Hybrid cars have been around in the U.S. for about 10 years; the best known and most popular hybrid is the Toyota Prius but most car manufacturers now make at least one hybrid model.
A hybrid car is a vehicle that is powered by two energy sources; namely gas and electricity. Open the hood of a hybrid car and you get to see a regular gas engine and an electric motor. Both work in conjunction with other.
When you are driving around town, or accelerate from a stop position the electric motor drives the car. As soon as the car reaches a certain speed the regular gas engine cuts in and takes over. The benefit of a hybrid car is you don’t have to find electric charging stations. The batteries that power the electric motor get recharged when the gas engine is working or when the car is free-wheeling, such as going down a hill. Additionally, when the car breaks, the electric motor acts as a power generator, which also charges the batteries.
Hybrid cars are the stepping stone between a regular gas car and a full electric car. Many observers believe that with ever dwindling oil supplies, the regular gas powered cars days are numbered. However, this is still some way off, because while there are several examples of electric cars around, their speed and low mileage between needing to get charged only makes them suitable for short distances in town.
Nonetheless, hybrid cars and the people who have bought them, has meant there has been exceptional investment in battery and electric motor technology. Hybrid car batteries still weigh a considerable amount and take up a lot a room, but over the past decade they are gradually getting smaller, lasting longer and charging faster.
The next transitional stage between a gas and electric car is headed toward the hybrid plug-in car. It’s still a hybrid, but it can also be plugged in to charging stations. It means it can have larger batteries, so it can travel farther, get charged at a charging station overnight, or while you take a break for a coffee. However, it still has a gas engine, so if you need to go a bit faster, the gas engine cuts in and charges your battery at the same time.
The problem with a hybrid car is the price, which is quite a lot more than a same sized regular gas car. Hybrid converts say that the savings you get on gas pay for the extra upfront costs over a period of time. Critics argue that well before the time you get to recover the extra outlay; you will need to replace the very expensive batteries, or may even need to replace the car.
In any event, there are many people who would never buy a regular gas car again and the increase in sales across the U.S. tends to support this. There is no doubt that oil will run out, so it’s best the world tries to find an alternative method for powering the much loved car sooner rather than later.