Car Finance / Plug-In Hybrids
Wouldn't it be nice if you had your own gas pump right in your garage? And what if gas from your personal pump cost less than $1 a gallon?
Sound impossible? Actually, that scenario might unfold if plug-in hybrid cars become a reality. Even better, a plug-in hybrid could be recharged by home roof-top photovoltaic panels so your fuel would be completely "off the grid" (not generated by a power plant).
Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) have been in development for years and deliver amazing efficiency while slashing emissions. But while lagging battery technology has kept them from going mainstream, that could be changing very soon.
PHEVs are being embraced as the second coming of electric cars and promoted by such unlikely spokesmen as former CIA Director James Woolsey and former Secretary of State George Shultz. General Motors announced they will put a plug-in hybrid into production, based on the Saturn Vue. While no PHEVs are in production by automakers yet, private research companies such as EnergyCS, public action groups such as CalCars.org and utility companies such as Southern California Edison are saying PHEVs could curb global warming and end our dependence on foreign oil.
How PHEVs work Once the principle of the PHEV is explained, it often provokes a "why-didn't-they-think-of-that-sooner?" response.
Essentially, a PHEV is a hybrid car with a larger battery which can be recharged using household electrical outlets. On short trips, a PHEV operates like an all-electric car. If the driver decides to take a longer trip, and electric recharging isn't convenient, the gas engine comes on to recharge the batteries and propel the car. Thus, the PHEV has all the functionality of a normal gas car and most of the advantages of an electric car.
Research on plug-in hybrids began in the 1970s by engineering professor Dr. Andy Frank at the University of California, Davis. Since then he has converted a dozen cars to PHEVs. In one case, he swapped a Ford Explorer's 3.5-liter engine for a 1.9-liter power plant. After adding batteries and an electric motor the fuel economy increased and the acceleration was boosted.
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Inexpensive portable navigation systems and even cheaper smartphone nav applications are making the pricey in-dash systems offered by automakers less attractive to many consumers. But some people prefer in-dash systems because of their larger screens and because they offer more features. Plus, you never have to worry about forgetting an in-dash system at home. Finally, prices for in-dash systems are starting to drop.
Bluetooth is a wireless technology that allows two compatible devices to communicate. In the car, it lets you operate a mobile phone "hands-free," meaning you don't have to hold the device while making or taking a call or performing such functions as accessing the phone's address book. (Of course, you have to use your hands to operate certain Bluetooth features via the vehicle's controls.)
Automotive sound systems are more complex now that portable media players, hard-disk drives and smartphones are along for the ride. But the basic radio/speaker setup hasn't drastically changed, even though more speakers and more amplifier power have been added over the years.
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Responsible consumers tend to have all their affairs in order – a steady income, plenty of savings and perhaps even an investment or two on the side. While these things are all positive, they ultimately won't get you approved for an auto loan – for that, you need credit.
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