Technology of Hybrid Vehicles

The conventional gasoline engine provides appropriate power, meets emission and fuel economy standards, and provides a smooth, quiet, reliable and relatively inexpensive form of transportation (Hybrid, 2003). However, almost every such vehicle on the road has an engine much more powerful than it needs most of the time. A typical vehicle has a 200 horsepower engine, but only reaches that horsepower occasionally for quick passing maneuvers and climbing hills. Only 20 to 30 horsepower is needed to keep it running when it is up to running speed. Electrical vehicles run smoothly and quietly, with no environmentally harmful emissions, but so far no one has been able to design a suitable battery, so they have a very limited range. Recharging the battery takes much longer than refueling a gasoline-powered car. Also, as the battery is losing its charge, the electric car gradually slows down.

A hybrid vehicle solves both of these issues (Hybrid, 2003). It usually consists of a fossil fuel-burning engine combined with an electrical system consisting of a motor, a generator, and a battery. Individual models vary, but both systems work together to varying degrees, usually having the gasoline engine driving the electrical system, which in turn drives the vehicle. The most basic hybrid vehicle is the diesel-electric hybrid railroad locomotive, which has a large diesel engine which drives a generator, which in turn supplies power for an electric motor which drives the wheels

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ur-cylinder gasoline engine drives the wheels directly via the transmission, and also drives a generator to recharge the battery when it is running (Hybrid, 2003, 42). When the vehicle stops, the gasoline engine shuts down, preventing excessive pollution and fuel waste when in stopped traffic. When accelerating from stop to mid-range speeds the electric motor powers the car, fed by the battery. When the battery is becoming depleted, the gasoline engine kicks in to power the generator and recharge the battery. Running at steady speed under normal conditions, part of the engine's power goes to the generator to keep the battery charged, and part is used to turn the wheels. The distribution of these two energy streams is controlled continuously to maintain maximum efficiency. If sudden acceleration is needed, both the gasoline engine and the electric motor drive the wheels. When the vehicle is braking, the kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy, which is stored in the battery (Hybrid, 2003, 42). This type of engine runs exclusively on gasoline, and the battery never needs charging. The Prius five-seater gets 52 mpg in the city and generates up to 90 percent less emissions than the conventional gasoline-powered a

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