What are Hybrid Cars?
A hybrid car depends on two kinds of engines for propulsion power. Most hybrid cars available today use a combination of gasoline and electric engines while some use a combination of diesel and electric engines.Gasoline- and Electric -Powered Cars
Traditional gasoline-powered cars derive their propulsion power from combustion of gasoline. The combustion of gas produces the energy needed to turn the transmission as well as the wheels. Unfortunately, although fossil fuels still delivers the most power per pound, their by-products are harmful to the environment. Fossil fuels are also non renewable resources so as they became more scarce, their prices continued to rise.
Electric-powered cars, on the other hand, have a set of powerful batteries for powering the electric motor which in turn rotates the transmission and turns the wheels. Although their by-products are almost pollution free, electric powered cars take a lot of time to recharge and are generally slow.
Hybrid Cars and its Components
A hybrid car combines the strengths of each type of engine. It produces less pollution and it is more economical than the conventional car while still being more powerful than electric powered cars.
The components of a hybrid car are a fuel tank for the gasoline engine, a cutting-edge gasoline engine that is much smaller, more efficient and produces less pollution than usual gasoline engines, an electric motor/generator which can either draw energy from the batteries to power the car or charge the batteries while the car is slowing down, a set of batteries which acts much like the fuel tank for the electric motor, and the transmission which turns the wheels.
Types of Hybrid Cars
A parallel hybrid car can use either its electric motor or gasoline engine to turn the transmission. Because of this, both the electric motor and the gasoline engines are connected directly to the transmission of the car.
A series hybrid car, on the other hand, has only the electric motor directly connected to the transmission. In a series hybrid, the gasoline engine is only used to charge the batteries that are used to power the electric motor.
Hybrid Car Features
Regenerative Braking: Instead of using only friction to brake the car, the electric motor/generator of the hybrid car uses the excess kinetic energy to charge the batteries of the electric engine and thereby capturing some of the energy that would've been otherwise lost in the case of conventional cars.
Temporary Engine Shut-off: Since hybrid cars have two engines to power them, it they can automatically shut off the gas powered engine when the car is idle and use its electric engine to power it. This saves fuel.
Other features to maximize the fuel efficiency of hybrid cars are minimal-drag tires, carbon fiber and other lightweight materials to reduce overall weight and state of the art aerodynamic designs for the body. All these things make it easier for a hybrid car to drive up inclines and accelerate, attain higher speeds as well as minimize fuel consumption and emissions.
