Time was when electric cars were the figment of a Hollywood scriptwriter’s imagination. My first encounter with the electric/hybrid car was during the martial law days, when kids my age were mesmerized by the super robots from Japan, Buck Rogers, and the bewildering car of the lead character in the hit TV show, the Thunderbirds. I remember that car in the Thunderbirds series humming and sounding like a spinning dynamo.

Fast-track to the present day and I find myself behind the wheel of a hybrid Toyota Prius and Honda Civic. Since these units were imported by the aforementioned manufacturers for testing, development and performance in our tropical setting, getting permission to test-drive any of the two was like asking for entry into Malacanang Palace. I had to pull some influential strings at the top of the corporate ladder to get a crack at these cars.

There are many types of hybrid cars, but the most feasible technology at the moment is the Parallel hybrid, which uses both an electric motor and gasoline engine to operate the vehicle. This technology can be found in both the Prius and Civic hybrid units. An electric motor and an internal combustion engine are installed to power the vehicle.

In the case of Toyota, the battery operates on a full time basis, from engine start to disengaging the ignition. On the other hand, the Prius reverts to its gasoline engine once a sensor in the car detects an uphill climb,  if the car’s battery unit is low on power, and if your speed exceeds the 70 kph mark. Charging is done by way of the front two wheels. The battery charges automatically while the car is in motion.

For the Honda Civic hybrid, the system utilizes a small electronic motor to assist the gasoline engine when it needs an extra boost. Dubbed as Honda’s Intelligent Motor Assist or IMA, this hybrid system is similar to the one used by the Honda Insight, which was launched early this month in Tokyo, Japan. Now on its fourth iteration, the Civic hybrid is powered by a 1300 cc SOHC engine with a high profile camshaft.

Apples and Oranges
The Civic hybrid may have a much smaller gasoline engine compared to the Prius’ 1500 cc engine. Honda engineers outwitted the competition by inserting a higher profile camshaft which bumped up the horsepower of the Civic to 93bhp at 6,000rpms. It was a delight to floor the hybrid test unit all the way up to Tagaytay, with passing maneuvers done with considerable ease. The darn thing accelerated like a 1600cc sedan.

What the Prius lacks in engine power, it compensated for in its excellent fuel efficiency and powerful electric motor. Having driven the Prius all over Metro Manila for a week, the fuel needle moved down only a notch or two. Since it was stop-and-go traffic most of the time, the Prius operated on batteries full time. The humming sound and the quiet motion of the car as I squeezed through the urban traffic jams made fellow motorists flash the thumbs-up sign at me. Now I know why the Prius is the favorite Hollywood accessory of megastars like Brad Pitt, Leonardo di Caprio and, recently, Miley Cyrus of the hit TV show Hannah Montana. Cyrus traded in her Porsche for a Prius, because the German pocket rocket was noisy and a gas-guzzler, she said in a press statement. Aside from subtly telling those around you that you care for the environment, the design of the Prius is simply gorgeous.

While automotive historians would point out that hybrid technology dates back to the late 1800’s, the first successful, operational hybrid car was invented by David Arthurs of Springfield, Arkansas. An electrical engineer by profession, Arthurs converted his Opel GT into a hybrid and got as much as 75 miles per gallon. It put the geeky looking Arthurs on the map.

His invention paved the way for the proliferation of plug-in electric vehicles in the 80’s, although the Americans were beaten to the draw by the Japanese in the early 90’s. In 1994, Takeshi Uchiyamada, a Toyota executive, was tasked to develop a new car that would be both fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly. Two years later, Uchiyamada would make automotive history as his invention was unveiled and sold initially in Japan in 1997. Toyota fine-tuned the hybrid technology and launched the Prius hybrid car in 2001. Currently, the Prius is sold in more than 40 countries and regions, with Japan and North America as its biggest market.

Both Toyota and Honda are lobbying Congress to come up with a law that would make this technology more affordable. Due to tax rules, the Prius and Civic Hybrid sticker prices range between P1.5 to P1.7 million. If ever Congress decides to pass a bill that would allow automotive manufacturers tax breaks regarding the importation of Hybrid cars, the price of the Prius and Civic hybrid would fall to less than a million pesos.

What do you think? Is our country ready for this way of turning green?