Can We Expect Hybrid Electric Cars to go Mainstream? - Hybrid electric cars are at the cusp of becoming the wave in the automobile industry. Their popularity has been driven by the rising fuel costs and the need to have environmentally friendly form of transportation. Some of the latest innovations in the industry have seen these cars perform the same or even out-perform traditional gas-powered cars. The gas mileage of most hybrid electric cars is usually seen as the measure of performance of these innovations. While utilizing an electric motor, hybrid electric cars are also supported by a gasoline engine and run at city driving speeds. The electric motor can pretty much run by itself and the gasoline engine only kicks in when more power is needed. Generally, the term hybrid vehicle is used to refer to a vehicle that combines an internal combustion engine with an electric motor.
Today’s hybrid technology, limited by the high cost of batteries is aimed at reducing fuel consumption through a number of ways. Combined with the electric motor, future vehicles are expected to employ regenerative braking to recapture energy and go into engine shutdown at idle to reduce fuel consumption. Gasoline engines are expected to remain dominant in hybrid electric cars with a possible mix of renewable energy sources like ethanol. Split path vehicles primarily function as motors and generators. They are very efficient. This is achieved by use of electric machines and inverters that convert energy from the engine to the generator thereby having a multiplication effect on the system efficiency. Strong magnets allow this high efficiency operation to take place and their cost is one of the limiting factors in hybrid electric cars going mainstream.
It is hoped with cooperation in the industry and as battery prices come down, hybrid electric cars will become mainstream.
