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What is a Hybrid
The hybrid car is a newer technology that promises better fuel economy and cleaner vehicles. It is hoped that hybrid vehicles will reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. As more carmakers are coming out with their hybrid cars their popularity grows. As more car buyers purchase hybrid car the price drops. In 2006 you could buy a nice hybrid for about $22k. There are many new terms that you might want to learn that apply to these new vehicles.
The hybrid car is generally a car that uses two different power sources. In most case there is an Internal Combustion Motor or ICE that is smaller than other vehicles and when the driver accelerates or needs more power it comes from the battery instead of the ICE. There are other cars that are called hybrids such as the plug in electric cars and fuel cell cars, if they only use a single power source then they are really alternative and not hybrid.
The gasoline-electric hybrid is the most common variety. It uses a smaller ICE to reduce fuel cost and will draw power from the battery when needed. This burns far less fuel and the battery power used would have normally be wasted. Some hybrid cars can automatically shut off and restart the ICE to greatly increase fuel savings.
Most hybrids use lighter materials for the body and design for drag reduction. They also use higher inflation of the tires for stiffer wheels that ride higher. In addition to lighter design regenerative braking is also used in most hybrids. Regenerative braking causes an electric motor to run backwards so that it acts like a generator when the brakes are applied.
There are two types of true hybrids, the series and parallel. The series type of hybrid vehicle has an ICE connected to a large generator that in turn powers a large motor or smaller motors on each wheel. This removes the need for complicated transmissions and does not use the ICE for any acceleration.
The parallel hybrid system is the most common type today. This system attaches both the ICE and electrical system to a more traditional type of transmission. The parallel systems can run in any configuration of power usage from both power sources. Some can run primarily on the power of the ICE and only use battery power to accelerate and others may only use the internal combustion motor when the battery power is low or for acceleration
Full hybrids can run independently from either power source as well as a combination of them. The assist hybrids rely on the ICE for primary power and a torque enhancing electric motor for when extra power is needed. Mild hybrids shut off the primary motor when coasting slowing down or stopped.
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