Hybrids - What Are They And Why You Should Own One

You might not know exactly what a hybrid vehicle is, but I'm sure by now you've at least heard of them. If you don't already know, you're probably interested in what all of the hype is about.

To put it as plainly as possible, a hybrid vehicle is one that operates with two different types of power. Hybrid cars still need gasoline to run, but the gasoline isn't burned directly to fuel your car. It is used to provide power to a gas powered generator. Hybrids have electric motors, and these motors are powered by the electricity generated by the gas powered generator.

The word hybrid means anything that is composed of elements of different kinds. Remember, a hybrid operates with an electric motor, powered by a gas generator. It's because of these two elements that these vehicles are known as hybrids.

Currently, the two most commonly driven hybrid cars are the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight. You could even say these are considered as the standard for hybrid technology.

Due to this combination of power sources, a hybrid's engine does not need to run constantly. So while the hybrid infrastructure might sound overly complex, it's purpose is quite effective. The electric motor in a hybrid only uses power when necessary. The generator and batteries to power an electric motor allows for an engine that doesn't require running constantly like today's gas powered vehicles.

In a regular, or non-hybrid car, you're burning gas during the entire time the car is running. Even when you're not accelerating downhill, or easing into a curve, the engine keeps chugging away and burning gas. Not only is this continuing to contribute to society's pollution, it's putting quite a dent in your wallet.

Hybrid technology is still being well researched. Manufacturers currently employ a number of techniques to increase hybrid vehicles' efficiency. This further increases fuel economy. An example of one of these techniques is using advanced composites to lower the overall weight of the vehicle. Another technique is known as regenerative braking. With regenerative braking, the car utilizes the friction used to stop your car to recharge the batteries. Not only are you saving gas during braking, you're also reserving energy that was used to speed up to begin with.

Most of the readily available hybrids are compact cars, due to the weight issues. If you don't fancy a small vehicle, but are interested in hybrid technology, you can find after market kits that will convert any vehicle into a hybrid. With these kits, you won't receive every benefit that specifically designed hybrids do, but you'll still save considerably on gas. You also won't have to part with your classic Porsche any time soon.

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