Hybrid cars, quite plainly, are environmentally-safe cars, and owning one can make the owner look like a forward-thinking sort to people in the community. But what is it exactly? Does it run on gas, electric, both? If it's electric, how do I charge the battery? That's too big for our living room, my folks would kick me out! And is it really as environmentally friendly as it's cracked up to be? If these and other questions have been puzzling you, read on.
Distinguishing Hybrids
As the name implies, hybrid cars use more than one power sources. You may have guessed right - the hybrid is indeed powered by both a standard automobile engine and an electric motor. Mild, full and plug-in are the three main types of hybrids.
Mild hybrid vehicles rely heavily on the internal combustion engine to power the car. The electric motor would be more of an additional source of electric power than anything else. You can use the electric motor to fully control a full hybrid. This wouldn't happen too often, as the electric motor can only be used exclusively if less power is required. Most of the time both engine and motor would work in tandem. A Plug-in is a similar to other hybrids but with a much larger battery. It will be your option whether to use a charging station or to charge the battery at home. In this case, the internal combustion engine is more of a backup engine, meaning this type of hybrid would be the most fuel-efficient.
The Benefits of a Hybrid Car
Most people who buy a hybrid car are impressed with the fuel economy of the models offered today. You pay less for gasoline and travel much longer distances given this common scenario. However, it is the environmentally friendly among us whose ears perk up the most when hybrids are discussed - because they emit much less pollutants than other cars. The numbers don't lie, because hybrid cars can produce 80% less toxic and harmful gas when compared to standard vehicles. Vehicles, after all, produce greenhouse gases more than most other sources of this deadly form of gas.
Greenhouse gases are indeed a buzzword in the earth-friendly community - a bad one, because they are believed to be the main culprit behind global warming. Global warming is said to affect weather patterns, causing more frequent and damaging storms. This is a direct result of greenhouse gases damaging our ozone layer, the part of our atmosphere that protects us from the sun's cancer-giving ultraviolet rays. You kill two birds with one stone through hybrid vehicles - one, you save the environment, and two, you save on gas money with much better mileage.
As a final word of advice, most hybrids are compact cars. Unusually tall or wide people will have a hard time fitting inside a hybrid car and feeling comfortable. This could make it harder to drive safely. And regardless of the car you drive, safety is very, very important. But even if more and more people are buying hybrids, there's one thing you need to do before anything else - research. There are new hybrids on the market everyday. Who knows, you might find an SUV hybrid more amenable to your tastes.
Distinguishing Hybrids
As the name implies, hybrid cars use more than one power sources. You may have guessed right - the hybrid is indeed powered by both a standard automobile engine and an electric motor. Mild, full and plug-in are the three main types of hybrids.
Mild hybrid vehicles rely heavily on the internal combustion engine to power the car. The electric motor would be more of an additional source of electric power than anything else. You can use the electric motor to fully control a full hybrid. This wouldn't happen too often, as the electric motor can only be used exclusively if less power is required. Most of the time both engine and motor would work in tandem. A Plug-in is a similar to other hybrids but with a much larger battery. It will be your option whether to use a charging station or to charge the battery at home. In this case, the internal combustion engine is more of a backup engine, meaning this type of hybrid would be the most fuel-efficient.
The Benefits of a Hybrid Car
Most people who buy a hybrid car are impressed with the fuel economy of the models offered today. You pay less for gasoline and travel much longer distances given this common scenario. However, it is the environmentally friendly among us whose ears perk up the most when hybrids are discussed - because they emit much less pollutants than other cars. The numbers don't lie, because hybrid cars can produce 80% less toxic and harmful gas when compared to standard vehicles. Vehicles, after all, produce greenhouse gases more than most other sources of this deadly form of gas.
Greenhouse gases are indeed a buzzword in the earth-friendly community - a bad one, because they are believed to be the main culprit behind global warming. Global warming is said to affect weather patterns, causing more frequent and damaging storms. This is a direct result of greenhouse gases damaging our ozone layer, the part of our atmosphere that protects us from the sun's cancer-giving ultraviolet rays. You kill two birds with one stone through hybrid vehicles - one, you save the environment, and two, you save on gas money with much better mileage.
As a final word of advice, most hybrids are compact cars. Unusually tall or wide people will have a hard time fitting inside a hybrid car and feeling comfortable. This could make it harder to drive safely. And regardless of the car you drive, safety is very, very important. But even if more and more people are buying hybrids, there's one thing you need to do before anything else - research. There are new hybrids on the market everyday. Who knows, you might find an SUV hybrid more amenable to your tastes.
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