not when they will buy a hybrid, but for which one they should put themselves on a waiting list. Performance is the top priority for consumers who are convinced that their next vehicle is going to be a hybrid, even if they need to pay a several thousand dollars more, and have to wait a year to get one.

Makers have been racing to improve the technology of the hybrid. Strange alliances have been formed between makers to get more consumers interested. For example, Toyota shared some of its patents with Ford because of beliefs that Americans wanted more options and makers getting in the hybrid market. It seems that Toyota did get hurt with this alliance. The more makers that are producing hybrids, the more people will begin to trust that they really work and will work for them.

The latest models of hybrids are surpassing their recent predecessors. Because of technological advances, more people can focus on other aspects of the vehicle they want. Some people just want a practical vehicle and are happy with Ford’s Escape. Others want and can afford the luxury of the Lexus Highlander, which is a SUV combined with all the fixings. For some, however, the big question is whether the mileage and performance of the hybrid are really going to be as wonderful as the manufacturers say it is.

The Toyota Prius is still holding its head high as the leading maker of hybrids. Although it is a mid-size, it boasts the most horsepower, and goes from 0-60 in 10.2 seconds, which is better than the two-seat, Honda Insight at 10.7 seconds and 71-horsepower. The EPA has also given the Prius its super rating for emissions standards, the AT-PZEV. This means that it is a whopping 90% more environmentally friendly than the average car. The Prius is also one of the easier hybrids to actually come by. Toyota has increased production because of demand and has kept the price in the low $20,000 range even though it is cutting profits.

Honda is keeping up with the hybrid battle. The Honda Civic and Insight, although not completely up to line with the Prius, are only minimally treading behind. With prices starting a little below the Prius, the Honda hybrids perform great with mileage reaching into the mid-50s. The Honda Civic hybrid also boasts the mighty iVTEC engine, which more efficiently accommodates acceleration and cruising. Honda has also improved the air-conditioning so that it gets most of its power from electric sources.

For the best SUVs, Toyota claims the Highlander, which has a 270-horsepower engine. It may not match up to the Lexus RX 400h, but the Highlander is obviously more attainable for most people. The Lexus will definitely win over hearts with its 0-60 in eight seconds engine and 28/30 mpg. For those of us that are not able to shed $50,000 for the RX 400h, the Highlander will not be a let down. Starting at $33,000, the Highlander offers an SUV that feels and drives like a regular one without the emissions and mileage fears.

The technology of the hybrid car, truck, SUV and soon minivan, with the Toyota Sienna, which is already in Japan, has crushed some of the worries that they are unpredictable, not safe or too expensive. The performance of hybrids is improving with each year and makers are even helping other ones keep the market down by sharing some technology once in awhile. While Toyota has the Prius and Highlander selling well as top performers, Honda, Ford and of course, Lexus are offering quality hybrids as well.

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With the price of gas so high these days, many consumers are looking into other options besides cars that have gas driven engines. The idea of spending less on gas is a very appetizing prospect, especially when it can cost over $50 to fill a car tank these days!

Car manufacturers are investing more time and money into hybrid car production. These are cars that have both electric engines and gas engines in them. These cars achieve much better gas mileage than their gas engine only counterparts and are slowly going down in price as the demand for them increases.

Basics Of An Electric Engine

Hybrid engines usually run off of electricity. Once the car hits a certain speed however, the electric engine usually switches over automatically to the gas engine so the car has enough staying power for the highway. There are cars that have only electric engines with no gas engine backup, but for the time being, these engines are fairly limited in their mileage as they need to be recharged after less than 100 miles of driving distance.

With a hybrid engine, the electric part of the system takes the energy when the driver brakes to recharge itself. These types of engines do not need to be plugged in to recharge; they have the built in capability of charging themselves. Electric engines also try to conserve their energy so that they don’t run out of juice as quickly. One way they do this is to cut itself off when the car stops at a red light. Of course, the electric engine immediately gears back up when you “hit the gas” and tell the car to go again.

One of the only downsides to an electric engine is the lack of quick power. Some are used to gunning their cars and achieving highway speeds within seconds. With an electric engine, you just can’t achieve those speeds that quickly. If you have a hybrid engine, the time it takes to speed up will be less, but if you have an exclusively electric engine, it can take a bit longer to get up to the speed you need.

Electric cars are probably the future. Eventually, most of us will be driving cars that run off of electricity only. At that point the world will probably be a quieter place since an electric engine is almost eerily quiet. In the meantime, the technology keeps getting better and cheaper so that sooner or later cars with electric engines will be affordable to most consumers.

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