Future Hybrid Vans
Posted by | Under Cars Friday Nov 13, 2009An increasing awareness of the impact that fossil fuels are having on the environment has forced manufacturers to seek alternative methods of powering all kinds of vehicles, including vans. Whilst the technology to create commercial vans that are entirely powered by ‘green’ fuels is still in its infancy, the hybrid vehicle is currently the market leader in environmentally friendly vehicle design.
Hybrid vans run on a combination of fuel and electricity technology, although with the advent of better battery design some manufacturers are now looking at producing commercially viable vans that run purely on battery power. Recent research into the charging time of standard batteries is producing some interesting developments in ‘rapid charge’ cells, but these are still a couple of years away from being an effective commercial option. So most manufacturers opt for the combination choice or even incorporate other fuels such as LPG (liquid petroleum gas) or natural gas into their hybrids. Those vans that incorporate fuel/electricity technology have the edge, though, as battery power does not directly emit carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gasses.