Hybrid cars use a combination of gas and electricity to get power. Different car designs use different ratios of gas and electricity and there are many distinct types of hybrid car.

Parallel and series hybrids

Parallel and series engines take advantage of the different fuel types to power cars. Parallel hybrid cars have gas and electric motors that can power the car independently of each other. With series motors, gas charges the battery that powers the electric motor or powers the electric motor directly.

All new hybrid cars are now sold as parallel while plug-in hybrids also give the user the opportunity to charge their electric motor using an electric outlet.

Advanced features

Hybrid cars are at the pinnacle of modern car technology. Special features built into the car help it to be energy efficient and make sure little power is wasted.

Regenerative braking is a great piece of technology that is employed on hybrid cars. When the brakes are engaged, the electric power is focused on the cars generator and allows it to recharge its batteries.

Another engineering feature is the periodic shut-off. When in idle mode, hybrid cars have a feature that enables their engine to go into shut-off mode when the engine is idling. This is extremely useful for conserving power and the engine is usually automatically re-engaged as soon as the accelerator pedal is pressed.

Hybrid designs

The whole build of the car maximizes its running efficiency. Lightweight materials reduce the amount of stress that is put on the engine and hybrid cars are also extremely aerodynamic so that air resistance is reduced.

Another key feature is the hybrid cars’ tyres which have stiff sidewalls and a narrow footprint. These two features allow the car to use less energy whilst still offering high levels of stability and firm control on the road.

Buying hybrid cars

For those interested in investing in hybrid cards, many leading manufacturers such as Lexus have a superb range of hybrid cars. The C200h is an award winning full hybrid while the new GS hybrid car is an extremely spacious model which has a new contemporary design, excellent handling and innovative technology.
Hybrid cars offer lower fuel usage and the engine does not have to work as hard as normal vehicles and therefore the fuel consumption is improved. With fears of climate change ever growing, it is not surprising that people are seeking cars with low fuel emissions.

In a hybrid car the engine is not always running and for this reason hybrid cars have relatively low emissions compared to conventional non-hybrid cars.  In the US there are tax incentives for people who drive hybrid cars while UK drivers benefit from free road tax costs and exemption from the London Congestion Charge if the carbon emissions of their hybrid vehicle registers below 100g/km. 

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