From Under the Hybrid Hood - Part1

Hybrid Cars are capable of the ability to drive 500 miles or more using less fuel and never having to plug in for recharging. Gasoline-fueled hybrid cars are among the hybrid technologies that could achieve such enhanced fuel efficiency and low toxic fume emissions, hence delivering safety and performance beyond expectation.

To drive you through the labyrinth of the hybrid car jargon, together we take a sneak peak from under the hood of the Hybrid Car.

Conventional Cars
These are cars that you and I and the masses have been driving since the automobile has been invented. The amount of toxic fume emission is creating a drastic impact to our ozone. The conventional car which sacrifices fuel economy to achieve extra acceleration performance became the reason behind the green car revolution, the innovation of Hybrid cars.
Mild Hybrid Cars
Mild hybrids are essentially has electric assist engines, and are conventional vehicles with oversized starter motors, allowing the engine to be turned off whenever the car is coasting, braking, or stopped, yet restart quickly and cleanly. The larger motor is used to spin the engine up to operating rpm speeds before injecting any fuel. Key features of Mild Hybrid Cars are shutting off the engine at stop-lights and stop-and-go traffic, tapping on regenerative braking technology and using an electrical motor to assist a conventional engine.

Full Hybrid Cars
Full Hybrids, unlike the mild hybrid, is capable of achieving much greater fuel efficiency and gives better mileage for urban driving. It has the ability to propel the vehicle solely on its electric motor-without the internal combustion engine running. Under very light cruising load and light acceleration, a full hybrid can run on just the electric motor. As soon as additional power is needed, the internal combustion engine will kick-in to provide full acceleration power. Full hybrids tend to get much better fuel mileage than mild hybrids, plus much better city mileage, since the electric motor is used much more in city driving. The Key features of Full Hybrid Cars are namely as follows: the engine shuts off at stop-lights and stop-and-go traffic, has regenerative braking system, uses an electrical motor to assist a conventional engine only when required and can drive at times using only the electric motor.

Plug-in Hybrid Cars
Plug-in Hybrids utilizes a range of alternative power sources, with the main power source being electric, and that need to be recharged on a daily basis. Thus the keyword - “Plug-in”. Plug-in hybrid cars must be recharged externally by connecting a plug to a power source. As well, the plug in hybrid will only tap on the combustion engine as a back up after a certain distance is covered by the electric batteries.

The Muscle Car
A muscle hybrid is term coined to describe a vehicle which uses hybrid technology to enhance power and performance as its key prerogative, not withstanding that fact that such innovation could result in little or no significant improvement in fuel economy. Hence, creating yet another an expensive high performance car set to turn heads for its innovative looks and use of alternative fuel source, regardless to the detriment of the environment. The muscle car is not unlike the conventional sports cars in most aspects.

The above should give you a better understanding of the types of hybrids in the market currently.

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