As more and more countries and individuals are embracing the hybrid car idea across the globe, questions regarding its performance and safety are being raised by other groups who are still sitting on the fence.
Some of the benefits that hybrid cars present include convenience, they are economical, sustainable, and most importantly, they are efficient!
Often, the topic of debate; whether to go hybrid or not revolves around its fuel efficiency. So, are these inventions genuinely efficient, and how do they manage to get us across distances without consuming as much fuel as conventional cars?
To understand this subject and appreciate whatever we are going to disclose in this article, it’s best if we start by understanding the concept and science behind hybrid Cars.
Hybrid cars, unlike what the majority of public opinion perceives them to be, are not powered by only electricity. Rather, they use both fuel and electrically charged Batteries.
So, if you have a hybrid car, you can switch between both sources of energy at your convenience. Hybrid cars, thus consume less fuel and offer more mileage in addition to the reduced (tailpipe) emission.
With the price instability bewildering global fuel price, hybrid cars are the best alternative available. The secret behind this environmentally friendly and fuel- efficient cars are in their design. Here is how;
Regenerative Braking During braking, some amount of heat is generated, and they are equally lost in conventional cars. However, hybrid cars capture that energy through its regenerative braking system.
The heat is then converted into electric charges to power the electric motor and also charge the battery for when it is needed.
Sometimes it’s the gasoline engine that powers the car, some other time; it’s the electric motor. On some other occasion, they work together to keep the car running – Regardless of what engine powers the car, one thing is sure, less fuel is burned, thereby enhancing fuel economy!
“Idle or Engine Shut-Off” Design
You know how your refrigerator light bulb turns off as soon as the door is closed, yeah, hybrid cars also have a similar system that turns of the gas engine when the car is idle, like when you are in traffic or at stoplights.
During such periods, the battery automatically kicks in to power the air conditioner and other auxiliary systems. You can re-engage the gas engine for more energy to go Faster!
Aerodynamic and Light Weight
Hybrid cars utilize lightweight materials in their body works as well as the engine. Compared to conventional gasoline-only cars whose weight is significantly much, hybrid cars have light engines – meaning that less fuel is needed to convey the lightweight car from one point to another.
The aerodynamic design of hybrid cars also lets them cut through the air with little efforts compared to conventional cars that rely on engine power to push through the wind (resistance)
Electric Power Steering
The electric power steering system on hybrid cars makes it much easier for drivers to steer and turn by augmenting the efforts needed to steer the wheel. Electrically powered steering doesn’t depend on the engine to work smoothly – hence, reducing the amount of gasoline consumed while driving.
These are all fantastic design designs onboard hybrid cars. Hopefully, we have helped you understand how they can help you save the enormous money spent on gasoline..
