A compact three-door, four-seat car
The adjective automobile is used to refer to that which has mobility by itself . The term, par excellence, is used as a noun to name the car .
motor vehicles
Automobiles, therefore, are motorized vehicles that can move without the need for roads or lanes. Also called cars or cars , they are used to transport people.
At a general level, it can be said that cars have a chassis that supports the body ; four wheels with rims and tires ; an engine with a gearbox ; a steering wheel for driving; and pedals to accelerate and brake. Of course, many other elements, systems and mechanisms are part of these machines.
Most cars have internal combustion engines . In this case, a fuel is used (gasoline or naphtha, diesel or diesel, CNG, etc.) that, when it comes into contact with an oxidizer (oxygen), reacts and combustion occurs. This process generates a release of thermal energy that is then transformed into mechanical energy to promote movement.
In recent years, however, cars with electric motors have become popular. These means of transport have batteries that store electricity: electrical energy , thanks to the action of the motor, is converted into mechanical energy.
Types of cars
It is important to keep in mind that there are multiple types of cars, each tailored to the needs of different types of consumers. The factors that most differentiate them are size and speed, but there are many others. Let's start with the small car , the most economical. This is the type usually purchased by those who have just obtained their driving license. Since its design aims to facilitate movement on public roads and parking, it is common to see it in large cities.
This type is subdivided into two others: microcar , the smallest, to the point of having only two seats ; compact , with a varied width and a number of doors ranging from 3 to 5. Let's continue with the family car , suitable for up to five adults to travel comfortably. The age range of its users is quite defined, since it coincides with the time in which they form a family. It can be said that the family car is, in turn, a sedan , although this type usually has a larger trunk and a more powerful engine.
Within this type we find the muscle car , especially popular in the United States, and the crossover , similar to the off-roader. Let's move on to the minivan , specially designed for large families , as it can accommodate up to eight people. It has removable and movable seats, so that the interior configuration is variable. The sports car , for its part, is usually associated with the racing car, but it encompasses a greater variety.
For example, we can mention the compact , the sports sedan , the coupe , the Gran Turismo and the supercar . Regarding larger automobiles, we have the van , which is usually used for commercial purposes, and the limousine , which can exceed five meters in length and is mainly intended for the transportation of people of a high social status.
Racing cars are the most expensive on the market.
Environmental pollution
Despite the great advantages that cars offer when traveling from one place to another, these vehicles usually produce polluting emissions that affect the environment . That is why there are campaigns that discourage car trips and promote, instead, trips by bicycle or public transport (which allow many individuals to be transported in the same unit).
The fight against environmental pollution from automobiles has been underway for many years, but the solution does not seem to be that simple: the automobile industry is too powerful to demand that it step aside in favor of the environment. The emergence of new technologies that generate a lesser impact on nature seems to be the solution to convert certain detractors.