From Under the Hybrid Hood Part 2

Have you heard of the saying that “Not all hybrids are created equal?” This is indeed true if you have read my latest post before this. In fact, this post must be read in conjunction with the previous Hybrid Car Simplified - From Under The Hybrid Hood Part1 which discusses the type of hybrid cars in the market currently.

What then gives the different degree of hybrids their name, be it mild , full, plug-ins? There are 5 criteria driving the different drivetrains and hybrid levels, namely idling capability, the regenerative braking system, the power-assist capability, the full electric drive and finally the extended battery-electric range which gives the plug-in its name.

Ilding Capability Alone Does Not Constitute A Hybrid Car
If you have used a refrigerator before you would have noticed the light bulb which goes off when you close the fridge door and comes on when you open it? The same theory goes for the hybrid cars at idling. The gasoline engine stops at idling hence saving fuel. The engine will turn back on in a fraction of a second even before you tap the gas pedal. However, note that this capability alone does not deem your car a hybrid as all hybrids are capable of it.

Regenerative Braking Capability Simplified
The regenerative braking system of hybrid cars functions on kinetic energy. Essentially, the energy captured from pushing an object forward is captured and stored into the system as energy for future use. This is how the hybrid regenerative braking system works. The electric motor operates as a generator, recovering the kinetic energy and converting it into electricity that is stored in the battery so it can be used later to help drive the vehicle down the road. This of course requires sufficiently large electric motor at high voltage to capture the amount of braking energy.

Power Assist or “Electric Assist” System Makes A Mild Hybrid Car
A hybrid is essentially defined as a car using at least 2 power sources. The electric motor would be powering the car by assisting the gas engine, namely fuel assist, serving as the auxiliary power source to drive the car. The characteristics of this type of hybrid from under the hood are a large motor and battery pack capable of supplementing the engine to help accelerate the vehicle while driving as well as a smaller engine. This type of hybrid car is the mild hybrid. A case in point is the Honda Insight.

Full Electric Hybrid - Fuel Assist with a Shockingly Silent Engine
The full electric hybrid taps solely on the electric motor and battery pack, leveraging almost fully on the electric system of the hybrid car. At low speeds and at launch, the electric motor and battery powers the car and at high speeds the engine takes over. The Toyota Prius and Ford Escape are two examples of the shockingly silent fuel assist engines of the full hybrids.

The Extended Electric-Battery - The Ultimate Plug-in Driver & Barrier
The final stage of hybridization encompasses the ability to recharge the battery from a clean energy source hence allowing the hybrid to operate solely as a battery-electric vehicle for as much as 20-60 miles - aka Plug-ins. Currently, the average Plug-ins are scoring at 50 miles per recharge. Part of “qualifying” to be a plug-in is to that it should contribute greatly to their environmental performance with clean power generating sources. And of course, cost remains the biggest most barrier of the Plug-in hybrids.

Always remember that when looking at hybrids, regardless of technology, the clearest and most direct way to evaluate the environmental performance of a hybrid electric vehicle is by its fuel efficiency and toxic fume emissions.

And if you would like to read more, visit Hybrid Cars Here and Environmentally Friendly Cars Here.