by Colin Jones

The appeal and popularity of the hybrid car have grown exponentially, especially with the rising concerns about rising gas prices as well as worsening air pollution. Here are some useful pieces of information that might help you learn more about hybrid cars and how they may help you save on fuel and be somewhat protected from rising fuel.

A hybrid car is the type of car, or any other vehicle, that makes use of at least two different fuel sources to make it run. Both fuel sources are used together sometimes to help propel the car more efficiently. There are several different combinations of hybrid car possible, but the most common hybrid car so far is the gas electric hybrid.

The gas-electric hybrid car, also called the hybrid electric vehicle or HEV, uses of a gasoline internal combustion engine or ICE and a quite separate electric motor to power it. While the ICE makes uses petrol to make it go, an electric battery is used to store the electrical energy that powers the hybrid car’s electrical engine.

The HEV usually has a petrol engine that is smaller in size and weight than the conventional one used in standard gas powered cars. Use of more advanced technology makes this possible and allows the HEV to have better running efficiency as well as substantially reduced polluting emissions.

Aside from the gas engine, the hybrid electric car also has a special electric motor built in that not only provides additional power to the car but also acts as a generator when not being used. The electric motor can act as a generator, in situations where it is not being used to drive the hybrid car, to help charge the battery for additional efficiency.

In a popular HEV set up, the car uses its electric motor when being propelled at very low speeds, say, in heavy traffic. The gasoline engine acts as a secondary power source when the HEV requires much more power, such as when climbing a hill. The petrol engine also compensates the electric motor with power whenever the car calls for it in order to go faster such as when overtaking. The gas and the electric motor can also work in combination at certain instances if necessary.

Since the hybrid electric car uses both an electric motor as well as a petrol engine, a substantial improvement in car mileage is achieved. A hybrid electric vehicle or HEV can run longer distances using the same amount of fuel compared to a conventional petrol powered vehicle.

When the electric motor is being used, petrol consumption is reduced. This results in quite a bit less petrol being used when running the same distance as a traditional gas powered vehicle. And because the hybrid electric car has a smaller, lighter gas engine, the hybrid car also runs more efficiently because of less engine weight compared to a conventional car’s engine.

The moving components of the hybrid car engine are also lighter and so require less energy to move. The resulting efficiency makes the hybrid electric car quite a great choice for people worried about higher petrol prices. Using a hybrid car can help drivers save a substantial amount of gas when traveling. On top of that, using the hybrid car can also help in reducing polluting emissions by using less gas while driving.

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