Design Features of Hybrid Cars

• Hybrid cars are cars with built-in design features intended to either minimize or eliminate the vehicle's dependence on fossil fuels in order to operate. Different models of hybrid vehicles accomplish this goal in different ways. Some hybrid cars run on a combination of gas and electrical power, while others run on cleaner types of fuels, while still others dispense with the use of gasoline at all. Learning some of these design features is an important step towards deciding the type of hybrid car that is best suited for you.
  
  

Standard Hybrid Design

• Standard hybrid cars actually work on a very simple principle: an electric engine and a chargeable battery assist the traditional gas engine with powering the vehicle. The electric motor provides a boost to the engine, allowing the engine to be smaller and therefore more energy efficient. In addition to supporting the engine, the motor also works in tandem with the engine to store the power from the gas in the batteries.
  
  

Braking Systems

• The braking system of a standard hybrid car also is important. Hybrid cars have a design feature called regenerative braking, which manages to add more power to the back-up power batteries. This feat is accomplished by harnessing kinetic energy during the braking process.
  
  

Battery

• The battery also plays an important part in the running of a hybrid car. When the car is running at a low speed or on idle, the battery as opposed to the engine provides all of the necessary energy, while the engine lies dormant. Standard lead acid batteries originally came with hybrid cars, but recent models of Toyota and Honda hybrids have started using nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries. These batteries are made of cylindrical cells connected in a series.
  
  

Structural Design

• In addition to these more specialized design elements, hybrid cars also are built from lightweight materials so that they require less power to move. They are engineered with an aerodynamic shape and optimized tires to overcome as many problems with friction as possible.
  
  

Ethanol

• Many hybrid cars are designed to run off ethanol fuel. Ethanol fuel is made from agricultural feed stocks and is cleaner than gasoline, although it still does contribute to global warming. In addition, ethanol is expensive and rather hard to come by.
  
  

Plug-In Hybrids

• Plug-in hybrids have the same basic design scheme as a standard hybrid, except that the batteries are larger. In addition, plug-in hybrids can be recharged by plugging into a regular household outlet. Plug in hybrids can be driven long distances without using any gasoline.