Features of Hybrid Cars

Hybrid vehicles have a battery pack, one or more electric motors, fuel tank, and an internal combustion engine. Means hybrid vehicles uses more than one form of on-board energy to run. Most of the people confused with hybrid cars and electric cars. Hybrid cars also use combustion fuel. Now we will see the features of hybrid cars.

• Regenerative braking: This one of the important features for the hybrid cars and important functions of the motor generator. When coasting downhill or slowing the wheels, the motor works as a generator and converts the energy into electricity. The energy is stored in battery. When the motor needs electricity, it draws from the battery. In case of traditional cars when you apply the brakes, the energy is converted into heat and throw-away. Regenerative braking system is one of the factors that make hybrid cars as fuel efficient.

• Electric motor: Motor generator is the correct term that needs the electric motor. It draws the electricity from the battery and provides supplemental acceleration. This assists the engine in hill climbing, passing or accelerating. In some vehicles, internal combustion engine is least efficient. In these cases at low speeds, driving conditions electric motor alone provides power. Several hybrid vehicles have two and a few have three.

• Battery: Hybrid vehicles are fitted with two types of batteries. Those are nickel metal hydride batteries and lithium ion batteries. Nearly in all the current hybrid vehicles, Nickel hydride batteries are using. But these are not efficiently enough when combined with plug-in use. Lithium ion batteries are enough for automotive usage and durable. These are the choice for the plug-ins and usage is increasing in conventional hybrid models. These are more energy-dense and lighter weight than nickel metal hydride.

• Idle off: In today’s hybrid vehicles’ engines starter motor is absent. The motor generator or the electric motor takes care of this function. The software in the hybrid vehicle shuts the engine off when it is idle, for example, stopped at traffic signals. When you release the brake pedal and press accelerator, the engine restarts automatically. The fuel waste elimination helps gas engine to get good mileage and drop the tailpipe emissions especially on city roads.

• Electric power: If the vehicle’s hybrid system has sufficient electrical capacity, we can operate it with electric power alone.

Since late 1990s, hybrid vehicles have been in the United States market. These vehicles are providing optimized fuel economy and giving a way to the automobile manufacturers to meet the requirements of proposed carbon dioxide emissions limits and Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE). The used hybrid vehicles market with low cost and fuel efficient vehicles is increasingly getting the attention of buyers.