How Do Hybrid Cars and Trucks Work?

By using both a conventional engine and electric motor, 最好的混合动力车比非混合动力车的燃油效率要高得多. They also pollute less and save drivers money through fuel savings.

最先进的混合动力车拥有更大的电池，并且可以通过插座为电池充电, 允许他们在切换到汽油或柴油之前，用电力行驶更长的距离. Known as "plug-in hybrids,“这些汽车可以大大改善环境性能，并通过用电网电力代替汽油来节省燃料.

Hybrid car features

电池驱动的电动机在许多方面提高了混合动力车的燃油效率.

就像冰箱关上门时关掉灯泡的开关一样。”idle-off是一项在车辆停车时关闭汽车传统引擎的功能, saving fuel. 当车辆在红灯或交通中空转时，电池为空调和配件提供能量, and the electric motor can start the vehicle moving again. 如果需要，传统发动机将重新启动，为加速提供更多动力.

"Regenerative braking" is another fuel-saving feature. Conventional cars rely entirely on friction brakes to slow down, dissipating the vehicle's kinetic energy as heat. Regenerative braking allows some of that energy to be captured, turned into electricity, and stored in the batteries. 这些储存的电力以后可以用来驱动马达和加速车辆.

有一个电动马达也允许更有效的发动机设计. This "power assist" feature helps reduce demands on a hybrid’s gasoline engine, which in turn can be downsized and more efficiently operated. The gasoline engine produces less power, but when combined with electric motors, 该系统的总功率可以等于或超过传统车辆的功率.

The most efficient hybrids utilize "electric-only drive，这使得车辆完全依靠电力驱动，使用更少的燃料. In hybrids that can't be plugged-in, 纯电动驱动通常只在低速和启动时使用, 使燃气或柴油发动机以更高的速度运行, where it’s most efficient.. 大多数插电式混合动力车——往往有更大的电池和发动机——可以完全依靠电力以相对较高的速度行驶较长的距离(通常为10到30英里)。.

Different hybrids also use different types of "drivetrains," the mechanical components that deliver power to the driving wheels. Learn about the implications of different hybrid drivetrains here.

Differences between hybrids and other EVs

Hybrids 不能从插座充电的通常不被认为是电动汽车, as they rely exclusively on gasoline or diesel for energy. Plug-in hybrids, described above, are considered electric vehicles, along with battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Learn more about how plug-in vehicles work.

Battery electric vehicles 只使用电动马达和电池，完全避开传统的引擎. Because they don't use gas or diesel, battery electrics are often cleaner and cheaper to fuel than hybrids and conventional vehicles. Learn more about how battery electrics work.

Hydrogen fuel cell 汽车通过燃料电池将储存的氢气转化为电能，为电动机和电池提供动力. These vehicles are only beginning to come to market, 但作为传统汽车和卡车的低碳替代品，它们具有巨大的潜力，因为它们没有尾气排放, reduced global warming emissions，并且可以在类似汽油车的加油站加油. Learn more about how fuel cells and fuel cell vehicles work.

Learn more about electric vehicle technology here, including its potential as a nationwide oil-saving solution.