How Hybrid Cars Work

With gas prices ever on the rise, people are slowly beginning to make the transition from traditional gas powered vehicles to the more fuel efficient hybrid cars. It's becoming increasingly more common to see hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius or Honda Insight out on the roads.

Despite the host of benefits being touted for the hybrid, better gas mileage and better for the environment being just two, some people are still reluctant take the leap.

And rightfully so.

With the high price tags and common misconceptions that still shroud hybrid cars it can be a tough decision for anyone.

More so than the high price people aren't purchasing hybrids simply because they don't understand how hybrid cars work.

Do you have to plug a hybrid in?

How far can they drive?

They probably don't go very fast.

All common misconceptions and questions that people have because they don't know how hybrids work.

The truth is, hybrid power has been all around us for quite a while. Locomotives are often diesel-electric hybrids. Submarines are often nuclear-electric or diesel electric. Even the lowly moped combines the power of gas with the pedal power of its rider.

Hybrid cars work much in the same way.

While gas powered cars run solely on gasoline, and battery powered cars (the kind you plug in) run solely on a series of batteries, the hybrid car is an even compromise between the two.

While gas powered cars can drive long distances and are easy to fuel, the can be expensive to refuel and are harmful to the environment. On the other hand, electric cars produce little to no pollution, are cheap to refuel but can only travel short distances and can often take a long time to recharge.

But how do hybrid cars work? And how are they, as viewed by some, the best of both the gasoline and electric worlds?

Hybrid cars work in a very unique way. According to HowStuffWorks.com, hybrid cars are comprised of six main components that make them work. The gasoline engine, the fuel tank, electric motor, generator, batteries and transmission.

There are three distinct ways in which hybrid cars work. The first is known as a parallel hybrid. In a parallel hybrid the gasoline powered engine and the battery powered motor work in tandem to turn the transmission and propel the vehicle.

By contrast, the series hybrid works in a slightly different way. According to HowStuffWorks.com in a series hybrid the gasoline engine is connected to a generator. From here the gasoline engine can either charge the batteries or power an electric motor which drives the transmission.

A third option, like in the Toyota Prius, utilizes a device called the power split device. This device is what makes the Toyota Prius so unique. Because of the power split device the Toyota Prius is allowed to work much in the same way as a parallel hybrid. However, the car may also work like a series hybrid.

Because of the power split device while the car is driving, depending on the conditions, the gasoline engine can either power the transmission, or work in tandem with the electric motor and charge the batteries while the electric motor powers the transmission.

Although high initial price tags continue to scare off consumers, the benefits of the hybrid can offset the price tag in the long run. Better fuel economy (often upwards of 60 miles per gallon) and reduced tail pipe emissions are just a few of the benefits that can help take the sting out of the purchase price of a brand new hybrid.

Sources:

Julia Layton and Karim Nice

The Benefits of a Hybrid Car

Howstuffworks.com. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/hybrid-car8.htm