How hybrid electric vehicles can pay off. PRINT PDF EMAIL. View Electric.and.Hybrid.Vehicles.Design.Fundamentals.pdf from ELECTRICAL 353 at Missouri S&T. Page i ELECTRIC and HYBRID VEHICLES Design Fundamentals.

Dave WilsonJune 30, 2005 Did you know that the hydraulic steering system in your car siphons off somewhere between one to three miles per gallon from your vehicle's performance and consumes more energy than your car's air conditioner? In fact, it's the third highest energy-loss mechanism in your car, following wind resistance and road friction. I recently gave a motor-control seminar in San Francisco, where gas prices were the highest in the nation at $2.60 per gallon. On the return flight, I sat behind a gentleman reading The Arizona Republic when the front-page headline caught my attention. In bold letters it proclaimed, 'Bush: No quick energy fix.' After persuading him to part with his paper, I read the chilling details of our country's insatiable addiction to fossil fuels.

The president lamented the high cost of gasoline, but said he is powerless to bring the prices down. 'I wish I could,' he exclaimed, and also indicated that 'technology is the ticket.' As developing third-world countries compete for dwindling energy reserves, and oil prices spiral out of control in our energy-hungry world economy, car manufacturers and consumers alike are scrambling for ways to put their automobiles on a diet. As a result, hydraulic power steering may be headed for the same scrap pile as your 33 1/3 vinyl records, as new energy-efficient systems based on electronic motor control take center stage. One forecast suggests that hydraulic power steering will disappear from new cars within five to seven model years. While many gas-miser techniques result in reduced vehicle performance, replacing your three- to five-horsepower steering pump and its associated bulky hydraulics with an electric motor is one enhancement that actually improves performance. Soil Mechanics By Gopal Ranjan Pdf Printer. Looking back But I'm getting ahead of myself.