http://www.montereyherald.com/business/ci_8739456
Quote:
FORT WORTH, Texas Ñ Are you wondering whether your next car or SUV should be a hybrid? With more makes and models to choose from, many consumers might be ready to take the plunge. But they may also have some basic questions about how hybrid technology works. This should help. Q: What is a hybrid auto?
A: The most commonly used and commercialized hybrid automobile combines an electrically powered motor with a conventional gasoline engine. According to Tim Maxwell, professor of mechanical engineering and co-head of the advanced vehicle engineering lab at Texas Tech University, a simple hybrid technology was first developed for use in only a handful of cars, in the early 1900s, when gasoline engines were not able to generate enough power on their own. By 1915, gasoline engines were powerful enough that it was easier to build cars without the complicated hybrid technology.
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The one part I didn't care for is the claim that batteries are charged only by regenerative braking and there is no advantage on the highway. But I also realize the facts are perhaps too subtle for this article.
Our batteries are more often charged by taking a bit of power from the engine. It isn't much and is returned later when motor power is needed and the ICE is off or in an inefficient range. Also, we gain on the highway because our engines are smaller than a gas-only vehicle and can use the motors to provide the effect of extra displacement for passing power. But these are subtle aspects.
Not a bad summary but for two details, a reasonable write-up. But I also realize that sometimes too many details can lead to eyes glossing over.
Bob Wilson
Handbook To Hybrids
