Hybrid vehicle comparison

Comparing the three types of hybrid vehicles

There are three primary types of hybrid vehicles we are going to compare: the parallel hybrid, the mild hybrid and the plug-in hybrid. In the next section, we will outline the comparisons of these hybrid vehicles.

Hybrid vehicle type 1: Mild Hybrid

Our hybrid vehicle comparison begins with the mild hybrid. In the case of the mild hybrid, the electric motor is used more to assist the gas-powered engine as opposed to being used to actually drive the car during times when less power is required. In the mild hybrid, the electric motor usually serves to power the air conditioning and heating units, the power steering, and other systems easily powered by electricity. By using electric energy for these kinds of functions instead of petroleum, the vehicle reduces the amount of fuel consumption used by standard petroleum powered vehicles.

Hybrid vehicle type 2: Plug-in Hybrid

Next up in our hybrid vehicle comparison is the plug-in hybrid. The name plug-in helps describe how this type of hybrid vehicle works. The plug-in hybrid relies more on electric power than gas power. The electric power is utilized for most of the driving and the gasoline powered engine kicks in to assist the electric motor. This is opposite that of the mild hybrid. The plug-in hybrid has much larger batteries than the other hybrid versions, allowing for a larger capacity for energy storage. Reasonably, this type of hybrid uses the least amount of gasoline and produces the least amount of carbon dioxide emissions. However, this type also requires a heavier electric motor that can not be recharged by the combustion engine alone. Thus, the term “plug-in” implies that it must be recharged at a stationary electric supply source.

Currently the most popular type of hybrid on the market is the parallel hybrid.

Hybrid vehicle type 3: Parallel Hybrid

Two round out our hybrid vehicle comparison we discuss the parallel hybrid. Again, the name parallel indicates how the two energy sources work to power the vehicle: they work together, in parallel, during higher speeds and acceleration. These cars use the electric power for reverse drive and low speeds because the energy demand is significantly less for such movement. When more energy is required for uphill and higher speeds, the electric energy is supplemented with the energy produced by the gas powered engine. It is supplemented not separately from the electric motor, but in tandem with it, employing both energy sources at the same time. By continuing the use of electric energy in parallel with the added gas power, the negative effects of gas are reduced.