Hybrid Cars ProsHybrid cars pros and cons
Benefits of hybrid cars
1. Less fuel consumption
In a hybrid car the electric motor works in tandem with the gas engine and it leads to less fuel consumption. The electric motor takes power from the electric battery that accumulates energy during regenerative breaking and idling. The gas engine may completely stop when waiting for a green light or driving slowly and quickly start when you accelerate, thus temporarily not using gas at all. In stop and go traffic of the city hybrids mileage ratings are higher than on the highway! The gas engine is most efficient at constant RPM and additional electric motor lets it work in this mode most of the time.
On average a hybrid car consumes only half fuel of the same car without the electric motor. A plug-in hybrid on average consumes half fuel of a hybrid.
2. Better dynamic
The electric motor gives additional torque to the gas engine. Plus it produces it from 0 RPM, not from high RPM as a typical gas engine.3. Quiet operation
The electric motor is noiseless and when starting a car or driving slowly the car moves silently as rolling downhill by itself.4. Less maintenance
The gas engine runs less time in a hybrid car and thus wears less. Brakes lasts longer too - unless it is a sudden brake, a hybrid regenerates electricity with a regenerative brake instead of applying the standard brakes. Less fuel consumption also leads to less frequent refueling.5. Environment friendly
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are proportional to the amount of fuel used. As hybrid cars generally consume less fuel they less pollute the atmosphere.6. Easy winter start
In a hybrid car the gas engine starts from the deep charge high voltage battery. Comparing to a traditional 12V car battery it has much more power. During the winter when the oil is thick and parts are tight, it requires a lot of current from the battery to turn over the engine. In such hard conditions a hybrid car has much more chance to successfully start the engine.Disadvantages of hybrid cars
1. Expensive
High hybrids price can be attributed to the fact that they come with costly high-voltage batteries and two engines on board.2. Limited models
Currently not many variations of hybrid cars are available. It is much harder to find a perfect hybrid car with desired exterior design and internal capacity comparing to a traditional car.3. More weight
The high voltage battery alone weights several hundred kilograms. And the more car weights, the more fuel it consumes and more slowly accelerates and breaks.4. Lower highway mileage
When driving at high constant speed on a highway, the gas engine already works optimally and the hybrid system can't help much. In this case a traditional diesel car can usually outperform a hybrid in fuel consumption.