What You Should Know About Low Emission Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Hybrid Electric Vehicle, HEV, combines the characteristics of an internal combustion engine which is powered using fuel and a special electric motor in order to achieve a better plane of fuel efficiency and also to limit the impact of CO2 emissions.

Basically, HEV Low Emission vehicles are deigned to reduce the load of combustion products on the environment while increasing fuel use efficiency.

The increased fuel efficiency is brought about through a compensatory effort of the electric motor on the internal combustion engine’s torque performance at low engine revolutions.

According to automobile experts, “Internal Combustion engines are inefficient at low speed. Hybrid cars save fuel by operating with their built-in electric motor at low revolutions. At low speed, the IC engines do not drive the Hybrid car; however, they re-charge the batteries as the need arises”.

The effeciency of the Hybrid car depends mainly on its ability to hut down the vehicle engine when in idle mode. The engine once on a standby mode can be restarted by simply engaging the gear and pedaling on the accelerator.

Hybrid cars exist in two major HEV technologies, they are:

– Series Hybrid cars
– Parallel Hybrid cars

According to Niajatechguide, the Series and Parallel Hybrid cars are explained as:

Series Hybrid

In a series Hybrid vehicle, an IC engine drives an alternator (generator) to generate electricity for charging the battery. The energy stored in the battery is transferred to the electric motor, which then powers the wheel. In a series Hybrid, only the electric motor drives the wheels, the engine only supplies power for charging the battery. Series hybrid cars require separate motor and alternator.

Efficiency is achieved in series Hybrid vehicle because the engine is operated within the narrow range of speed where it is most efficient. Series Hybrid cars also save fuel by shutting of engine when not needed. There is no series HEV currently in production.

Parallel Hybrid

Parallel Hybrid has two power paths, either the motor or the engine or both can supply power directly to the wheels. Parallel hybrid allows the motor to also be used as an alternator offering cost and space savings. Parallel hybrid electric vehicles offer higher power output because the engine power can be combined with the power from the motor providing for the practical demands of everyday motoring.

This is why most hybrid cars in production today come with parallel hybrid technology, despite the fact that series hybrid technology offers better efficiency. Some Hybrid cars with parallel hybrid drivetrain include Honda Insight and Ford Escape Hybrid.

Two auto companies with two hybrid cars are global leaders in hybrid technology. They are Honda with Insight and Toyota with Prius.

Some Hybrid electric vehicles in production today include:

– Toyota Prius
– Honda Insight
– Honda Civic Hybrid
– Ford Escape SUV Hybrid
– Nissan Altima Hybrid
– Mercury Mariner Hybrid