Hybrid cars is the new deal nowadays. It gives you the best of both the worlds when it comes to card. You can save a lot of money on fuel when you use hybrid cars as they also operate on electric motors on different instances.
Reading Time: 3 minutesWhat is a hybrid?
A hybrid is a combination of at least one electrical motor as well as a gas engine to operate the car. At times the electric motor will take all the load of the work and sometimes the gasoline engine could, and sometimes they work side to side. As a result of this lesser gas is burnt and hence provides in more efficient fuel economy. The addition of electric power boosts the performance of the engine in many different instances. This also emits less carbon dioxide, so it’s better for the environment as well.
Hybrid car owners gain the benefit in different types of taxes and can also avoid congestion charges. The gas engine is also used to charge and maintain the battery of your car. Different companies have a different set of hybrid designs that vary with fuel savings and cost.
Types of Hybrid vehicles
There are 3 different types of hybrid cars and all work by a different mechanism.
1. Parallel hybrid cars
This is one of the most common designs of a hybrid car. In this you can operate the car in 3 different ways; one directly by the engine, two solely by the electric motor, or even by the combination of the two power sources. A common example of a parallel hybrid car is Toyota Prius, This car only uses an electric motor to operate hence makes it very economical and eco-friendly at speeds up to 15 mph. As you increase the speed the gas engine cuts in.
Whenever the breaks of the car are used, the braking system generates electricity which can be stored in the battery for future use.
2. Series hybrid
In this type of hybrid car, the electric motor is used for all sorts of power requirements. Actually, there is no mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels. The gas engine is only used to recharge the battery. All of this results in an electric car having a smoother, powerful acceleration. BMW I3 with the range extender is a popular example of a series hybrid car.
3. Plug-in Hybrid
As you can tell by the name, you can plug this type of hybrid into an electrical outlet to charge the batteries, it can also be charged while on the move.
This type of hybrid comes between conventional hybrids and fully electric vehicles. They have larger batteries than your normal hybrids and can travel much larger distances solely on electrical motors. Volvo V60 is an example of a plug-in hybrid.
Should I buy a hybrid car?
If you live in a town then you will attain the most advantage from driving electric-only power, which is equivalent to almost traveling for free.
If you don’t have to travel a lot and only do frequent small trips, then you are better of buying an electric car as it will be more cost-effective for urban travel.
If you plan on doing a lot of motorway miles then it is a better option/choice to opt for an efficient diesel car. In such cases, hybrids are least efficient.
