How Do Hybrid Car Engines Work

Hybrid car engines have become more and more common over the last few years. Most people have heard of hybrid technology and know some basic information about it, but few people actually understand the principals that these versatile and futuristic powertrains operate under. Just like with traditional gas engines, you don't necessarily have to command an extensive knowledge of the motor's inner workings to be able to drive the car. However having working knowledge of what keeps your car moving down the road can make you a better owner, a better driver and might influence your decision when deciding what kind of vehicle to purchase.

Hybrid Design Basics

So what makes a hybrid car "hybrid?" The hybrid design combines a high-efficiency gas motor with an electric motor on the same drivetrain. Independently, electric drive and gasoline drive vehicles have a range of advantages and disadvantages. By combining both of these in one package, a hybrid vehicle is able to garner some of the benefits of each option. The gasoline motor is just as functional as in a normal vehicle and runs like the engine in any comparable conventional car, although hybrid cars are often able to use motors that have a smaller displacement (engine size) than a conventional car. They are able to do that because of the addition of the electric drive system. The electric motor can function as a "helper" to the gas motor; when the vehicle needs extra power the electric motor activates and helps drive the car.

The Electric Drive System

Now that you know that an electric drive system is the defining difference between conventional and hybrid cars, lets examine how and why this is used. A gasoline car actually wastes a good deal of energy when operating under normal conditions. What the hybrid system does is harvest the power that is usually lost and store it in the form of electricity. The batteries in a hybrid act like an extra "gas tank" that is able to fill and refill itself while the car is operating. Every car generates electricity to work, but most of that energy is wasted. The hybrid car stores that energy to be used later. The hybrid's electric motor not only assists the gas motor with acceleration and power, but it is able to function independently as well. That means that when the vehicle is operating under conditions where the electric motor can drive the vehicle on its own, the gas engine shuts down and the car relies solely on electric power. Every second that the car's gas motor doesn't have to run is a second that the car doesn't have to use gasoline which is kind of the name of the game. 

Unique Advantages

There are quite a few benefits to using a hybrid drive system. A hybrid car is able to use electric power to operate which is much more efficient. However, it can also use gas power when neccesary. One of the biggest downsides of an all-electric vehicle has to do with range; since the batteries act as the car's "gas tank" once the power in the batteries has discharged, the car can't be driven until they have been refilled. The recharging process can take hours, and that's inconvenient for long trips. The hybrid can operate on gas alone which means the car has two gas tanks. The batteries that power the electric drive system, and the conventional gas that fuels the gasoline engine. Hybrids are also able to save power other ways by using systems like regenerative braking. This is one of the reasons that hybrids are able to achieve such excellent gas mileage in city driving conditions. Regenerative braking systems harvest the energy that it takes to stop the car once it is moving. In a normal car all this energy is wasted as heat, but in a hybrid it is stored in the battery as power for the electric drive system.