Almost every car manufacture has introduced some type of a Hybrid Engine System but the differences in what they consider a Hybrid can be a little confusing. Lets take a look at some of the options you have when selecting a Hybrid and if those features will effect your driving.
The first hybrid to hit mass production was the Honda Insight. The Insight’s type of engine system is what most people consider to be a Hybrid Design. The small car uses a 4 cylinder engine for standard driving but is assisted by an electric motor up to about 35 miles per hour. If you are driving around the city a lot and don’t normally go over 35mph then the electric assist motor will provide enough boost to almost double your standard miles per gallon. When you hit the highway the gasoline engine takes over and provides enough power for standard driving.
The electric motor in a Hybrid Design is powered by batteries that are stored under the rear passenger foot area and in the trunk. For this reason some of the smaller vehicles with electric motors and battery packs are best for single driver commuter vehicles.
The Toyota Prius was the next step in Hybrid Electric Motor driven vehicles and pretty much followed the design of the Honda Insight. The Prius was designed as a sedan with room for 4 or 5 adults and provides almost the same driving feel of a conventional car. Because the car is larger the gasoline engine is also larger and is very close to the same size used in a conventional vehicle. For this reason gasoline savings is not the same as the Insight’s 60+ miles per gallon but its utility did attract more buyers. The new Insight has a Sedan cabin for more function.
The Hybrid functions in both of these designs work as a power assist at lower speeds however the engine is the primary way to power the vehicle.
Hybrid Fuel Vehicles
The next group of hybrid vehicles may or may not be considered true hybrids in most people’s minds. The Hybrid Fuel vehicles that were introduced as a band-aid by most American manufacturers that were late to the Hybrid Electric Assist basically have fuel system and electronics that can compensate for fuel that is made with 85% corn alcohol E-85 and Bio-Diesel Soybean fuels used in larger trucks that conventionally use standard diesel.
To run these alternative fuels a standard engine must be able to adjust the amount of fuel and the timing of the engine to compensate for lower octane fuels.
Alcohol versions of Hybrid Fuel vehicles require the most adjustment and this will be handled by your cars computer automatically. Trucks that use Bio-Diesel may not need heavy modification of computer systems and may be able to use the fuel with no changes in the feel of driving other then the necessity to stop more often for fuel.
I guess we shouldn’t forget flex fuel Natural Gas vehicles when we are talking about Hybrid Fuel vehicles but most people do not consider this type of engine that has been around for decades one of the new “Hybrid Vehicles” .. if you are interested in a Natural Gas vehicle you can fuel them on the road at special stations or at home with the purchase of a fueling station that runs off your homes gas line.
Electric Powered Vehicles
The final stage of Hybrid Gasoline Electric engine designs can be seen in the chevy volt. The Volt like the Toyota Prius has both electric and gasoline motors however the gasoline motor in the Volt is only used to charge the batteries and provide electricity to the electric motors.
The Volt can run on gasoline for longer distances but it is suggested that you charge the vehicle overnight or while at work with its plugin charging system.
At full charge this type of electric vehicle can provide about 200 mile maximum on just the electric charge. This will depend on your driving style and whether you are commuting on highways more then stop and go city traffic.
Final Thoughts
All Hybrid Engine vehicles will require a modification to your driving methods. Most of these vehicles are designed for short haul local commuting and access to hybrid fuels may be very limited.
At this point if you were to purchase one of these vehicles I would suggest that you take a look at the Honda or Toyota designs. Although any vehicle with a large battery system will require an expensive battery replacement after about 5 years the electric assist designs provide a better mixture of functionality for normal driving.
Although you will normally need to use the vehicle for short hauls you can take that occasional long trip or vacation without having to plan your route to find special fuels or charging stations.