Hybrid Cars

Hybrid Vehicles – The Buzz behind the New Technology

Imagine driving a 430 horsepower car that rocketed from 0-60 miles per hour in four seconds, had a top speed in excess of 160 miles per hour, and still managed to achieve fuel economy in the mid 30mpg range? It sounds far fetched, but this type of vehicle does exist: it’s called the Lexus LS6 600h, and it’s Lexus’ top performance flagship sedan… it’s also a hybrid.

Hybrid vehicles have come a long way since their introduction over 10 years ago. When they first debuted, they were ultra-economical, oddly designed vehicles that were as inconvenient as they were efficient. The Honda Insight, for example, was designed to be incredibly aerodynamic. Its design, however, also put it out of reach for many new-car buyers as it was far from conventional or aesthetically pleasing. The first hybrid sedan, the Toyota Prius, is still one of the best selling hybrid cars of all time.

The Prius was successful because it was usable as a sedan, and though it was aerodynamic, the appearance of the Prius is one that is subjectively beautiful; those that love it, love it a lot.

Hybrid Technology and the Automobile

The idea for an electric assisted motor has been around for quite some time, but recent innovations in electric motors and gasoline engines have made the electric assisted gasoline engine a legitimate possibility. Hybrid vehicles are able to achieve anywhere from 10%-50% better fuel economy, depending on the vehicle model and the way that it is driven.

Hybrid technology comes in two flavors: partial hybrid, such as the Saturn Vue Green Line, or full Hybrid, such as the Ford Escape Hybrid and the Toyota Camry Hybrid. Hybrid technology has revolutionized the way that automotive engines are designed and the way that automobiles are expected to perform.

Partial Hybrids

A partial hybrid is a vehicle that can not run entirely on its gasoline engines. These vehicles usually rely on an electric motor to assist the gasoline engines in times of high use, such as hard acceleration or hill climbing. The Saturn Vue Green Line, for example, utilizes an electric-assist motor during hard acceleration. The result is a combined horsepower rating of 170, which is more than the standard Vue, and fuel economy around the 30 miles per gallon range, which is quite impressive for a SUV.

The Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid uses a different type of hybrid system. The Silverado Hybrid uses an alternator driven electric motor to deactivate and reactivate the engine when stopped. This means that the gasoline engine does not idle, providing a substantial difference in fuel consumption during city driving.

Full Hybrids

A full hybrid system allows the vehicle to run entirely on the electric motor. Though the electric motor can usually only operate under low exertion, such as at speeds less than 15 miles per hour, it can also provide assistance during acceleration.

For a first time driver of a full hybrid vehicle the experience can be quite unnerving as initial acceleration is entirely silent- the electric motor operates without any significant noise at all. The absence of a familiar hum of a gasoline engine causes many first time drivers to repeatedly question whether or not the vehicle is running.

These vehicles experience a massive gain in fuel economy- the average is 35% in both city and highway driving; and, as Lexus has shown with the LS 600h, they can be just as sporty as a traditional gasoline powered vehicle.