by V. Kumar

Created on: August 05, 2008   Last Updated: December 22, 2008

HYBRID VEHICLE is a vehicle that can use more than one source of power for propelling it.

It is run on the usual internal combustion engine (like any usual motor vehicle) and electric batteries.

HYBRID VEHICLES : CONCEPT, FEATURES & ADVANTAGES

'Hybrid' refers to more than one power source for propelling a vehicle. In a way, the electric bicycles which can use electricity as well as muscle power are also hybrid vehicles. So are the mopeds that use engines and manual paddling. Now a days, hybrid technology is being used in cars, heavy transport vehicles, and rail transport, while its use in many other kinds of vehicular traffic is under development.

An important feature of hybrid vehicles is that they can use two sources of power at the same time to assist each other. Electric power can be used for automatic starting of engine as well as allowing it to shut off when not required, while power generated from engine can be used to charge the battery. Such interchange in the source of power leads to an overall improvement in fuel efficiency as well as adds to the features of the vehicle.

An important advantage of hybrid vehicles is that they provide an option of running the vehicle on electricity, which may in turn be generated from renewable sources, thereby providing vehicles to be run at least partly using renewable non-fossil fuel sources of energy.

HOW HYBRIDS WORK

A hybrid vehicle has typically more than one source of power which may be added together in parallel or in series. Parallel designs are more common. The usual sources of power are internal combustion engine using gas, and electric battery.

Depending upon the use of electricity, the hybrid vehicles may belong to one of the two major categories.

(i) GASOLINE ASSIST: In case of vehicles like Toyota Prius and the Ford Escape, the electric battery and motor can start the vehicle moving up to 25 mph and keep propelling it below this speed as in congested city traffic. However, at higher speeds as on a highway, when accelerating rapidly, or when going up the hill, gas engine will also start and take the primary load.

(ii) ELECTRICITY ASSIST: Vehicles like Honda Insight and Civic Hybrid use electricity primarily to boost the power of the gas engine when extra power is required as while going uphill or at high speeds and accelerations.

TYPES OF HYBRID VEHICLES

Hybrid vehicles can be broadly classified in to four varieties.

(i) MILD HYBRID - In addition to conventional engine, these also have electric battery which

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