Entries Tagged 'Hybrid Car Review' ↓

The Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) is quite a marvel. Even as a work in progress, it has improved the gas-dependence situation and has saved many from having to spend so much on fossil fuels and has even helped save some taxpayer money.

What is it under the hybrid car hood that is creating all these raving reviews that seem to take consumers by the neck and lead them to their nearest hybrid car dealer? Let’s try to take a look at just how hybrid cars work.

A Combination

It’s all in the keyword, “hybrid.” A hybrid car simply brings out all the best in fuel economy and consumption and in the electrical power under the hood. By combining both a gas engine and an electrical motor, the combination allows the vehicle to switch back and forth between these two energy sources. However, the usual case is that a hybrid car really depends primarily on the battery and electrical motors to run the whole thing.

You may ask what the gas is for. The car will still need gas to operate an engine that charges the battery which, in turn, runs the whole car. However, the good thing about this set up is that not much gas is required to charge up those batteries. Hence, hybrid cars really only need so much gas to fill their significantly smaller gas tanks and therefore saves people from having to cash out so much on gas.

Go The Distance

In order to actually see how a hybrid car works, one would have to take one for a spin on a full tank and compare the results in mileage with a car that runs only on gas. One will definitely see the huge difference in cars dependent on electric motors. Going a great distance is achieved by the way the hybrid works. There are 3 essential technologies that allow this to happen.

The first technology in hybrid cars is known as the regenerative braking. This includes an electric engine that applies resistance to the drive train which, in turn, causes the wheels to stop or to slow down. The energy from the wheels turns the engine which in real time acts as a generator and transforms the energy wasted during coasting and braking into electricity. This electricity is then reserved and stored in the battery until it is required by other functions in the electric motor.

The next technology used in hybrid cars is the elect motor assist. This elect motor assist provides extra power to help the motor in acceleration like ascending elevated terrains or speeding up. Smaller engines are used which is more efficient compared to when internal combustion engine is used.

Another hybrid car technology that is beginning to pick up in a lot of modern hybrid car is the automatic start and shutdown. This technology allows a hybrid vehicle to stop in the middle of traffic or at a stoplight, thus, shutting down the whole engine as well, ultimately preventing the engine from wasting energy and fuel from just being idle. When the accelerator is stepped on again, the engine will start up automatically and acceleration is made available. It’s a clever option that is ideal for city driving. When combined, these three technologies spell how hybrid cars work.

Share This

Honda has become one of the top car manufacturers when it comes to the latest craze in the automotive world – hybrid vehicles. Honda has followed in the footsteps of car manufacturing companies like Toyota and Ford who have created a number of their car models in hybrid form. But what is the difference between hybrid cars and the gasoline powered cars we have become accustomed to in the past? Hybrid vehicles run by combining sources of power to fuel the vehicle. Today’s hybrid vehicles combine gasoline with electric power to run. By not relying solely on gasoline as fuel power to power the vehicle, hybrid vehicles use less gasoline and omit fewer fumes into the already damaged atmosphere.

With global warming becoming more and more of a concern, hybrid vehicles are growing in popularity. Hybrid cars use gasoline combined with an electric motor powered by batteries to fuel the vehicle. When the vehicle is being used in typical day-to-day driving scenarios where there is a lot of stop-and-go traffic, hybrid vehicles rely heavily upon their battery power. When use of the gasoline engine takes place, or when the car slows down or brakes, the electric battery pack is able to recharge itself, readying itself for more use powered by the electric engine rather than the gasoline engine.

In recent years Honda has put models of some of their most popular vehicles on the market as hybrids. The Honda Acura, Honda Insight and Honda Civic, some of the company’s top selling vehicles can now be bought as standard gasoline-powered cars or as hybrid vehicles. Honda began its sale of hybrid vehicles in 2005, the same year as many other car manufacturers. However, now Honda is predicting at least double the sales of their new 2006 hybrid models. That may seem like lofty prediction to make but for many Americans; the rising prices at the gas tank make hybrid vehicles the perfect idea.

Honda’s hybrid vehicles will surely save money at the gas pump, getting approximately thirty miles per gallon for city driving and thirty seven per gallon on the highway. The typical Honda vehicle powered solely by gasoline gets approximately twenty one miles per gallon for city driving and thirty one miles per gallon on the highway. That is a considerable difference for people who find themselves filling their gas tanks three of four times a week at prices nearing three dollars per gallon. The price for Honda hybrids does raise some. When comparing the standard Honda Acura to its hybrid counterpart the hybrid cost approximately $4,000 more. However, for many people who purchase hybrid vehicles, the initial price seems to even out when considering the money saved at the gas pump and the environmental safety the hybrid vehicles bring.

That’s right; gas prices are not the only reason that makes hybrid vehicles a smarter choice. With a growing need for environmentally safe vehicles, Honda’s hybrid vehicles have become more and more popular. Places in the United States that have been plagued by heavy pollution, like the state of California; have seen a growing trend in the purchase of hybrid vehicles over regular vehicles. In fact, millions of Americans are currently living in areas that have poor air quality.

Hybrids could provide the beginning of a solution to this problem. Without a doubt hybrid vehicles will provide somewhat of a reprieve from dire air quality. Since companies such as Honda have worked so hard to develop effective hybrid models, hybrid cars have become a glimpse of the future available today. Many engineers and car manufacturers believe that hybrid vehicles will eventually begin to gain significant ground in sales.

Although the vehicles keep becoming more and more popular amongst American consumers, it is believed that it will be short time until the hybrid vehicle becomes the standard. In fact, companies like Honda that have been conducting research on hybrid vehicles for years have known that this technology would be coming. Honda’s hard work over the past few years has undoubtedly paid of, putting them at the top when it comes to hybrid competition. And without a doubt the research will continue to provide society with an even more practical way of getting around.

Share This

Hybrids are finally shaping up to be what engineers envisioned them to be. With some new driving techniques, many models are achieving the mileage estimates which the makers advertised. The batteries, which the hybrid relies upon for their electric energy source, are now coming with longer warranties and replaceable modules, which keep one from having to replace the entire battery. The waiting lists and prices are slowly going down, too, as more makers come up with their own versions of the hybrid car or SUV. All of these factors are changing the way that people think of hybrids; however, the journey of the hybrid into the mainstream auto industry has not been without some very bumpy moments. There is a population of hybrid owners who have not had their expectations met.

One of the biggest problems which hybrid owners have is not getting the mileage which they believe they should or would. Some hybrids claiming that they will get 50 mpg are only getting 30 mpg. Drivers are frustrated as they attempt to actually relearn how to drive a car. This includes learning how to “pulse and glide,” which helps balance the car’s use of electric and gas when in speeds ranging from 30 to 40 mph. A combination of fancy pedal work and watching arrows on the dashboard, make many drivers feel like they are learning how to drive manual or worse. The other factor that comes into play is how fast one likes to accelerate. Although many of the new hybrids are getting great acceleration performance, punching the gas on a hybrid also reduces one’s mileage performance. If one wants to get great gas mileage on a hybrid, then they have to learn how to drive with more overall patience. There has to be less hard breaking and careful attention to pressure on the gas pedal to get the most out of one’s hybrid.

Complaints of hybrids performing badly in certain weather conditions have also changed some owners’ opinions about their environmentally friendly vehicle. Apparently, the car battery used in hybrids needs some warming up. In full hybrids (or hybrids which can operate completely in either electric or gas mode without needing the other), this problem appears to have worked out to near nonexistence. For mild hybrids, which cannot have the electric or gas components work independently from one another, there have been cases of the hybrid performing poorly or much under expectations in cold weather. Too much heat has been known to wear down on a hybrid’s battery as well, but this is being counteracted with thermal protection systems.

Stalling has also made Toyota have to contact Prius owners. Apparently, stalling or unexpected shutdowns of the engine may affect some drivers due to a software problem. The stalling sounds like a frightening prospect, but Toyota took precautions by inviting owners of that specific Prius to head to dealerships for a free repair. The news was also minimal in affecting opinion about the Prius since only a small number of drivers ever had to submit any complaints.

Some people have been known to complain about one of the strange side-effects of driving a hybrid: the silence. Because of the efficiency of the engine, the engine can drop to near silence when idling. Many say that although motorcycles and some models of regular cars are too loud, at least you can hear them. The silence of the hybrid poses a problem for the deaf and for children who are often too wrapped up in playing to pay attention to cars to begin with. It is no wonder that makers are already considering ways to put the noise pollution back into hybrids to ensure that pedestrians are not the victims of new technology.

For many, it is no surprise that hybrids have been plagued with various glitches. The fact that many non-hybrid vehicles have had their share of recalls despite years of engineers working on them does not make hybrid owners feel better. Consumers who are willing to take the chance with a hybrid purchase are already wondering if their car will be obsolete in a couple years like a laptop computer. There is some comfort, however, that the glitches have not been as numerous as some expected and that the benefits are beginning to outweigh the negatives.

Share This