How EXACTLY Do Hybrid & Electric Cars Work?

Gas is up.  So, I understand when consumers say that we need an alternative.  Electric and hybrid cars are all the rage, with vehicles in high demand.  The only question is, how do they work?  We embrace the idea, and today we’ll provide some insight on how their engines work.
We enjoy electric toasters, electric music players, and occasionally the electric slide (for the musically inclined, of course).  Now, electric cars have peaked our interest with promises of aiding the environment and saving on gas money.  Many have thought about the purchase, but how do they work?  In today’s blog, we touch on the subject of so much popularity.

Electric
First, they create less pollution than gas-powered cars, and are environmentally friendly.  Vehicle power is derived from an electric motor.  These motors use electricity in place of gasoline to power the vehicle.  Electricity is fed to the motor, creating a magnetic field.  That magnetic field causes a tightly wound coil to rotate while spinning the axle of the vehicle, turning the tires for motion.
Electric cars are literally ‘plugged in’ to juice up the engine.  Electric cars with a battery use an electrical outlet to charge before they are operated.  Another way is the hydrogen fuel cell. Fuel cells work when pure hydrogen combines with oxygen to create electricity. The only byproduct of hydrogen fuel cells is water. Yet another way is a solar power. Solar panels on a car collect energy from the sun and store it into the car's battery for later use.

Electric cars are great for the environment.  They produce less noise pollution and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.  Innovation and technology will continue to change and adapt to the times making electric cars a great alternative.

Hybrid

Hybrids use traditional gas engines and an alternative power plant.  There are two types: electric hybrids and hydrogen hybrids.  Electric hybrids use an electric motor as their alternative energy source. Hydrogen hybrids extract the element from water and add the hydrogen to the fuel-air mixture of the vehicle.  So how do hybrids help the environment?  It’s important to know that oil is a limited resource; also carbon dioxide is produced when it’s burned.  In addition, the oil that is extracted from the Earth damages the environment from drilling.  Although hybrids still use gas, they achieve higher gas mileage than a regular vehicle because of the secondary power source.  The average estimate is a five-mpg improvement in fuel economy.

One way the improved fuel economy numbers are achieved is through stop/start technology that is fitted to the vehicle. A stop/start system allows the engine to be shut off when it is not needed, such as when the vehicle is stopped at a red light or the vehicle is coasting. The technology allows for the engine to be restarted quickly so that the driver does not experience any hesitation.

Hybrids and electric's are great for the environment.  They produce less noise pollution and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.  Innovation and technology will continue to change and adapt to the times making them a great alternative