Are Plug-In Hybrid Cars As Green As Claimed?
Potential purchasers of a plug-in hybrid car often believe that they will be contributing to the fight to save the planet by making an informed choice designed to help the environment. This is not necessarily so, or at least it is a matter of degree. Just because hybrid cars are designed to use less gasoline than conventionally powered cars, it cannot be assumed that the undoubted advantages this generates for the environment do not come with some offsetting negative factors. In reality, given today’s level of hybrid technology, plug-in hybrid cars may be only marginally better at improving treatment of the environment than the corresponding serial and parallel versions of current hybrid power units. Green house gases, carbon emission and the effect upon the ozone layer are all improved a little with these power units and the plug-in hybrid is said to be considerably better still. A realistic assessment might just offer pause for thought on how far this goes. All hybrid cars currently
