by Mona Gallagher

Created on: December 15, 2008

Hybrid is a relatively new term in the auto industry; it refers to a vehicle that has two sources of power that propel the vehicle. In a true hybrid, either power source can operate independent of the other, or the power sources can work in sync to deliver performance and gas saving benefits. Hybrid automobiles are referred to as green cars because they give off fewer carbon emissions while consuming less gasoline.

Hybrid vehicles have been in mass production for several decades but the first hybrid was built over a hundred years ago. One of the first hybrid car was built by Dr. Ferninand Porsche around 1899. It used an internal combustion engine and electric motors located in the wheel hubs. The US produced electric and hybrid cars in the early 1900s but Henry Ford eventually won the auto market with gasoline powered cars.

The US auto industry came on board with mass production of modern technology hybrids about a decade ago, but they appear to be lagging behind foreign cars based on vehicle performance, mpg, and sales. The recent economy meltdown left US automakers at a decided disadvantage in playing catch-up caused by what some experts say is Americans love affair with the gasoline internal combustion engine.

Electric motor/gasoline engines

Most common in the current offering of hybrids are gasoline engines combined with electric motors. In this hybrid, advanced electric motors double as generators with the ability to recharge. When necessary, the motor draws energy from the batteries to accelerate and acting as a generator, it slows the car returning energy to the batteries. The technologically advanced engine is smaller.

This hybrid allows the electric motor and gasoline engine to work together or independently of each other in power synchronization. Hybrid owners realize more miles per gallon of gasoline. The Toyota Prius is leading the field at about 40 to 50mpg, but it should be noted that driver habits contribute to the gas economy of the vehicle.

The electric motor/gasoline engine is one of many automobile hybrids that are planned to achieve superior gas mileage and cut down on carbon emissions. Pure electric cars and hydrogen cell automobiles are in production as cars of the future also but hybrids appear to have a future for a long time to come in the US auto industry.

Diesel and electric hybrids

Diesel engines work much like internal combustion gasoline engines with differences in how fuel is delivered and ignited. Diesels use highly compressed air and

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