Hybrid Car Myths

Dismissing the Myths of Hybrid Cars

New technology is prone to being a source of confusion simply because few people know all the facts, understand the technology, and get caught up in exaggerated stories generated by peoples' natural impulsive tendency to allow fantasies to fill in the blanks. Following are four common myths surrounding hybrid cars. We'll see which ones are fact, and which ones are fiction.

Myth #1: Hybrid cars are inconvenient

False. The myth is that hybrid cars are inconvenient because they have to be recharged all the time. The fact is that the only hybrid that needs to be recharged from a land source of electricity is the plug-in hybrid. The plug-in hybrids are designed to drive between 20-60 miles per charge, but it can also be used as a full hybrid, getting its energy from the gas powered engine as well.

Myth #2: Car will stall if battery runs down

False. The myth is that the batteries might run down while driving somewhere and the car will stall. The fact is that the process of regenerative braking protects drivers from this kind of situation. While braking, the kinetic energy lost is converted to the electric motor and thereby charges the batteries on a continual basis, even while the car is in motion.

Myth #3: Hybrid cars get 3 to 4 times the MPG of a gas powered car

True - as long as you know how to drive one. Hybrid cars can get up to triple or even quadruple the mpg that conventional gas cars get. While they do get better gas mileage, hybrid cars do not boast an improvement over conventional cars to that extent. What really makes the mpg stretch further is the fact that gas isn't actually used for all aspects of the driving. MPG is also gained by driving slower, maintaining constant speeds, and avoiding abrupt stops.

Myth #4: A hybrid only uses gas to drive backwards.

False. This is a strange one - the myth that the gasoline engine in a hybrid car is only used to drive the car backwards. The truth is, the electric motor is responsible for the propulsion backwards, not the gas engine. This is because it takes less energy to drive in reverse and the electric motor is sufficient for this amount of power requirement. Gasoline engines drive the hybrid forward and provide the energy for extra acceleration.