How do hybrid cars work?

Hybrid cars are becoming more and more popular in our country, although few people really know how a hybrid car works or if it is really convenient to have a vehicle with hybrid technology.

The confusion regarding hybrid cars is largely due to the lack of information and the limited options that exist on the market, which are always at a much higher price than a conventional gasoline car.

Some of the best-known are the Toyota Prius, Chevrolet Volt or the Kia Niro in its hybrid version.

Despite this panorama, the trend in the automotive industry is lower energy consumption and emission of pollutants. Without a doubt, the propulsion systems of hybrid cars are an excellent alternative.

In this article we will try to understand how hybrid cars work, the types that exist, as well as an overview of the current market for hybrid vehicles in Mexico.

What is a hybrid car?

A hybrid car is a vehicle that works with two propulsion systems, normally it is an electric motor and a thermal motor that runs on fuel and is very similar to a conventional engine.

Hybrid cars stand out because the operation of their propulsion system combines both engines efficiently, reducing energy loss and maximizing energy performance.

How does a hybrid car work?

A hybrid car works thanks to two engines, one electric and one combustion engine. They can work at the same time or separately, but all hybrid cars have a computer that manages both engines to obtain the greatest performance.

Depending on the way both motors work, we can talk about series, parallel and combined hybrid.

Three types of hybrid cars:

Serial hybrid: in a series hybrid car the thermal engine (which runs on fuel) only recharges the electric battery, it never participates in the traction of the car. This motor turns off when the battery is fully charged, which improves its performance.

Parallel hybrid: in the case of hybrid cars with a parallel system, both engines work at the same time to propel the car.

Combined hybrid: in this case, both the electric motor and the heat engine can drive the car on their own, but they also have a system that allows both motors to work at the same time.

The advantages offered by hybrid car systems are being replicated by many brands in their conventional cars, all with the idea of ​​improving fuel efficiency.

Pros and Cons of hybrid cars

The biggest advantage of hybrid cars is the better fuel efficiency since it has several systems that improve efficiency. The best-known are:

• Energy recovery system.
• Energy management system.
• Initial start.
• Electric push.
• Electric propulsion.
• Power regulation.
• Engine shutdown.
• Lower emission of pollutants.

Energy recovery: this is a functionality where the force generated when braking the car is recovered and stored within the battery, to later be used to start the engine.

Energy management system: these are sensors that, depending on driving conditions, choose the most efficient combination of propulsion.

Initial start: the electric motor is used to start the car and once a certain speed is reached, the thermal engine comes into operation. This fully utilizes the power of the heat engine at all times.

Electric thrust: on slopes or difficult roads, the electric motor helps the thermal engine to reduce extra fuel consumption.

Electric propulsion: in low-effort conditions, the battery is responsible for the propulsion of the car without consuming fuel.

Power regulation: the electric motor compensates for power changes on winding roads, which avoids unnecessary acceleration and fuel waste.

Engine shutdown: at complete stops, both motors stop and save power for starting.

Lower emissions of pollutants: Last but not least, hybrid cars greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

As for the problems of having a hybrid car, there is without a doubt the price of these due to the low demand and the barely growing market, the prices are very high.

A technical problem they may encounter is that hybrid cars produce virtually no sound, increasing the risk of pedestrian accidents.

There you have the main characteristics of the operation of a hybrid car. Do you have any questions? Leave us a comment and we will respond as soon as possible.