These days, there’s more incentive than ever for drivers to buy eco-friendly vehicles. Not only do they help the environment and reduce fuel costs, but drivers of eco-friendly vehicles are also able to cash in on tax benefits for helping to reduce carbon emissions. High fuel prices and strict government regulation of emissions makes buying and designing fuel efficient cars more and more practical, and auto college students will no doubt be seeing more hybrids as time goes on.
Read on if you’d like to learn how today’s automakers are designing and creating much more fuel efficient vehicles.
Auto Companies Are Designing Smaller Cars
When it comes to manufacturing today’s cars, auto companies are saying less is more. Larger urban populations mean smaller, compact and economic cars. Although SUVs were all the rage a few short years ago, for inner-city living, the hatchback has become the car of the decade. Small cars are better for the environment, because they travel more miles per gallon than cars boasting larger engines. Additionally, less weight to pull means less fuel is used!
Air Conditioning a Huge Factor in Reducing Emissions
Many auto manufacturers are now using reflective paint and glass on their vehicles in order to keep a car’s interior cooler. The ideology behind this is that a cooler interior means that the driver will have less of a need to use the car’s air conditioning system, and this will produce fewer emissions.
Automotive service technicians know that another way to reduce energy use through a car’s air conditioning is to install a more efficient air conditioning compressor. Drivers can also make their car’s more eco-friendly by using air conditioner coolants that contain less harmful chemicals. Chlorine-free coolants like R-410A are considered to be a more ozone-friendly alternative to the classic R-22 coolant.
Fuel Efficient Car Exteriors?
Aside from reflective paint and glass, there is an entire range of exterior modifications that manufacturers are adding to make their cars more fuel efficient. Professionals in auto careers may have noticed a surge in cars with LED lights, with automakers like Audi and Mercedes leading the way on this trend. LED lights use less power than traditional headlights, meaning less fuel use overall. Audi’s brand of LED lights actually reduced CO2 emissions by 1.6 grams per mile!
More and More Hybrids Being Built
Due to more eco-conscious drivers and more tax incentives from the government, sales of all-electric and hybrid vehicles have increased substantially. For instance, BMW has announced plans to turn every version of their lineup into a hybrid. The Honda Accord and Ford Fusion hybrids also have top sales, encouraging more automakers to introduce a hybrid line of their own.
The benefits of hybrid cars over traditional gasoline cars include:
- Reduced fuel costs
- Fewer emissions
- No idling
- High resale value
- High performance
- Regenerative braking
Are you interested in learning more by enrolling in an auto mechanic course? Check out our website for more information or to speak with an advisor.
