How Do Hybrid Vehicles Work?

How Do Hybrid Vehicles Work?
How many times have you pulled up to the pumps lately only to be shocked at the price of gasoline? Suddenly your $25 tank of gas is costing $40. Have you considered trading your vehicle in for something that gets better fuel economy? How about a Hybrid vehicle? If you?ve ever wondered ?how do hybrid vehicles work?? read on.

Hybrid vehicles address two issues ? global warming by reducing emissions and reduced fuel costs. There are lots of different hybrid designs showing up on the market, so understanding how they work is very important to getting the best value for your money.

If you have ever owned a moped, you can proudly consider yourself a first generation hybrid owner because they combine pedal power and gasoline. Hybrid vehicles really aren?t that new a concept. You?ll find them all around you in commercial use. Giant mining trucks, submarines, buses, and even train engines all have a fuel source and an electrical source of power.

Most of the hybrid vehicles we are seeing on the market are gasoline and electric hybrids. This means they use both gas and electricity to power them.

The two power sources can be combined in different ways. The parallel hybrid has a fuel tank which supplies fuel to the engine and a set of batteries which supplies power to the electric motor. Both sources are able to turn the transmission.

The series hybrid is a little different. The gasoline engine turns a generator which can either power the electric motor that drives the transmission or charge the batteries. In this type of hybrid the gas engine never directly powers the vehicle.

With a hybrid car the gas engine can be a lot smaller than in a conventional car so it can be a lot more efficient. Acceleration requires a larger engine to produce the power needed, but by using a smaller engine and combining it with the assistance of an electrical motor that is operating at peak load the acceleration needs of a vehicle can be met.

Hybrid vehicles also capture the energy from the braking system. When the brake is applied, energy is removed from the car and dissipated as heat which is then captured and stored in the batteries for later use.

Hybrid cars also have an automatic shutoff, so when the vehicle comes to a stop the engine is shut off and then restarts automatically when the accelerator is touched. This conserves energy that would be wasted when idling.

Depending on the manufacture, the technology is used in various forms but the basics remain simple. Hybrid technology in the consumer auto market is still relatively new but will continue to develop and improve.

Hybrid vehicles work efficiently to reduce tailpipe emissions and improve mileage. So if you are in the market for a new vehicle you might want to have a look at the hybrids.

Gray Rollins is a featured writer for NewHybridAutos.com. To learn more about <a href="http://www.newhybridautos.com/vehicles/howdohybridvehicleswork/">how hybrid vehicles work</a> and <a href="http://www.newhybridautos.com/vehicles/whatarehybridvehicles/">what hybrid vehicles are</a>, visit us.

Not Your Daddy's Diesel: Your Grandpa's Biodiesel
Not Your Daddy’s Diesel: Your Grandpa’s Biodiesel Tired of high gas prices? Want to save the earth? Want to support local economies and clean the air while getting high performance out of your vehicle? Try Biodiesel. It’s clean, sustainable, domestic, renewable AND you can make it at home!!! Wave farewell to petroleum.

Amidst the hybrid hype, there has been little mention of one of the oldest ‘alternative’ fuels with some tremendous advantages. Invented and patented by Rudolf Diesel in 1893, diesel engines were first made to run on various vegetable oils. Thus, almost any diesel engine outfitted with the right hoses is capable of cleaner, vegan, non-petroleum based Biodiesel operation. (Most newer diesels have the right hoses).

Diesels have tremendous advantages. Although their pricepoint can be somewhat higher initially, it’s well worth it in the long run. Diesel engines are well known for their consistent reliability, length of engine life, and perhaps most importantly, their fuel economy. In our ever-growing awareness of planetary resources and taking geopolitical circumstances into account, fuel economy is beginning to take a place of primacy.

When running on biodiesel, there are tremendous emissions benefits as well. Traditional dinosaur-diesel powered engines have gotten a bad rap for their dark, smoky exhaust, smell and pollution of our air. Biodiesel, on the other hand, reduces emissions significantly in every category in which pollutants are measured except nitrous oxide (NOx) which can be adjusted with some slight modifications. Unlike their petroleum powered counterparts, biodiesel exhaust smells pleasantly like the feedstock of whatever vegetable oil is used. (There are tales of people who have used recycled fryer oil for their biodiesel from their local doughnut shop and subsequently end up with visions of Krispy Kreme.)

Performance wise, biodiesel has a higher lubricity than conventional diesel, subsequently acting as a bit of an ‘enema’ for the engine, cleaning out the dinosaur residue, so be sure and replace the fuel filter after the first couple of tanks of biodiesel. After that, because biodiesel is so clean burning, it actually may reduce maintenance costs and extend engine life.

Europe, which has traditionally been more diesel-heavy than the US, (currently diesels occupy about 40 % of the European market) has recently increased its emissions standards and subsequently the use of biodiesel has taken off in a big way. Europeans are supporting the growth of the biodiesel industry through farming subsidies of biodiesel feedstocks unknown in the US until this week when Oregon introduced a similar bill in their State Legislature.

Another tremendous advantage of Biodiesel is its blend-ability. Biodiesel can be used straight (called B100) or blended in any percentage with conventional #2 diesel, and even at low percentages (B5 or B10) has incredible emissions benefits. Subsequently, if you’re out traveling and don’t have access to homemade or storebought biodiesel, you can use regular diesel in your tank with no conversion issues.

There are an ever-growing number of biodiesel filling stations available if you don’t have space or interest in making your own. Check with www.biodiesel.org for more information of what’s available in your area. For more biodiesel resources see www.EcoNurse.com.

On a personal note, I’ve been running my VW Jetta TDI (Turbo Diesel Injection) on Biodiesel (mostly B100) for the last three years with only good things to say. It’s been trouble-free and now it’s actually pleasant to have the sunroof open. And if your outdated ideas suggest that diesels compromise performance or speed, feel free to sniff my doughnuts.

A Registered Nurse with a long-term interest in holistic wellness, Katrina Hugenot writes regularly on topics relating to health, nutrition, sustainability, and well-being. She can be contacted at: www.EcoNurse.com.

Advantages Of Diesel Engines
If you wanted to own a new car powered by a diesel engine or if you own one now, you no doubt appreciate the qualities this engine provides you with. More torque, better fuel economy, and easier maintenance are but a few of the attributes of owning diesel powered vehicles .

However, there are some motorists that still complain about the engine’s weak power, especially when accelerating from a full stop. What you may not be aware of is the fact that a diesel engine can be tweaked to give more power without harming the fuel economy .

New diesel engines cars use air compression to create combustion versus the fuel/air mixture that is required by gas engines. This attribute means that diesel engines don’t require spark plugs and therefore don’t need to be tuned up .

Diesel fuel has a much high fuel density than gas, which results in fuel economy increases of 20 - 30% over gasoline powered vehicles .

Diesel engines are also cheaper to maintain as they have less parts than that of a gasoline powered engine. The life span of a diesel engine is also much longer .

If you’re looking for torque, for pulling a boat or other equipment, then the diesel engine has the supreme advantage. Diesel engines are surely slower, especially when starting from a dead stop, although when you climb hills or go over bridges, the diesel engine is surely up to the task .

With new trucks, diesel is normally the leader over gas engines in terms of performance and miles per gallon. Diesel trucks will get more miles than gas trucks, and the price for diesel is a bit cheaper than gas these days . And with gas prices on the rise, diesel will continue to dominate for a long time to come .

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Diesel engines are also cheaper to maintain as they have less parts than that of a gasoline powered engine. The life span of a diesel engine is also much longer .

If you’re looking for torque, for pulling a boat or other equipment, then the diesel engine has the supreme advantage. Diesel engines are surely slower, especially when starting from a dead stop, although when you climb hills or go over bridges, the diesel engine is surely up to the task .

With new trucks, diesel is normally the leader over gas engines in terms of performance and miles per gallon. Diesel trucks will get more miles than gas trucks, and the price for diesel is a bit cheaper than gas these days . And with gas prices on the rise, diesel will continue to dominate for a long time to come .

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Why your next pickup should be a GM
Oddly enough, out of all of the research done into hybrid technology GM has been forward thinking enough to make theirs are not only affordable, but ingenious as well. They now offer both the Sierra and the Silverado pickups as hybrids country wide. Using a technology not formerly seen in hybrids, GM attempted to not only lower emissions in their pickups, but to make them handier as well.

Affordable technology

GM wanted to make a hybrid truck that was too well priced to turn down, the major complaint of the hybrid models is high price tag which counteracts the gas mileage benefits. In response to this GM produced their pick up hybrids to cost only $1500.00-$2500.00 more than its gas guzzling brothers, saved with tax cuts at the pump within the first few years of ownership. Especially if you consider that the hybrids produce a 10% improvement in fuel economy, all without sacrificing any power. Both the Sierra and Silverado offer the same 245 horsepower V8 engine, and can tow up to 7,700 pounds. If you consider that pickup truck drivers are not sacrificing any power and when sitting stopped in traffic it emits very limited pollution for their size.

Hybrid system

GM employs what they call a “flywheel alternator starter hybrid system” which uses a compact electric motor incorporated between the engine and the transmission. This electric engine runs the truck when it is slowing or idling at a standstill. They calibrate the flywheel alternator system to turn off the engine more frequently than even those systems used in most smaller hybrid models. Eliminating much of the pollution caused by slow moving traffic in high volume.

Now your work truck can double as a generator

Both the Sierra and the Silverado boost four 120-volt, 20 amp three-prong outlets which can be used to provide power for electrical tools and electronics. This eliminates any need for a gassy generator spewing fumes into the air at a work site. The truck must be running, but utilizing it’s electric engine allows it to run virtually emission free. GM reports that their hybrid trucks can continue to pump out power for up to 32 hours non-stop before needing to refuel. Aimed specifically at contractors, whose need to access abundant sources of energy and drive long miles to job sites fuel this intelligent new take on a work truck.

Testers report

The power source for tools was not quite as juicy as GM would have you think, however the idea is a brilliant one. No doubt in a few generations they will have nailed down this imperfection in an already forward thinking vehicle. Although the gas mileage is a tad better overall, it borders on insignificant. Which again is certain to be addressed and updated in generations to come. Reviewers say that the feel of the engine cutting out as you hit ten miles an hour is a bit disconcerting, and takes some getting used to, but its pollution saving benefits far outweigh that small detail. Every accessory on the truck is electrical, so the gas engine only runs when it is needed to for its sole purpose, to accelerate the vehicle.

Overall appeal

The brilliance behind the ideas developed for these pickup truck models is really what drives them at this point. Fine tuning is necessary of any piece of equipment and GM has been making pick up trucks for a long time. They will continue to address the issues and refine the existing good points, driving the hybrid market to continue to bring us new and innovative ideas.

<b>About the Author:</b> My name is Paige Filler and I'm a creative writer with a love of all things that go vroom. I do my homework to bring thought and innovation into everything I write about the auto industry. You can find more of my stuff at <a href="http://www.cash4usedcars.com/" target="blank">Cash 4 Used Cars</a>, and <a href="http://blog.cash4usedcars.com/" target="blank"> this blog.</a>