What are hybrid cars and wats so special about them?

Question

What are hybrid cars and wats so special about them?

Answer 1

A hybrid car is a car that is propelled by more than one energy source. Typically, when one is thinking of a hybrid car, it is usually a gasoline/electric hybrid, as that is what is currently available commercially. (There are diesel-electric concept cars (not in production), and there are diesel-electric locomotives, submarines, and heavy construction equipment...) Usually a dual-fuel vehicle, like a CNG-gasoline or LPG-gasoline vehicle isn't in the popular hybrid definition, but those are usually aftermarket-fitted anyways.

How a hybrid car works depends on the technology that a manufacturer decided to use to make it a hybrid. Not all hybrids are created equal.

As the lowest common denominator, hybrids usually have a larger electric motor (for starting the gasoline engine or for charging the hybrid battery), larger/additional hybrid battery pack to drive the electric motor, auto-stop (gasoline engine turns off at idle), regenerative braking (coasting or light braking will cause the motor to act as a generator, capturing some of that lost kinetic energy of wheel motion and storing it as electricity in the hybrid battery), improved fuel economy, and lower emissions.

More improved hybrid systems allow for tuning for higher performance (more power or acceleration), or for more fuel efficiency (usually through using a smaller engine, where the electric motors help out). On the more improved hybrid systems, you could see:

- ability to act as a standing generator to power equipment off-site

- additional peak power, by the electric motor assisting the gasoline engine as required (for acceleration or hill climbing, for example), similar to a turbo

- electric-only propulsion (short periods of the electric motors/hybrid battery alone powering the car, for low power requirements (such as coasting, driving on the level, low speeds)

- reduction in weight and ability to move accessories from belt-driven to electrically-driven (smaller wires needed)

The Ford/Mercury hybrid system and the Nissan hybrid system is fairly similar to the older Toyota THS system (seen on the 2001-2003 Prius). Toyota/Lexus hybrids are currently using the THS-II or HSD (Hybrid Synergy Drive) system. Honda is using their IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) hybrid system. GM's newer hybrids are using their BAS (belt-alternator system) or two-mode system, while their older "hybrid" pickups are pretty much the lowest common denominator listed above.

For general overviews:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question26...

http://www.howstuffworks.com/hybrid-car....

Specific to manufacturers, how it works (and use a Flash-enabled web browser!):

Toyota Prius (celebrating it's 10th anniversary in Dec. 2007!):

http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/2008/priu...

http://www.ecrostech.com/prius/original/... (use the "Understanding the Prius" link)

Toyota hybrids in general:

http://www.hybridsynergydrive.com/en/qui...

http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/tech/environm...

http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/tech/environm...

Lexus hybrids in general:

http://www.hybridlexus.com/how/index.htm...

Ford Escape Hybrid:

http://www.fordvehicles.com/suvs/2008esc...  (use the Hybrid Technology 01 button on bottom left)

Mercury Mariner Hybrid:

http://www.mercuryvehicles.com/mariner/t...

Mazda Tribute Hybrid:

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayP...

Honda Accord Hybrid (now discontinued):

http://automobiles.honda.com/accord-hybr...

Honda Civic Hybrid:

http://automobiles.honda.com/civic-hybri...

(I couldn't find anything substantial on the NissanUSA.com site for the Altima hybrid's system. GM only notes that they have "hybrids" here:

http://www.gm.com/explore/fuel_economy/h... )

and for the Honda Insight (which in general also covers the Honda IMA seen in the HCH and HAH above):

http://www.insightcentral.net/encycloped...

http://www.insightcentral.net/encycloped...

There are no commercially-available plug-in hybrids on the market so far. (So you cannot plug them in, other than the same gas station pump that most other regular cars use.) Some hobbiests and aftermarket companies have been altering a few hybrids (Prius, Ford Escape Hybrid/Mercury Mariner Hybrid) to make them plug-in capable. Typically this requires adding additional hybrid batteries, besides the ability to charge off the mains.

For more information, check out http://www.calcars.org/vehicles.html

For cost reasons, unless you are a fleet owner or other high-mileage driver it probably will not be worth the cost of the PHEV conversion for you. (Conversion pricing is high due to startup costs and low volumes, besides the pricing of the needed additional battery packs.)

To note, converting to a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) does not reduce the vehicle's range. It gives the owner the option to recharge the (newly added larger) hybrid battery pack at night (cheap electricity and off-peak electric load which would otherwise be lost). The vehicle would run for a certain distance (longer than stock) on the stored electric power alone, and when the battery pack is depleted to a certain point the vehicle reverts back to its original hybrid self and runs on a combination of the gasoline engine (which will also recharge the battery) and the electric motor. A PHEV would add a greater all-electric range to the existing hybrid, besides the ability (but not the requirement!) to plug it into an electric source.

Insurance is about the same as a regular car.

Maintenance is about the same as a regular car - use your favorite mechanic or DIY.

Same gasoline as a regular car...

Depending on model, many hybrids are holding high resale values (mainly the fuel-economy hybrids as opposed to the power hybrids).

Pros:

* Depending on where you live, tax incentives (income tax credit for US federal, some states or Canadian provinces offer income tax credits/deductions or sales tax reductions),or single-occupant HOV lane privilages (CA, VA, FL, NY), or reduced tolls (NY) or free parking...

* better HP and acceleration than a comparable car

* better (lower) emissions than a comparable car

* better fuel economy than a comparable car

* own a neat techy car

* long warranty (depending on model, the hybrid battery or system is warrantied in the US a minimum of 8 years/80,000 miles, up to the AT-PZEV models in CA-emission states out to 10 years/150,000 miles, and it is NOT pro-rated but a full coverage.)

* you do not plug it in (charges off of the gasoline engine and recapurted kinetic energy while braking)

Cons:

* slightly higher initial purchase price

* own a neat techy car (should you need unscheduled maintenance (break down), you're mainly stuck paying dealer rates)

* many ill-informed people stopping you and asking questions about your car, telling you untruths about your own car, or even telling you how stupid you were for buying it...

* you cannot plug it in

I've never seen anyone do a cost-benefit analysis for a v4 vs v6 vs diesel engine, so why do one for a hybrid drivetrain? Most cost analysis articles neglect trade-in value which the Prius does very well in maintaining. (in some areas, used Prius are still selling for new prices for availability and rising gasoline prices!). Don't forget to include federal and any state tax incentives in your calculation (Consumer Reports forgot, and had to issue a retraction that hybrids are cheaper to own/operate than their gasoline cousins). Edmunds.com still doesn't take into account the true depreciation value (as seen by manually looking for a Prius trade-in value) when calculating their TCO, but they still say that hybrids will pay for themselves even when using their lower than actual trade-in amounts:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/AUTOS/08/22/bc.a...

Hybrids do cost less in the long term than their conventional counterparts. (Intellichoice used a 5 year ownership comparison in 2006) See: http://www.intellichoice.com/press/Hybri...

http://www.intellichoice.com/carBuying10...

While Consumer Reports in 2006 only found the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic Hybrid would pay off within the same 5 year frame. The Honda Accord Hybrid, the Ford Escape Hybrid, the Lexus RX400h, and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid were also studied.

(I'll note that there was a mathematical error in the initial publication of Consumer Reports' hybrid vehicle cost analysis, which a retraction was published later... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11637968/ )

Since this publication, many more hybrid models have become available, so I can't use this to say about hybrids "in general."

The problem is that not all hybrids are created equal. There are different hybrid technologies, depending on manufacturer. Even among the same manufacturer, you can find one model tuned for performance (power and acceleration) with only a slight fuel efficiency improvement, compared to another for fuel efficiency and emissions. (See the Honda Accord Hybrid vs. Honda Civic Hybrid, or the Lexus models compared to their sister Toyota models...)

There is more to vehicle ownership besides initial purchase cost and the amount of gasoline used - there is also the costs to maintain and insure it, and also depreciation costs.

However, the societal costs for emissions are not usually included. The hybrids tend to be at worst an ULEV, with many an AT-PZEV. Some are only sold in CA-emissions states. (Compare that to the often suggested VW TDIs, which cannot be sold new in CA-emission states because of their poor emissions.) In the US, hybrid models tend to be the best in fuel economy in their respective classes, using the same testing procedure to compare all cars: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/f*g/best/best...

Do be sure to check out the April issue of Consumer Reports if you are interested in reliability statistics (several hybrids are in the best bets).

The hybrid batteries in the currently available hybrid vehicles are usually listed by the manufacturer to last the lifetime of the vehicle, and have long warranties (not pro-rated!) to cover it. So far, hybrid battery replacements are VERY uncommon, and rarely out of warranty. Pricing is much better when buying a used unit from a wrecked vehicle (much less than $1000), and not paying dealer-inflated rates/labor prices. Old battery packs are easily recycled (and Toyota even pays a $200 bounty to the owner to be sure it is recycled!).

You would have to find a poorly-trained emergency response unit, if you were concerned about rescue and electrcity...  SOP is to make sure that the vehicle is off, usually by taking the key out.  In hybrids, the big hybrid battery is disconnected from the rest of the car when the car is off, so nothing to be concerned about.  The battery cases are usually well protected, and well marked by big bright orange casings, so should be obvious.  (Like with other cars, there's also the 12v battery to worry about, explosive seatbelt pretensionsers and air bags, and flammable liquids like motor oil and gasoline/diesel...)

Toyota/Lexus already publishes Emergency Response Guides for their hybrids, available for a nominal fee in print form, or a free download here:

http://techinfo.toyota.com/public/main/e...

Toyota Regions have also been known to do training seminars for local

first responders when asked.  I think I've heard of Honda doing the

same.

Honda hybrids:

https://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs...

Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid:

http://www.fordtechservice.dealerconnect...

or

http://www.motorcraftservice.com/vdirs/q...

GMC/Chevrolet/Saturn hybrids:

http://www.gmstc.com/courses/available_c...

More safety information for emergency responders can be found here:

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/toyo...

<Sigh>, an erroneous AP article claiming electrocution to emergency workers on hybrids was widely picked up by various outlets.  Unfortunately, the AP retraction article that came out the next day wasn't picked up by all the outlets that reported the original story, and the AP doesn't keep their reports after a certain number of days free to the public, so here's the text of it:

"Posted on Fri, May. 07, 2004

Correction: Hybrid Car Rescues story

Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA - In May 3 and May 4 stories about hybrid cars, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the cables connecting the high-voltage batteries to the electric motors run through the doors. The cables run underneath the car.

In the Toyota Prius, the cables are routed below the floorpan, about 18 inches away from the driver's side door opening sills and are protected by a metal shroud. Toyota said the company has received no reports in the United States of any personal injuries related to the electrical systems in the five years since the Prius was introduced.

</quote>

Answer 2

What are they?

Hybrid cars are any vehicle with two different power trains.  Most people today are referring to the hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), which joins a gas engine (internal combustion engine - ICE) and an electric motor which is powered by an over-sized battery pack, usually located in or near the trunk.

What's so special about them?  

It depends on what you want out of a car.  If you're looking for better fuel economy and lower emissions, then a hybrid car delivers that for you.  But, they do cost more to manufacture and are therefore more expensive to buy.  While studies have shown you will save money in the long run in gas costs, it can take anywhere from 3 to 7 years to do so, depending on which hybrid you buy.

But as to is there something special about them, I would say no.  They just let you buy a bigger car, but get better fuel economy.  For instance, if you were willing to buy a subcompact, you would get really good fuel economy.  Having said that, if they were to put a hybrid engine into a subcompact (which they haven't yet), the hybrid engine would be more efficient.

But say you wanted a full size SUV.  Then the most fuel efficient one is about to be the Yukon Hybrid (or Tahoe Hybrid), which will be rated at about 20 mpg.  20 mpg is not a phenomenal number, until you realize that they were getting 15 mpg before outfitting them with the hybrid engine.  By increasing their fuel economy by 5 mpg, the average person who drives 15,000 miles a year will be saving themselves (and the country) about 250 gallons a year in gas.  Or at $3/gallon around $750 dollars a year.

BTW, no hybrid car on the road today is rated to get 60-80 mpg.  The best hybrid (in terms of fuel economy) is the Toyota Prius, which under the new EPA guidelines is rated to get between 40 and 50 mpg.

Ron: the high electrical load of a Prius is a concern for first responders to an accident.  But so are air bags and fuel leaks.  While first responders are concerned about the dangers they face, to say they will 'hardly rescue you' is ridiculous on the face of things.

Hybrid cars do perform better in city driving, where the stop and go traffic is better suited to recharging the battery through regenerative braking.  But hybrids also use the battery to assist the gas engine when traveling at constant speeds, say the highway.  Which is why their highway mileage is also a lot higher.

Answer 3

I can't tell you about wats, but I can tell you about volts.  A prius hybrid for example has 240 volts of electricty that travles through out the car.  Why is that important?  Well 60 volts is enough to kill any human being.  If you get in a wreck in a hybrid vehicle, emergency personal will hardly recsue you due to the 240 volts of electricty.  Now the newer models are suppose to a pull shut of cord in the rear bumber area, if they can get to it in a wreck.  Since hybrid only works from 0-20 mph and I rarely drive 0-20, it is not worth risking the life of my family of electricution.  GM hybrid pickup on works while at 0 MPH.

OK Michael-  The Hybrid Yukon/Tahoe only works at 0 MPH and is only 1 mpg better than the gas and not 5mpg.  http://fueleconomy.gov  so the only time you increase your mileage is when you are parked at 0 MPH and that is a fact on GM hybrid.

Michael needs to do his math over on the GM Hybrid.

Answer 4

hybrid cars are cars that run on electric and gas motor. they usually dont have as much power as a regular gas motor, but most of them usually get a very high (60-80MPG) gas mileage. they are also better for the environment due to less fuel emissions because of the electric motor.

Answer 5

I'd be more worried about my gasoline tank blowing up than getting zapped by a few volts of electricity.   Some people just aren't that bright, no pun intended!

Answer 6

Infernal combustion engines are inefficeint because they rarely run at optimum load or temperature.

They also carry on running when stationary or slowing down.

The Prius hybrid runs the engine at set speeds and power not required for travel or when slowing down is used to charge the batteries. Then when more power is required the electric motor can assist.

So more mpg/lower pollution for the same performance.

Electric motors are far more effective for traction because they give max torque from 0rpm from cold, see  http://www.killacycle.com/ and they don't waste 60% of the energy creating heat (last winter after 23 miles in my Prius it still hadn't melted the snow on the bonnet)

Ron: what a load of tosh

Answer 7

hybrid: an electric car with internal combustion starter.

2008 Honda FCX, Hydrogen Hybrid

http://www.autoneato.com/2008-honda-fcx-...

2010  Chevy Volt: Gas Hybrid

http://www.autoneato.com/chevy-volt-can-...

2010 Peugeot 308: Diesel Hybrid

http://www.autoneato.com/peugeot-308-die...