What Is A Hybrid Car?

Hybrid cars are the ones where there is more than one way for propulsion. For example, apart from the regular petrol and diesel engine, it will have an additional electric powered motor. It is a trend these days to comply with the new policies to reduce emissions. Governments all over the world are trying to bring in new policies to facilitate emission-free transportation. Emission-free transportation paved the way for innovative hybrid cars that consume less fuel and also emit very less carbon dioxide.

Today, there are several brands in hybrid cars that vary based on fuel consumption, efficiency, and cost. Toyota Yaris is a small car with hybrid efficiency. It has spacious interiors that suit all practical purposes. It has all the standard equipment that adds further appeal. Mitsubishi Outlander Phev has been a great success in the UK. It is an SUV and a plug-in hybrid variant. Mercedes C Class C300 h has a very low CO2 emission of 94g/km. The brand is more agile and plusher compared to other competitors and one of the smartest choices. In league with adventure sports like mountain biking, hybrid SUV cars are a great option for four-wheel adventure sports.

Popular Types Of Hybrid Cars

A typical hybrid car will have a regular fuel engine, battery, and an electric motor. The mechanism depends on the type of hybrid and at present, there are three different types, namely, parallel hybrid cars, plug-in hybrid, and range extender hybrid cars. Parallel hybrid cars are the most popular type of hybrid variant. Toyota Prius is a popular brand in this category. In this variant, the car wheel can be propelled in three different ways, which are, by the fuel engine, by an electric motor, or by both. The fuel engine is used mostly while accelerating hard or beyond 15mph. Else, the car uses only an electric motor for propulsion. It can be the most fuel-efficient for city driving. The regenerative braking system is activated while applying brakes or deceleration and this produces electricity that stores in the battery. The battery can hold a charge for mileage of 1.25 miles.

The range extender hybrid cars use a fuel engine to produce electricity to recharge batteries. The engine is not used to drive cars, but it produces energy for the generator to power the electric motors. Honda Jazz and BMW i3 are one of the most common brands in this category. This is a strong variant of hybrid cars and the performance depends on the battery power. With more battery power, this variant of hybrid cars can drive more than the mild ones, especially on electric power. Plug-in hybrids are a type of hybrid where the battery can be plugged into an electric outlet to charge and also can be charged on the move. It is halfway between conventional electric and fully electric cars. This variant has a conventional engine and also large batteries that can store charge to drive 30 miles. Volvo V60, Toyota Prius, and Mitsubishi Outlander are the popular brands in plug-in hybrids.

Benefits Of Hybrid Cars

Hybrid cars are very similar to conventional cars but have little compromise on performance. Strong hybrids have a choice of different power modes that range from power to eco. The driver gets to choose greater efficiency and performance depends on the driving conditions. The range hybrid variant will charge on its own and does not need a charging point. Tax benefits for hybrid cars may not be so good but cars that emit less than 75g/km will qualify for London Congestion Charge Exemptions.

A hybrid car will be most suitable for city drive or in and around your town for a long road trip. It is like free travel as you are running the car only on electric power. If you mostly do only short city drives, then this does not require the flexibility of a hybrid car. You will be better off with a full-fledged electric car. This will provide cheap travel with no emissions. But, if you do frequent long-distance drives then you are better off with a good diesel car.