Environmental problems such as global warming and pollution are becoming very evident nowadays due to the great amount consumption of fuels and the emission of gasses like carbon monoxide. Fuels are used to create energy and they are mainly used in factories and vehicles. A regular conventional vehicle consumes about 11.3liters/100km while on the other hand a hybrid car consumes about 2.7-3.25 liters/100 km. .

A hybrid car is different than other regular cars have only fuel burning motors while on the other hand hybrid cars have both electric motors which is powered by a battery and a fuel burning motors. When fast speeds are required such as in a highway gasoline motors are used whereas when lower speeds are required electric motors are used. This reduces up to half the fuel required for conventional cars.

As hybrid cars uses less fuel you can save up to 900 $ a year on oil as nowadays oil prices are very high. So hybrid cars are environmental friendly and saves money on oil.

There are a lot of types of hybrid cars. There are mild hybrid, full hybrid and a plug in hybrid. A full hybrid differs from other types of hybrids is that it in cases of low speed or low acceleration such as in cases of backing up and stop and go traffic only an electric motor is used which could save up major fuel consumption. Unlike mild hybrids an electric motor never works a lone but always works with the gasoline motor. An example of a full hybrid is the Toyata Pirus and the Ford Escape.

So here is an example of how a full hybrid car works. It operates in four phases:

1) Start/Stop:

When you turn the ignition key the electric motor first starts to work then the electric motor starts the fuel burning motor. The car then checks which motor is needed to run the car. When you are standing in the traffic the fuel burning motor shuts off and the electric motor is the only one turned on.

2) Electric Drive:
As mentioned above a hybrid car uses gasoline motor or gasoline and electric motor together in high speed. But in the case of low speed such as in heavy traffic electric motors are only used.

3) Regenerative Braking:

When you apply the brakes in a car and kinetic energy is wasted as heat. In a hybrid car that kinetic energy is converted into electricity and is stored in the battery. So in every red light the battery actually recharges. But be careful as you have to use the brakes smoothly and gradually as not to activate the anti-lock braking system that energy is lost.

4) Electric Assisted Cruising:

At highway cruising speed the gasoline motor does most of the work but if an extra speed boost is needed the electric motor can be used to add a little speed.