Hybrid cars offer many advantages over normal gas cars, and that is why they are so popular. Many people have the wrong impressions about hybrid vehicles, and here are some facts to set them right. First of all,what is a hybrid car, and then why are they preferred by many over standard gasoline vehicles.
What are Hybrid Cars?
The term ‘hybrid’ is used widely in genetics to refer to the offspring of of two distinctly different species. Take a mule – that is a hybrid animal, the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse (big donkey or small horse!). When used with cars, the term is used for a vehicle driven by two distinctly different power sources. 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. You can engage both together or either alone. 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 of this are the Civic hybrid, the Insight and the CR-Z, all by Honda, BMW’s 7-Series hybrids and the BAS hybrids by General Motors.
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. While it is not being used to power the car, the electricity generated by the motor recharges the batteries.
The hybrid car will usually be driven by the engine, and the battery will power the electric motor only when you need extra power. 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. When they hear the term ‘hybrid’ this what most people think of – cars that can run on electricity then convert to a normal engine when the battery runs low. The battery is recharged by the engine while it also provides the drive power.
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 has extra battery power in the series-parallel format.
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.
Word count: 841
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!