Hybrid car

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Let's then assess whether it pays to have a car with power and another with economy. An increasing number of people are thinking about a hybrid car when they decide to buy a new model.

Many imagine that the first hybrid model was the Toyota Prius, but the reality is quite different.

There are a few versions of which one was actually the first, but all date from a time when conventional cars themselves were still becoming popular.

The oldest is from 1896, when the Armstrong Phaeton model appeared.

It was made after an order from the Roger Mechanical Carriage Company to electrical engineer Harry E. Dey, who still had to turn to a third company, Armstrong Electric, to create the first prototype.

Despite looking like a buggy with a steering wheel, the Armstrong Phaeton was one of the biggest innovations in the automotive industry, especially for its time.

With a 6.5 liter 2-cylinder gasoline engine and Another electric drive, the hybrid could run on just one of the two.

It also had a battery that was recharged by a dynamo

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on the brakes, as well as an ignition that used the battery's accumulated energy, eliminating the need for a lever to start the engine.

The most impressive detail: restored after suffering from a flood, it still works!

Of course the Prius plays an important part in the hybrid story, as it was the first model to be mass-produced.

Launched by Toyota in Japan in 1997, it reached other markets in 2001. Since then, several generations have been launched, and the Prius remains the most popular and best-selling model among hybrids.

A hybrid car is one that works with two power sources and not just one, like the conventional cars we are used to seeing.

In other words, in addition to the combustion engine, which can be gasoline (most common), diesel or ethanol, the car also has another propeller, electric.

The main purpose of this mix is to combine the main positive characteristics of each one.

When we talk about conventional models with a combustion engine, we see that their main function is to

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generate the best possible performance.

They still have good autonomy, which means they can run for great distances without having to refuel.

On the other hand, as power increases, consumption also increases and more pollutants are released into the air.

An electric motor, on the other hand, does not emit any pollutants, and has a much lower cost per kilometer run.

However, this also has its downside, as these models tend to have a low autonomy, and still take longer to run again, since recharging it obviously takes longer than stopping to refuel a conventional model.

But just thinking about the good it does for health, we come to the conclusion that it pays to have one.

The main positive point of a hybrid car is that it combines the good autonomy and power of the combustion engine, with less pollutant emissions and economy of the electric propulsion system.

To work together, the system of both was perfected, obtaining the best possible result. Basically, these models can be divided into three types:

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The first is the Hybrid in series, in this type, the motors act connected in sequence, or in series, with the output of one feeding the input of the other.

It is usually the combustion engine that powers the electric motor, and only the latter acts on the wheels, leaving the former only to generate electricity.

Examples of models of this type: Chevrolet Volt and the Opel Ampera.

The second is the Hybrid in parallel, here the two thrusters are used to generate the necessary force, but only one of them acts, and the other helps to improve its performance.

Examples of models of this type: Honda cars such as Civic Hybrid and Insight.

The third is the mixed hybrid, or combined, it is a more common system among hybrid models, this operating category uses the two engines, separately or simultaneously, and both can act on the wheels.

If they act together, one is in charge of making the car go, while the other generates the electrical energy, everything being defined instantly by a computer.

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Examples of models of this type are hybrid models from Toyota (like the Prius), Lexus (like the CT200h) and the Ford Fusion Hybrid.

The fourth is the Hybrid Car, with differences when driving, regardless of the system used, the main objective is always economy. This is seen, for example, in the size of the combustion engine generally used, smaller than in other conventional models of the same size, and also in its operating cycle. The electric motor also has important features that contribute to this, such as regenerative braking.

Every time the brake is applied, or even when the throttle is released, the electric motor runs in reverse mode, sending energy back to the batteries.

The car's aerodynamics and the use of tires with less resistance also make consumption drop considerably.

All this will not have the desired effect if the driving mode is not appropriate. As the proposal is fuel economy, no needless sudden acceleration.

The all-electric mode of these models also works up to a certain speed (around 40 or 50 km/h). If it is possible to

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stay within it, especially on short journeys, the savings will be greater.

A precaution that every driver must take when driving a hybrid model, and that all automakers warn, is exactly that in electric mode it does not make any noise, which further proves the benefit it brings to health, since noises are generally bad for health and stress.

When we talk about the hybrid car scenario in our country, it still weighs heavily that the government does not give so many incentives for its purchase.

This may change soon, as in January this year the possibility of lowering the IPI tax rate for hybrid and electric cars was announced, which would drop from 25% to 7% (the same as for 1.0 models).