The Honda Civics Evolution To Hybrid

The Jetsons left a great impression on me as a child. I loved the flying cars and the almost magical tubes that served as inter city transit. If you've see it you know exactly what I'm talking about! I used to envision myself driving one of the flying cars myself. As a kid, I thought the future was a lot closer than it actually was! I accepted that I had jumped the gun when I went to my driver's test not in a flying car, but in a Honda Civic!

It was still a great day even though I didn't get to fly my car through the various steps required to get my license. The Honda Civic was a trusted friend and performed like one! Honda Civic's have a reputation for being solid, trustworthy and lasting. And that's exactly what I found in my experience. It's not a flying car, but it's a good choice!

But the introduction and wider and wider acceptance of the Hybrid cars are giving me hope that me may someday hit a point at which we're ready to make the leap to the sort of futuristic transportation that left such a mark on my gullible brain as a child. The sort of travel suggested by The Jetsons isn't yet an option, but at least we're getting more options. That's the first step, right?

Hybrid cars have been around a while, but like any new product they continue to become more widely accepted as people see them fulfilling their purpose. The models have evolved each year into better and better designs and more efficient functioning. (And let's face it...any option to the high gas prices we're currently experiencing is going to draw a lot of attention!)

A traditional Hybrid might have a 1.3 liter, 95 bhp engine. The engine will be connected to an electric motor and the electric motor might be an actual part of the flywheel creating an integrated function that is more than efficient. The crankshaft typically revolves continuously even when the power is coming directly from the motor (all electric there, baby). Later Hybrid models even evolved to run off pure electricity. (Just one step closer to the Jetson's flying car...let's keep hoping! You know it would be great fun!)

The Honda Civic Hybrid is designed with inlet and exhaust valves that lower mechanical resistance because they are always shut. It doesn't allow for compressions or pumping losses which makes a big difference. The regenerative braking is another favorite "function" feature of mine. It allows the Hybrid to recover energy when drivers use the brake by accessing the electric motor and using it as a generator. These aren't the only features that work together to make the Hybrid a car worth looking into. It's got unique aspects that appeal to a wide crowd in today's industry. For instance, it offers an average fuel consumption of 58 miles per gallon!