For those who have/know about a hybrid car - how does it work? Is it harder to maintain than a normal car?

Question

I would consider a hybrid car for my next car, but I have a lot of questions!

How do they work? Does the driver have to switch between petrol (gas) and electric, or does the car do it itself; and when?

Does a hybrid car require more maintenance than a normal car? Do services and repairs cost more?

If one system (petrol or electric) fails, can the car run on the other alone until it is repaired?

Does the electric power come from the normal car battery? Does it even have a normal car battery, or a different one?

Do any models, or hybrids in general, have any known issues?

And if you own a hybrid car, which one? Would you recommend it and why/why not?

Thanks - you're really earning your points on this one! (If it makes any difference, I'm in Australia, but all info appreciated).

Answer 1

The onboard computer handles all the all the gas/electric blending.

It requires less maintenance generally, because the engine runs less often.  Silicon electronics either make magic smoke in the first 30 days, or last forever.  AC electric motors have no moving parts to speak of, and last millions of miles.  Jury's out on the batteries, but NiMH batteries (as in the Prius) are looking mighty good so far.  They're a distant cousin to NiFe batteries, which last 20-30 years. I would expect parts and repairs to cost more as they're weird and new, but also to be less frequent.

It has a new, larger type of battery that puts out hundreds of volts.  A few people say "Oh noes, that's such a high voltage battery, electrocution hazard" but so far hasn't been a problem.  The battery shuts off in an accident same as the fuel pump does on normal cars.  

All hybrids do have a way for you to hook up your 12V accessories.  The GM Silverado pickup truck hybrid also gives 110VAC (USA house current), 2500 watts so you can run a microwave or chop saw.  It'll run your worksite or campsite all day, starting the engine as needed to keep the battery up.  I assume an export version of the Silverado would do 220V or whatever that country's power is.

I'm holding out for the Chevy Volt, unless I get sick of waiting and build one.  Lots of people build their own electric cars (full size cars!)... add a generator and you have a hybrid.

Answer 2

The hybrid has a computer on board which switches between engines as necessary.  The operator need do nothing special.

The gas engine and the electric engine are both capable of turning the wheels.  At higher speeds the electric engine stops acting as an engine and starts acting as a generator to charge the big battery.

At slow speeds the gas engine shuts down and the electric engine pushes the car.

All you need to do is add gas.

I have two Toyota Priuses - and they're great.  So far they've been getting between 60mpg during the summer and about 45mpg in the winter.

Answer 3

a hybrid car works like this the car moves using the power of the batteries. the engine that is powered by gas is only used when the battery is running low and even then it is only used to recharge the battery not run the car. but somethign special about hybrids that make htme even more fuel efficent is when you brake each of your wheels has a small generator in them so ever time slow down or come to a stop you help powere up your battery.

Answer 4

The other respondents gave good information but didn't answer YOUR questions:

How they work - The Prius has a battery, a gas engine, 2 electric motor/generators (one connected to the gas engine and the other connected to the drive wheels), a planetary gearset linking the engine and electric motor/generators to the drive wheels, and a computer to control the whole thing.  The driver only has to step on the accelerator or brake and steer.  The computer figures out the rest.  At low speeds the  car goes by electric motor only, provided the battery is charged enough.  At higher speeds, when more power is needed, the gas engine provides power.  The gas engine also runs whenever the battery needs charging.  When decelerating, the motor that usually drives the car works as a generator and converts the kinetic energy into electricity to charge the battery.  You can find a lot more details on the web.

Maintenance - The gas engine is the same as a normal car.  The transmission is much simpler and needs virtually no maintenance.  The electrical components are maintenance-free.

Failure of one system stops the car.  Both systems are needed.

Batteries - There is a normal 12-volt battery for the lights, horn, etc.  The large high-voltage battery is for energy storage to drive the car.

Problems with hybrids - So far they have been very reliable.  Keep in mind that batteries are not so efficient in very cold weather; that only causes the fuel consumption to be higher.

Which one - Toyota has the best technology.  It is very simple and elegant.  The other makes have a lot of catching up to do.  The Prius has an excellent body design, too, specifically designed as a hybrid.  My main complaint about the Prius is its numb electric power steering, which keeps it from being fun to drive.  It's just an appliance to get you from Point A to Point B.

Answer 5

I'm not an expert in this subject but i've also done some research (my younger sister wants a hybrid so i was just looking out for her).

The driver doesn't have to do a thing.  the car would automatically switch from gas to electric depending on the speed.  for certain models, if you're going less than 25mph then it runs on electric.  faster than that, gas.

the hybrid car does require more maintenance.  i'm not exactly sure, but it can cost probably $1000 to $2500 more, depending on the model.  but i believe you get a tax refund (in california, US) just for owning a hybrid.

i'm not too sure about the next three questions, but i'm sure someone else can answer them pretty well for you.

and i don't own a hybrid, but you can't go wrong with a toyota prius.  or if you don't like the body style on that one (i personally don't), then the honda civic hybrid would be a good one too.  or for an SUV, ford escape hybrid.

I live in southern california in the US so i'm not sure if any of this will help you over in Australia.  but i hope it does and good luck with the car hunt.

Answer 6

You don't have to worry about anything, really, the computer does everything.  Since the Toyota Prius has been around for a number of years, I would prefer that.  Like any car model, it takes time to get the "bugs" out of it.  The newer hybrid models are just starting out.  

Also, when I was shopping for one, the civic hybrid seems to have limitations on space in their trunk.  The prius was very spacious inside.