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Hybrid Cars - A Concept or A Reality?
Hybrid cars, one of the latest innovations in the auto world, have been in the news for a while now. This is because this advanced technology makes it possible for people to save on fuel and also helps conserve the environment.
Hybrid cars are increasingly seen as practical alternatives to cars that run solely on conventional fuel types. Despite the recent counter claims that have disproved the fuel-efficiency advantage of the hybrids in real world conditions, the cost-benefit equation that these cars offer is appreciated as crude oil and gasoline prices continue to rise. The impact of emissions on the environment also plays a major role in the popularity surrounding the Hybrid concept.
Hybrid cars are increasingly seen as practical alternatives to cars that run solely on conventional fuel types. Despite the recent counter claims that have disproved the fuel-efficiency advantage of the hybrids in real world conditions, the cost-benefit equation that these cars offer is appreciated as crude oil and gasoline prices continue to rise. The impact of emissions on the environment also plays a major role in the popularity surrounding the Hybrid concept.
The Concept that led to Reality
A hybrid car is a vehicle that runs on a mix of two or more different types of fuel or power sources. However, since their introduction in the late1990s and their subsequent runaway popularity, cars powered by conventional petrol or diesel engines and an electric motor in tow have become synonymous with the name `Hybrids'. The vehicle uses multiple propulsion systems to provide motive power. Combination of propulsion systems may be of many types but the most commonly used system is gasoline-electric, known as gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles.
Electric hybrid vehicles use gasoline (petrol) to power internal-combustion engines (ICEs), and electric batteries to power electric motors. Modern hybrid cars are driven by electric motors powered by both batteries and an ICE. These recharge their batteries by capturing kinetic energy via regenerative braking. Also, when cruising or idling, some of the output of the combustion engine is fed to a generator which produces electricity to charge the batteries. Nearly all hybrids still require gasoline as their sole fuel source, while diesel and other fuel sources such as ethanol or those seen in occasional plant based oils play second fiddle.
Electric hybrid vehicles use gasoline (petrol) to power internal-combustion engines (ICEs), and electric batteries to power electric motors. Modern hybrid cars are driven by electric motors powered by both batteries and an ICE. These recharge their batteries by capturing kinetic energy via regenerative braking. Also, when cruising or idling, some of the output of the combustion engine is fed to a generator which produces electricity to charge the batteries. Nearly all hybrids still require gasoline as their sole fuel source, while diesel and other fuel sources such as ethanol or those seen in occasional plant based oils play second fiddle.
The Reality that applauded the Concept
Hybrid cars function by integrating multiple power sources such as a gas engine, an electric motor, and a high-powered battery to make motive power. Hybrid technology does it one better by combining a small gasoline engine with a high-torque electric motor and a battery, yielding top gas mileage and greener operations; some hybrids produce up to 50 percent fewer emissions.
The newer and more advanced full-hybrids feature proprietary technology that allows the electric motor to constantly send power back to the battery pack even during consumption of battery charge to power the car; a kind of multi-tasking enabled by the command unit. In most hybrid cars, the electric motor draws power from the battery pack to power the vehicle.
Full hybrids, which feature powerful electric motors, manage to get the car rolling from standstill without any help from the engine, and the latter takes over only after the vehicle has reached a preset speed that may be close to 20 mph. From this stage, the regular engine takes over for cruising speeds and the electric motor kicks back to life only when there is a sudden surge in demand for more power, such as during an overtaking maneuver. In older generation part-hybrids, the electric motor would only assist the fuel-powered engine to get to cruising speed quickly and with lower fuel consumption.
Another important feature of hybrids is that, in addition to the regular alternator style recharging of the battery power when the engine is operating at cruising speeds, hybrids incorporate technology for replenishing battery charge through a process called `regenerative braking'.
Regenerative braking refers to the unique process where the electric motor's performance is reversed to send power back to the battery pack during times when the vehicle is decelerating or, in more advanced hybrids, simply when the driver lifts his foot off the accelerator pedal. Hybrids incorporate much larger and more powerful battery packs to enable the electric motors tow vehicles as bulky as SUVs. Because of the combination of regenerative braking and the regular recharging during peak engine performance, hybrid battery packs eliminate the need for plug-in style recharging that normal electric vehicles require.
Honda Siel Cars India and Mahindra & Mahindra have decided to launch their hybrid vehicles commercially by next year in India, while Toyota and Ford are also exploring the market for hybrid vehicles here. The stage is set to receive the much hyped-about hybrids, which will hit the Indian auto market in the latter half of 2008.
The newer and more advanced full-hybrids feature proprietary technology that allows the electric motor to constantly send power back to the battery pack even during consumption of battery charge to power the car; a kind of multi-tasking enabled by the command unit. In most hybrid cars, the electric motor draws power from the battery pack to power the vehicle.
Full hybrids, which feature powerful electric motors, manage to get the car rolling from standstill without any help from the engine, and the latter takes over only after the vehicle has reached a preset speed that may be close to 20 mph. From this stage, the regular engine takes over for cruising speeds and the electric motor kicks back to life only when there is a sudden surge in demand for more power, such as during an overtaking maneuver. In older generation part-hybrids, the electric motor would only assist the fuel-powered engine to get to cruising speed quickly and with lower fuel consumption.
Another important feature of hybrids is that, in addition to the regular alternator style recharging of the battery power when the engine is operating at cruising speeds, hybrids incorporate technology for replenishing battery charge through a process called `regenerative braking'.
Regenerative braking refers to the unique process where the electric motor's performance is reversed to send power back to the battery pack during times when the vehicle is decelerating or, in more advanced hybrids, simply when the driver lifts his foot off the accelerator pedal. Hybrids incorporate much larger and more powerful battery packs to enable the electric motors tow vehicles as bulky as SUVs. Because of the combination of regenerative braking and the regular recharging during peak engine performance, hybrid battery packs eliminate the need for plug-in style recharging that normal electric vehicles require.
Honda Siel Cars India and Mahindra & Mahindra have decided to launch their hybrid vehicles commercially by next year in India, while Toyota and Ford are also exploring the market for hybrid vehicles here. The stage is set to receive the much hyped-about hybrids, which will hit the Indian auto market in the latter half of 2008.
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