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!

Jaguar designers wants to build new cats that are ready to pounce with more aggression. According to an insider, they are looking at deriving the lines of the new XJ from the XF. Aside from the look upgrade, the XJ will also get a work up with new engine features.

The car manufacturer is planning to launch a hybrid XJ by 2011 or a year after the new XJ saloon hits dealerships. The plug-in XJ will utilize the power from lithium ion battery packs combined with a combustion engine primarily used to back up the batteries.

All the plans can be executed, thanks to a loan amounting to £307 million from an investment bank. Jaguar is planning to collaborate with Land Rover to develop hybrid technologies which can be used for their next range of cars.

The platform Jaguar plans to use is a lot more similar to the one used by the Chevrolet Volt. Land Rover will be looking into engines similar to the Prius’ which makes use of both the combustion engine and the electric powertrain to drive the wheels.

The chief engineer of Jaguar commented those hybrids systems like the one used by Lexus are inefficient. Jaguar wants the main power of the car coming from the more efficient electric motor rather than the internal combustion engine. The engineers want to run the wheels using the more efficient source of power present in the system.

Jaguar is also developing stop and start systems, and energy recovery from brake technologies.

Related blogs: Jaguar Blog and Lexus Car Talk!

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Via alternative-car-fuels.net.

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