Hybrid Vehicles JT Ahle

What is a Hybrid Vehicle? A hybrid is a vehicle that uses two or more different energy sources Generally, hybrid cars contain an internal combustion engine and an electric motor

Gas powered cars Internal combustion engine Ignite small amount of high energy fuel in enclosed space Powered by pistons Pistons move down, allowing gas and air into chamber Pistons move up, adding pressure to increase the explosion Spark plug ignites gas, engine moves transmission, and car goes forward

Electric powered cars No muffler, catalytic converter, tailpipe or gas tank An AC electric motor with a an electric controller replaces internal combustion engine Plug in car to charge Can not go as far as fuel- powered cars

How do hybrid cars work? Mix between gas and electric cars to provide for balance Utilizes an electric battery and combustion engine to compromise the disadvantages of both

Science behind hybrids Smaller, compact gas engine Hybrids do still have a fuel tank Electric motor acts as generator and motor, can take energy from and give energy back to batteries Generator produces electrical power Batteries also provide energy for electric motors Still has a transmission which turns the wheels

Series Hybrid Cars Another unique type of hybrid Gas powered engine turns on generator which produces electricity Gas does not directly power vehicle Toyota Prius

Advantages of Hybrids Low mileage compared to conventional cars Lower carbon emissions from compact engine Less $ spent on gas

Disadvantages of Hybrids High initial cost After a while, the battery must be replaced, which is a very high cost as well Lighter than regular cars, more prone to damage in an accident Cannot obtain high speeds

Environmental Impact Hybrid cars are only half gas-powered and have compact engines, so less CO2 is released CO2 is greenhouse gas, contributes to global warming Less effects of global warming

More Environmental Impacts Reduced emissions of NOx gases which contribute to acid rain

Extends “Life” of Nonrenewable Fuels Less gas is used, so less oil is required Increases the number of years it will take to deplete known oil Provides enough time for alternative fuels to be discovered or created

Fuel Cell Vehicles Uses fuel cell stack to convert hydrogen gas into electricity to power electric motor

Works Cited ml ml car3.htm car3.htm gas.html gas.html car1.htm car1.htm