Car owners are known for brand loyalty, that when the revolutionary concept behind hybrid cars started to hug headlines in the automotive industry, not many car owners were all too willing to shift to the new technology. In spite of the acknowledged upsides of these two-engine vehicles at this time of spiraling fuel prices, consumers are just not ready to hightail off their long-trusted diesel cars. Not until their preferred automaker rolls out its version of marquee hybrid cars.
HEV, as this crop of dual-powered vehicles are known, features separate combustion and electric engines. In principle, HEV engines allow the car to run alternately on either of the two available engines, resulting to economized fuel consumption. The advent of electric engines in HEVs has greatly reduced toxic exhaust emission. The driver can also opt to run the hybrid car on both the combustion and electric engines and get himself more engine power and faster acceleration than either of the two separate engines can deliver alone.
After years on the pipeline, German car manufacturer Volkswagen was reported to be ready to market the company's first hybrid car, the Volkswagen Jetta. Volkswagen officials are mum on the specs of the hybrid Jetta's engine, but industry watchers are looking at a hydrogen-powered engine as the ideal complement for the souped-up Jetta engine. It was also reported that the next generation Golf will come out of the Volkswagen plant armed with a hybrid engine and other new state-of-the-art Volkswagen parts. Aimed at obtaining an efficiency rate of approximately 20%, the German automaker is eyeing an onboard hydrogen reactor for its hybrid vehicles.
Touted as Volkswagen's 21st century "Pocket Rocket," the Jetta is being positioned to fare better than the Volkswagen GTi. It is a feat many considers to be merely wishful thinking, especially in view of the GTi's already powerful specs consisting of a turbocharged 2.0 liter engine pumping out 200 horsepower and 207 lb/ft of torque at a very low 1,800 rpm, plus it gets six forward gears instead of the usual five. But, of course, the hybrid technology is on the Jetta's side.
Like most hybrid cars, the Volkswagen Jetta promises an economical use of fuel. It boasts of a capability to power up its engines on up to 60 miles per gallon in city driving, while a typical SUV might travel 15-20 miles per gallon. That's actually three times less gas for the same distance. Also, its two-engine make can reduce smog by 90 percent, and uses far less gasoline than conventional cars.
With reduced exhaust emission, the power-mulcting backpressure buildup can be minimized. This will result in less strain on the vehicle's exhaust system, meaning a flat-out performance out of the vehicle. The suspension system, moreover, is that of the original Volkswagen Jetta, so expect the same superior car handling.
Pushing the envelope of electric car technology, the Volkswagen Jetta sports hybrid car batteries that can recharge as you drive, so there is no need to plug in every 50 to 100 miles as most electric cars necessitate. Also, most electric cars cannot go faster than 50 to 60 miles per hour, while hybrids can, especially when both the electric and combustion engines are harnessed to power up the car. With this rate of economized fuel consumption, the hybrid Volkswagen Jetta offers savings on gasoline dollars.
