Development of Hybrid Electric Cars

The production costs for the development of hybrid electric cars are currently much higher than the typical $750 million to upwards of $3 billion depending on the car, the technology, and the platform.

Even though hybrid cars history began already in 1902, the latest hybrid cars have developed greatly since the early models.

For one, the early hybrid cars primarily used the electric motor for all power.

The engine would charge batteries from which the motor drew power, running only when needed to charge them back up.

More advanced hybrid cars reverse the process somewhat, using gasoline engine for primary power, but with greater efficiency that with conventional cars.

The modern role of the electric motor is to operate not only when the electric motor is used exclusively, but also when the gasoline engine requires extra power

The process has also lead to the point where there are now two basic hybrid car systems in development, 1) series and 2) parallel hybrid systems.

Development of Hybrid Electric Cars - Series and Parallel Hybrid Systems

In a parallel hybrid system, the energy conversion unit and electric propulsion are connected directly to the hybrid car's wheels.

The primary gasoline engine on parallel design is used for highway driving. Electric motor provides added power for hill climbs, acceleration, and other periods where there's need for added power.

In contrast, in a series design, the primary engine is connected to a generator that produces electricity.

The electricity from the generator is then used to charge the batteries, which drive an electric motor that powers the wheels.

Hybrid cars can also be built to use the configuration at low speeds and the parallel configuration for highway driving and acceleration.

In conventional cars, energy from deceleration is usually wasted.

As a part of the series and parallel hybrid car systems, some modern hybrid cars use regenerative braking systems that capture the energy from deceleration, store it, and convert it to electricity to help power the car.


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