Taxis, trains and teams ... hybrids everywhere

Hybrids are hot news right now, with projects popping up all over the country:

• Taxis. New York City's taxicab fleet is going hybrid. By 2012, the entire fleet of 13,000 taxis will be hybrids. This four-year change will slash the fleet's greenhouse gas emission contribution by 50 percent in the next decade--plus cut fuel costs by about $10,000 per year for the average taxicab. That's good news for cabbies, air quality and NYC residents.
  
  
• Trains. General Electric Company recently unveiled the first long-distance prototype hybrid locomotive that will set a new standard for its automotive-based brothers. With 4,400 horsepower, this Evolution Hybrid uses a series of batteries that chops the train's emissions and fuel usage by up to 10 percent. It's all in how the batteries capture and store the dynamic breaking energy and then assist with acceleration. That's good news for everyone since the energy captured in just this locomotive is equivalent to powering 160 households annually.
  
  
• Teams too. Industry teams in CA, MI, NY and VA are investing over $33 million in the development of plug-in hybrids, hybrid electrics, and fuel cell vehicles through 2010. They'll be working on high-speed and combined traction motors and a variety of power electronic inverters and converters. That's good news for future vehicles, fuel economy and your pocketbook.

Yes, looks like hybrids are here to stay. No matter which way you slice it, hybrids offer good news for everyone by helping to reduce fuel usage and improving air quality--and that translates into exciting things in the both the current hybrid models and the up-and-coming hybrids. Thanks to all the pioneers working to make our world a better place.

photo © Ford Motor Company--the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid meets the New York City taxi requirements.