Hybrid vehicles were produced even way back in the late 19th century but they were never really popular and were neither widely available till the launch of Toyota Prius in 1997. While many thought of it as un-necessary at that time, the increase in petroleum prices made people realize the practicality of a hybrid and many auto manufacturers started manufacturing new Hybrids in the late 2000s.
Hybrid vehicles typically achieve greater fuel economy and lower emissions than conventional vehicles, resulting in fewer emissions being generated. These savings are primarily achieved by three elements of a typical hybrid design:
By relying on both the engine and the electric motors when most power is needed, this results in an engine which is more for average use rather than peak power usage. A smaller engine has lesser weight therefore lesser internal losses, which results in better consumption.
By having significant battery storage capacity to store and re-use recaptured energy, especially in stop-and-go traffic, which is how vehicular traffic is in a city.
By recapturing significant amounts of energy during braking that is normally wasted as heat. Regenerative braking converts the kinetic energy produced while breaking into electricity which can be recaptured and reused.
Other techniques that are not necessarily ‘hybrid’ features, but that are frequently found on hybrid vehicles include:
- Automatic shutting down of the engine during traffic stops or while coasting or during other idle periods.
- Improving the shape and aerodynamics of a car is a good way to help better the fuel economy and also improve handling at the same time. A box shaped car or truck has to exert more force to move through the air causing more stress on the engine making it work harder.
- Tires cause mechanical drag, which makes the engine work harder and therefore consume more fuel. Hybrid cars may use special tires that are more inflated and stiffer than regular tires with the rubber compound having lower rolling resistance while retaining acceptable grip. This improves fuel economy whatever the power source may be.
- - Powering the a/c, power steering, and other auxiliary pumps electrically as and when needed; this reduces mechanical losses when compared with driving them continuously with traditional engine belts.
These features make a hybrid vehicle particularly efficient for city traffic where there are frequent stops, coasting and idling periods. In addition noise emissions are reduced, particularly at idling and low operating speeds, in comparison to conventional engine vehicles. Although for continuous high speed highway use these features do not prove any more useful in reducing emissions.
The problem is that a Hybrid vehicles energy source is still gasoline or diesel fuel which means dependence on the world’s oil resources. On long distant, highway driving in a constant speed, a hybrid car is more dependent on its conventional engine and does not utilize the electric engine at all and neither does it create enough regenerative power, therefore utilizing the same amount of fuel as any other conventional car. But then Hybrids are the best solution available in the market today to save fuel while at the same time, save the environment and they are increasingly becoming very popular among those who are environmentally conscious or those who want to save fuel.
