My primary interest in buying an HEV is in doing my part to clean up the air. Can my decision to purchase an HEV now really make a difference?
Yes. Conventional vehicles release harmful chemicals, or pollutants, through their tailpipes. These chemicals, such as oxides of nitrogen, volatile organic compounds, particulates, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide, are produced through the combustion of fossil fuels. In addition to causing “smog,” and possibly contributing to global warming, these chemicals have been determined to cause or aggravate human respiratory diseases, including bronchitis, emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis, and asthma. HEVs, with their increased fuel economy and reduced use of fossil fuels, emit fewer of these pollutants into the air we breathe. And because every little bit helps, your decision to purchase a cleaner vehicle now can have a big impact on the quality of our air in the future.
