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How Hybrids Perform
Home » Automobiles » Hybrid Cars » How Hybrids PerformTypically cars require large engines in order to be able to provide enough energy for the car to move quickly. A hybrid however has a smaller engine but the efficiency is upgraded because lighter parts are used, fewer cylinders are needed, and the engine operates closer to its maximum load. Smaller engines are more efficient for several reasons such as they are lighter and therefore use less energy going up hills and the smaller amount of cylinders means less fuel is used. Listed below are some of the other ways hybrids are more efficient:
• Energy Recovery: Unlike gas automobiles that loose energy each time the brake is used, hybrid cars actually restore energy when the brake is pumped. When the brake of a hybrid car is pressed it is able to capture some of the energy exiting the car and store it in the battery so it can be used at a later time. A hybrid's electric motor can also slow down the car acting as a generator so that the batteries are charged as the car is slowing down.
• Use Advanced Aerodynamics: When cars are driving they have to push through the air when they move which is mainly done by the car engine. This force is referred to as aerodynamic drag and hybrid cars are able to reduce it in a few different ways like making the front end of the automobile smaller than the average sized front end and also by removing or reducing objects that stick out such as mirrors which are often replaced with small camera's on hybrid models.
• Engine Shut Off: Because of the alternate power source from its electric motor and batteries a hybrid vehicle doesn't have to solely rely on the gasoline engine. This means that the gasoline engine can be turned off at times one of those being when the car is stopped at a red light.
• Low-Rolling Resistance Tires: The tires on hybrid cars are another example of how they are designed to be energy efficient. Tires on gasoline automobiles come in different models that provide less noise, traction control, and smoother rides but they also produce a large amount of drag. Hybrid cars use tires that produce about half as little drag as conventional tires because they are stiffer and inflated larger than gasoline automobile tires.
• Lightweight Materials: Lighter vehicles use less energy than their heavier counterparts. To reduce the weight of hybrid vehicles they are designed with composite materials like carbon fiber or metals that are very light like aluminum and magnesium.
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