Hybrid vehicles
The plug-in hybrid model is the range-topper and is only available on the higher-end S Edition and R.S. The latest Captur is taller, longer and wider than the old model, making it a better option for families. It also serves as the starter for the automatic start-stop system, which shuts down the engine when the car comes to rest in order to save fuel.In order to keep up with the ever-competitive small SUV market, the second-generation Renault Captur continued the winning combination that made the first model so popular - an attractively-styled body on top of proven Clio underpinnings.
Hybrid vehicles full#
Just as in a full hybrid, a mild hybrid's electric motor is there to assist the gasoline engine for the purposes of improving fuel economy, increasing performance, or both. The Acura NSX, BMW i8, and Porsche 918 Spyder supercars are similar, except their electric-only axles are at the front.Īll of the above are considered "full hybrids," which means that the electric motor is capable of moving the car by itself, even if it's for a short distance. Then there are the so-called through-the-road hybrids, like the plug-in hybrids from Volvo that use a fairly conventional front-wheel-drive engine and transmission paired with an electrically powered rear axle.
Hybrid vehicles generator#
In this design, the engine turns a generator most of the time, like a series hybrid, but at other times, the engine can also directly drive the wheels, like a parallel hybrid. Twenty years of advancement is making it even more complicated to answer "what is a hybrid?" Honda's new hybrid design, for instance, doesn't fall neatly into the series or parallel bucket.
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Plug-in hybrids can be either a series or a parallel hybrid.
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The Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid (shown above) is an example of the plug-in breed.Įventually, the answer to "what is a hybrid?" will probably be "everything." Should you deplete the all-electric range, the car basically reverts to being a conventional parallel hybrid. In fact, if you have a short commute and recharge nightly, you'll be running on electricity most of the time. This greater amount of energy storage is like a larger gas tank: It allows for extended all-electric driving (between 15 and 55 miles depending on the model) and can significantly reduce fuel consumption. The BMW i3 with the range extender is an example of a series hybrid.Ī plug-in hybrid enhances the conventional hybrid concept with a much larger battery pack that, like an electric car's, must be fully recharged using an external electricity source-from your home, office, or public charging station. However, that engagement doesn't always happen in concert with what your right foot is doing (remember, the battery is making the demands), so the engine might be revving up while the car is cruising at a steady speed. There's typically less vibration when the gasoline engine engages. This results in a driving experience that's more indicative of an electric car, with smoother, powerful acceleration. The gasoline engine is just there to recharge the battery. In this design, the electric motor(s) provides all the thrust, and there is never a physical mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels. Brands that use the parallel design include Toyota, Lexus, Hyundai, Kia, Ford, Honda, Lincoln, Nissan, and Infiniti.
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Transmission type and the size of the gasoline engine are the main factors that determine how a parallel hybrid will accelerate, sound, and feel. One very popular hybrid transmission is a power-split CVT, which is used by the Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt. That transmission can be an automatic, a manual, or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). In this most common design, the electric motor(s) and gasoline engine are connected in a common transmission that blends the two power sources.