What Are Hybrid Cars: Benefits of Hybrid Vehicles

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Hybrid cars are significantly more economical to run that normal automobiles using gasoline as the sole fuel. There many misconceptions regarding hybrid vehicles,and here are some facts to redress that. We shall discuss the definition of a hybrid car and also why so many people would rather purchase a hybrid vehicle than a normal car.

What are Hybrid Cars?

The term 'hybrid' is used widely in genetics to refer to the offspring of of two distinctly different species. A mule, for example, is the hybrid of a female horse and a male donkey. When used in relation to cars, the term is used to describe an automobile that is driven by one or both of two different types of fuel. These are usually an electric motor and an internal combustion engine (the latter referred to henceforth as the 'engine.')

There is more than one type of hybrid vehicle, however, the two fundamental options being a parallel and series hybrid. Each of these is also subdivided according to the function of each power source in the vehicle. Here are the more common of these.

Series Hybrid Car

Also known as a serial-hybrid vehicle, a series hybrid car is powered by an electric motor. There is no connection between the electric motor and the engine. The engine is used to operate a generator, which is used when the battery runs down. For this reason, a series hybrid is also known as a Range Extended Electric Vehicle REEV.)

The first of such cars was the Chevy Volt, introduced in 2010. Series hybrid technology has already been employed by Toyata in the development of a hybrid bus. However, most manufacturers are going down the parallel hybrid route

Parallel Hybrid Car

In parallel hybrid cars, the vehicle can be powered by both the electric motor and the engine. Either can be used individually, or they can be used together. The internal combustion engine and the electric motor have their own clutches. Either one or both of these can be engaged. There are different types of parallel hybrid vehicle:

Mild Parallel Hybrid Vehicle

In the mild parallel hybrid vehicle, a small electric motor offers ancillary power when needed. For example, it will be used when starting and when extra power is required when accelerating. During deceleration, the motor will be recharging the battery: a process known as regenerative deceleration. Examples include the Honda CR-Z, Insight and Civic Hybrid, the GM BAS Hybrids and the BMW 7-Series Hybrids.

Series-Parallel Hybrid (Power Split)

With this type of hybrid the power can be shared between the two types of motor via a power splitter and two clutches. Either the electric tor or the gas engine can be used to power the car, or any combination of the two together. When not in use, the motor can generate electricity to recharge the batteries.

In many cases the main power will come from the engine, with the electric motor used when extra power is needed. However, the electric motor can be used preferentially until depleted in order to save on gas. This arrangement enables hybrid cars to punch above their weight and to achieve long mileages. The new 2014 Nissan Pathfinder crossover, for example, offers a cruising range of 526 miles from its 19.5 gallon fuel tank and 2.5 liter engine.

Other examples of this type of car are the Toyota Prius and Ford Fusion. These are what most people think of they hear about hybrids - cars that can run on electricity then convert to a normal engine when the battery runs low. The engine provides the power and recharges the battery.

Plug-In Hybrids

Plug-in hybrid vehicles are similar to series or parallel versions, only they have an additional battery to extend the range. The Ford Escape is an example of this. It is a series-parallel hybrid with extra battery power.

Fuel Cell Hybrid Cars

Fuel cell hybrid cars have no internal combustion engine. They use a combination of battery and hydrogen fuel cell power. Hydrogen fuel cells are still in their infancy, and this type of vehicle is fundamentally still in development. Nissan is involved in this technology as are Hyundai, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Audi, Fiat and others.

The main problem with fuel cells is that it is currently an inefficient way to extract energy, and uncompetitive versus other types of fuel. However, the research and development being conducted by automobile companies such as those above will no doubt result in more efficient hydrogen-generation techniques, and a more efficient means of using the energy.

100% Electric Cars

Electric cars are increasing in popularity, and vehicles such as the Nissan LEAF can cruise easily at 60 MPH. However, until there is a more extensive recharging system on the highways, this type of technology is likely to be restricted to shopping and school runs. Electric cars are improving, and may one day become more efficient than hybrids and cheaper to run as oil prices continue to rise.

This should answer the question 'What are hybrid cars,' but whether they have a long future depends on advances in hydrogen and electricity as alternative fuel sources. Don't forget, all of these fuel sources still fundamentally originate from fossil fuels.

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Summary: What are hybrid cars? Here is a summary of the various types of hybrid cars currently on the market, and the differences in technology between them. Will they ever supersede gasoline cars? One day they will have to!

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