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The use of an alternative power system in conjunction with the main engine of a vehicle has been a dream for quite a while. Although the technology is quite old and dates back to the time the first diesel-electric submarine, it was recently implemented in this field.

The hybrid vehicle was introduced due to economic considerations. It’s highly likely that somewhere in the future petrol sources will be depleted, thus a new source of energy is required. Also, not everyone needs a V8 engine to drive from home to the grocer’s, a smaller engine with just enough power to push a vehicle to a top speed of 40 mph would find its place in nowadays market.

The principle

The hybrid engine uses both electric and petrol power. When the car needs low power, such as low speeds in low gears, the electric engine is used, and for anything above the gasoline one will kick in.

The main idea is that you don’t need a huge engine for day to day use. A bicycle, for example, can reach 10 mph, just like a V8 monster: even tough the V8 has more acceleration power, why use a huge engine (that comes with a huge consumption) when a bike is enough? Hybrid vehicles come with small, usually around 1.0 liter, engines, which is much easier to accelerate up to a certain power with the electrical engine and only when extra power or speed is needed, the more powerful one comes in.

Classification

We can name two large categories of hybrid vehicles: parallel hybrid and series hybrid. The series engine uses gasoline power to operate a generator that can either charge the batteries or power up the electrical engine, while with the parallel model the two power sources can run together to give more power, or work together to yield the same power but with minimized fuel consumption.

Body Structure

Hybrid vehicles are usually manufactured from lightweight materials, such as carbon fiber glass and use advanced aerodynamics and low-rolling resistance tires to reduce tow. They come with advanced fuel saving features, like, for example, turn off the gasoline engine completely when not in use (like driving at really low speeds in traffic jams or when the vehicle is momentarily stopped).

These vehicles can usually be found in the price range of $23,000 – $64,000 depending on the model, make and set of accessories.