How Do Hybrid Cars Work?

A lot of Murrieta drivers ask us what are hybrid cars, and how do they work. Well, the first thing to know is that there are more and more hybrid or fully electric vehicles being produced every year from cars to trucks to SUVs and everything in between. With that said, the more technical term is “hybrid electric vehicle,” or HEV. Most people simply call such cars “hybrids.” But what are hybrid cars?

Let our team explain what hybrid cars or HEVs really are, how they work, as well as how that differs from run-of-the-mill gas vehicles in Lake Elsinore and other types of specialty alternative fuel vehicles like plug-in hybrids you might see driving around. If you see a hybrid model that works for you, don’t hesitate to call us to schedule a test drive!

Parallel Hybrid vs. Series Hybrid Vehicles

In answering the questions “What is a hybrid car” and “How does it work?” we must go back to the basics. Simply put, hybrid vehicles contain two fuel or energy sources. In the case of hybrid electric vehicles, these sources are gasoline, or petrol, and electricity, in the form of an electric motor and/or battery pack.

Great. Now you know what a hybrid car is, how do hybrid cars work? To better understand that, we’ll teach you more about the two main types of hybrid vehicles: parallel hybrids and series hybrids.

Parallel Hybrid

A majority of hybrids for sale today are parallel hybrids. In this type of hybrid, both the electric motor and the gasoline engine are connected to the vehicle’s transmission. Parallel hybrids work by blending both power sources together.

Series Hybrid

Series hybrids use an electric motor and a gasoline engine as well, like parallel hybrids. The key difference is that in this type of hybrid electric vehicle, only the electric motor is paired with the transmission. That means the electric motor acts as the sole source of power, and the gasoline engine simply works like a generator, providing power to make the electric motor run as necessary.

How Do Hybrid Cars Work Compared to Plug-In Electric Vehicles?

Plug-in hybrid cars are a different type of hybrid altogether. So, what is a plug-in hybrid vehicle, and how does it work? PHEVs generally use a battery and electric motor to drive until the battery depletes.

Then, you can drive the vehicle just like you would drive a gasoline vehicle for extra range beyond EV mode. Benefits of a PHEV include:

• For short distances around Menifee, you can use a plug-in hybrid very similarly to how you’d drive an electric-only vehicle or “battery electric vehicle” (BEV) — that is, by relying on 100% electric power all day and recharging at night.
• With their increased battery packs, plug-in hybrids can go further on electric power alone.
• Plug-in hybrid cars generally only take between 1 and 4 hours to fully charge.

Find Your Toyota Hybrid at Temecula Valley Toyota Today

Whether you’re wanting to take home the latest Prius or Prius Hybrid or you want to know more about hybrids vs plug-in hybrids, the team at Temecula Valley Toyota is ready to answer all of your questions. We’ll make it easy for you to get behind the wheel, and more importantly, make sure you’re saving money on gas in no time.