There is further scope for saving energy in prospect with the development of alternative fuels (see page 128) and new vehicles such as hybrid cars.

The hybrid car is certainly one of the icons in the fi ght against climate change, a solution already on the market but available only to those who can afford it. Wikipedia reads: “The hybrid vehicle, a mixture between a gasoline-powered and an electric car, typically achieves greater fuel economy and lower emissions than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), resulting in fewer emissions being generated. These savings are primarily achieved by four elements of a typical hybrid design:
-recapturing energy normally wasted during braking etc.;
-having signifi cant battery storage capacity to store and reuse recaptured energy;
-shutting down the gasoline or diesel engine during traffi c stops or while coasting or other idle periods;
-relying on both the gasoline (or diesel) engine and the electric motors for peak power needs, resulting in a smaller gasoline or diesel engine sized more for average usage rather than peak power usage.

These features make a hybrid vehicle particularly effi cient for city traffi c where there are frequent stops, coasting and idling periods. In addition noise emissions are reduced, particularly at idling and low operating speeds, in comparison with conventional gasoline or diesel powered engine vehicles. For continuous high speed highway use these features are much less useful in reducing emissions.”The car market is moving towards more effi cient and more climate-friendly vehicles, and science is experimenting with new innovative designs, for example electric cars. They might be more effi cient and clean, but they impose limitations on the owner and are suitable only for short urban trips. The driving range is
fairly limited (about 100 km) and the car needs re-charging for four hours.

In many countries public transport is capable of improvement, perhaps by allowing it to compete on equal terms with private operators (removing hidden subsidies, for instance) or by providing a fully integrated urban network. Some savings are possible immediately, while others will have to wait for technology to advance.

THE CYCLE – REDUCE KICK THE HABIT 127