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¶ … technology for hybrid vehicles is proven to work, we as a nation should only build and sell hybrid vehicles to help reduce the damage done to the nation's air quality. Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) have reached the point that they are affordable for most drivers, they use less energy, and they are cleaner than gasoline and diesel powered vehicles. These vehicles make sense for today and for the future, and Americans need to recognize the importance of saving the environment over their attachment to large, fuel inefficient vehicles. As a nation, the people should support and demand that automakers only build and sell HEVs. It is time to take the nation's air quality into our own hands, and demand carmakers take responsibility for the decrease in air quality standards in America today.

Hybrid electric vehicles have been talked about for many years. It is only in the last decade that they have been made both affordable and applicable to the daily lives and commutes of millions of Americans. Dictionary.com defines the word "hybrid" as: "Something of mixed origin or composition." Indeed, these vehicles, produced primarily by Japanese manufacturers Toyota and Honda at the present, combine the best of two fuel sources -- gasoline and electric. This technology uses the best of each type of fuel, and can save drivers at least 50% at the fuel pumps (Editors). In addition to being less costly to drive, HEVs are much cleaner than conventional gas and diesel engines. They do not pollute as much, and this is a vital consideration for the air quality in America, and in the world. Our air quality is suffering dramatically, and automobile emissions are one of the leading causes in the depletion of our overall air quality. The air Americans breathe is also the same air the planet's plants and animals breathe, and poor air quality can have long-term consequences for the entire ecosystem of the planet if air quality and pollution are not addressed. As the inferior air quality and air pollution travel above Earth, they create holes in the ozone layer of the environment that protects the Earth. As one Web site notes, "Ozone is an invisible gas caused by vehicle emissions in the presence of sunlight and hot temperatures. [ ... ] Continued exposure to ozone can cause breathing problems, reduce lung function, irritate eyes and nasal passages and reduce resistance to colds and other infections" ("Air Quality"). As the air quality degrades, so does the quality of life on Earth. If action is not taken, the air quality could degrade so much that some areas become inhabitable because of extensive heat or air pollution. HEVs are a way to make a positive step in a forward direction while diminishing the problem of air quality in America over the long-term.

These cars offer many positive aspects compared to earlier developments in hybrid vehicles. The cars do not need to be plugged in to be recharged, and they easily reach highway speeds, something pure electric vehicles had difficulties with. As the Department of Energy (DOE) notes, "The practical benefits of HEVs include improved fuel economy and lower emissions compared to conventional vehicles. The inherent flexibility of HEVs will allow them to be used in a wide range of applications, from personal transportation to commercial hauling" (Editors). Thus, these hybrid engines can be utilized for a wide variety of transportation options, from small compact cars to large trucks and even SUVs. Thus, the technology should be expanded even further. To reduce greenhouse gases, which are depleting the ozone layer and causing global warming, we must reduce our vehicle emissions around the world. The problem is acute in many cities in the United States, including Los Angeles and New York. Vehicular emissions are a large component of greenhouse gases, and we must reduce the emissions for our own health and the health of our planet. The DOE continues, "HEVs, with their increased fuel economy and reduced use of fossil fuels, emit fewer of these pollutants into the air we breathe" (Editors). The DOE Web site also notes HEVs and similar developments will surely be the "cars of the future" (Editors).

Currently, two models of HEVs are available in the U.S. They are the Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius. While U.S. automakers began researching and developing HEVs in a partnership with the DOE in 1993, currently there are no HEVs available from American automakers. Ford, DaimlerChrysler, and GM all have several prototypes in the works, from sedans to SUVs, but none of them are currently available to the general public. These HEVs are the car of the future, and Americans must embrace them if the air quality of the nation and the world is going to improve. Automakers must also concentrate on building more of these hybrid vehicles, and Congress should legislate that automakers create only HEV type vehicles by the year 2010.

These vehicles are cleaner, more efficient, and use less fuel than other vehicles. In addition to air quality issues, as rising gasoline prices have recently shown, the country is far too dependent on fossil fuels, such as crude oil and gasoline. We must reduce our dependence on these polluting fuels, and use cleaner, renewable fuels to power our business and automobiles. The government recognizes the need for alternative fuel vehicles, and currently, for the year 2004, there is a $2,000 tax deduction available to purchasers of HEV vehicles. The deduction will drop to $1,500 in 2005. Several states also offer their own incentives for purchasing HEVs, from tax deductions to one-time incentives to people who buy or lease HEV type vehicles. The cars also get much better gas mileage than regular gas-powered vehicles, so they save the consumer money at the gas pump. For example, the Honda Insight can go 700 miles on a tank of gas (it gets an average of 66 miles per gallon), and the Toyota Prius can go about 500 miles on one tank (Editors).