Hybrid Cars – Alternative Car Fuel
The rising gas prices over the last few years and environmental problems caused by fossil fuels have forced people to look for alternative car fuels that are both more inexpensive and cleaner. One type of car that meets these requirements is known as the hybrid. A hybrid is capable of higher mileage per gallon, because it does not solely run on a fossil fuel based combustion engine.
Hybrid cars are considered to be alternatives to standard fuels because they can run on either a gas engine or be powered by the rechargeable energy storage system or RESS for short, which is an electric motor. Since the first hybrid car, the electric motor has been improved upon and longer distances can be traveled without having to use the combustion engine. This is made possible by the addition of regenerative braking to the car, which charges the electrical system through the capture of kinetic energy from the braking actions.
Hybrid cars are also cleaner and have less negative impact on the environment. This is a result of using less gas or diesel and relying more on the electric motor. The majority of recent hybrid car models also have the so-called start-stop system which automatically turns off the combustion engine when idle and starts it again when driving resumes. This technology reduces emissions and increased efficiency.
Today hybrid vehicles are available from most of the major car makers and it is now a top priority due to increased consumer interest in cars that are cleaner, cheaper to drive and not dependent on oil based fuels. The initial cost to purchase a hybrid instead of a standard combustion engine model of a car is reasonable and costs only a few thousand more.
There’s loads of info about hybrid cars online – and we recommend you read up on the technical aspects too – it’s a great new thing for the automotive industry!
