HowStuffWorks "How Hybrid Cars Work"
[http://www.howstuffworks.com/] SUBSCRIBE Adventure Animals Auto Culture Entertainment Health Home & Garden Lifestyle Money Science Tech Video Shows Quizzes Auto Basics Tech and Transport Auto Parts & Systems Auto Racing Buying & Selling Car Models Driving & Safety Fuel Efficiency Motorcycles Trucks Under the Hood Home / Auto / Car Models / Hybrid Cars How Hybrid Cars Work by Karim Nice and Julia Layton Page 1 Introduction to How Hybrid Cars Work 2 Gasoline Power vs. Electric Power 3 Gasoline-electric Hybrid Structure 4 Hybrid-car Performance Hybrid Car Image Gallery 2008 HowStuffWorks Hybrid cars like the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid are designed for fuel efficiency and low emissions. See more hybrid car pictures . Have you pulled your car up to the gas pump lately and been shocked by the high price of gasoline ? As the pump clicked past $20, $30, $40 or even $50, maybe you thought about trading in your car for something that gets better mileage. Or maybe you're worried that your car is contributing to the greenhouse effect . The auto industry has the technology to address these concerns. It's the hybrid car . There are a lot of hybrid models on the market these days, and most automobile manufacturers have announced plans to manufacture their own versions. How does a hybrid automobile work? What goes on under the hood to give you 20 or 30 more miles per gallon than the standard automobile? And does it pollute less just because it gets better gas mileage? In this article, we'll help you understand how this technology works, and we'll even give you some tips on how to drive a hybrid car for maximum efficiency. Many people have probably owned a hybrid vehicle at some point. For example, a mo-ped (a motorized pedal bike) is a type of hybrid because it combines the power of a gasoline engine with the pedal power of its rider. In fact, hybrid vehicles are all around us. Most of the locomotives we see pulling trains are diesel-electric hybrids . Cities like Seattle have diesel-electric buses -- these can draw electric power from overhead wires or run on diesel when they are away from the wires. Giant mining trucks are often diesel-electric hybrids. Submarines are also hybrid vehicles -- some are nuclear-electric and some are diesel-electric . Any vehicle that combines two or more sources of power that can directly or indirectly provide propulsion power is a hybrid. Most hybrid cars on the road right now are gasoline-electric hybrids, although French car maker PSA Peugeot Citroen has two diesel-electric hybrid cars in the works. Since gasoline hybrids are the kind you'll find at your local car dealership, we'll focus on those in this article. Print Cite This! Close Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks article: Nice, Karim, and Julia Layton. "How Hybrid Cars Work" 20 July 2000. HowStuffWorks.com.
14 August 2014. Citation & Date Feedback Page 1 Introduction to How Hybrid Cars Work 2 Gasoline Power vs. Electric Power 3 Gasoline-electric Hybrid Structure 4 Hybrid-car Performance 5 Improving Fuel Economy 6 The Honda Insight 7 The Toyota Prius 8 The Power Split Device More To Explore More Great Links Top 10 Green Driving Tips 5 Scariest Stunt Car Feats The Ultimate CarStuff Fan Quiz 5 Warning Signs You Need New Tires 10 Most Expensive Classic Cars Watch American Chopper videos >> You Might Also Like 1954-1964 Facel Vega The 1954-1964 Facel Vega is a handsome, haute couture collectible coveted for its rarity. It featured American power and French bodywork making it one of history's most memorable hybrids. Learn more about this classic sports car. 1977 Corvette The 1977 Corvette was one of the few American performance cars still left one reason yet another Corvette sales record was set that year. The car would enter its 25th year in 1978. Learn more. Popular Articles 1962-1965 Plymouth 413/426 Wedge 1947 Kaiser Special 1958-1962 AMC Metropolitan Most Popular Most Watched Most Popular 10 Tips for Buying a Salvage Auto How Windshield Wipers Work Top 10 Alternative Fuels on the Road Right Now The Ultimate Automotive Physics Quiz 10 Amazing Car Security Systems Most Watched Understanding Cars Auto Parts & Systems Deconstructed Wrecks to Riches: Rebuilding Classic Cars Car Accident Videos Bikes, Hacks, Trikes and Choppers Don't Miss Stuff You Should Know: Demystifying Your World Stuff Mom Never Told You: All Things Women and Gender Stuff You Missed in History Class: Fact or Fiction? CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS HOWSTUFFWORKS NEWSLETTER THE LATEST AND GREATEST SUBSCRIBE HOWSTUFFWORKS Adventure Animals Auto Culture Entertainment Health Home & Garden Lifestyle Money Science Tech MORE STUFF Blogs HSW Tools RSS Maps Podcasts Quizzes Newsletters Video HSW Brazil HSW China STUFF WEBSITES BrainStuff CarStuff Fw:Thinking Stuff Mom Never Told You Stuff of Genius Stuff They Don't Want You to Know Stuff to Blow Your Mind Stuff You Missed in History Class Stuff You Should Know CUSTOMER SERVICE Advertising Contact Us Help CORPORATE About Us Careers @ HSW Privacy Policy Visitor Agreement TAKE US WITH YOU FOLLOW US Copyright © 1998-2014 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace LLC