The hybrid cars are also known as the plug-in hybrids or the electric vehicles, which derive power from a variety of sources, including gasoline, diesel, electricity and even solar power. The gas-electric hybrid models use battery that can be recharged by plugging in; these variations are called series hybrids. There are several variations of hybrid vehicles making different levels of environmental impact and efficiency.
Electric Vehicles or Hybrid Cars differ from conventional vehicles in a number of ways:
HYBRID VEHICLES THAT DON’T CURRENTLY COME IN THE REFINANCING AVAILABILITY ARE CALLED HYBRID CONVERTIBLES. THEY DO NOT COME WITH AS MANY PROMISES OF A NEW CONVENTIONAL HYBRID VEHICLE.
The Toyota Prius is one example of a popular hybrid vehicle.
Its manufacturer has sold sixty million hybrids, with annual production figures doubling every four years since the introduction in 1997. Production in 2010 and 2011 totaled 1.7 million units, representing a market penetration of over 17% of the total last-modeled U.S. vehicle sales.
The Prius has a fuel economy equivalent to that of a conventional car with an engine size between 70 and 120 liters, while its acceleration is comparable to that of an average automobile with an engine size below 100 liters.
In terms of efficiency, the Toyota Prius is consistently ranked among the most efficient cars in which to operate.
The car is only available as a five-seater and tucks into an aerodynamic shape, but with its battery pack the total type’s length and width are similar to traditional cars.
Several companies have produced hybrid vehicles with different levels of use of electric power. Honda has a hybrid vehicle line for every size, from mini-cars to large luxury cars. The Prius is larger than most small hybrids and smaller than most midsize hybrids. The Honda Civic Hybrid (sold as the Honda Insight in Japan) uses two hub motors to drive its front wheels. The Honda Insight was one of the first production vehicles to have a hybrid drive train. It achieved from city to highway, with a top speed of .
The Prius is notable for being among the least expensive production hybrids when it was introduced, with later versions having substantially more powerful engines than the first generation’s engine. The Prius is also the best-selling hybrid in history, with over 6 million sold through 2013. Prior to this, Toyota’s fastest selling hybrid was their RAV4 Hybrid which sold 39,000 units in its first year (2007).
The Accord Hybrid uses two parallel electric motors on front wheels; it accelerates quickly and has a very tight turning radius.
The Lexus CT200h (sold as the Toyota Prius C in the US and Japan) is an electric version of the Prius with a 2.0 L 4-cylinder engine that drives a generator to supply electricity to its electric motors. Acceleration is similar to the standard Prius, with acceleration of 0–62 mph in 12.5 seconds. The acceleration time is identical at speeds over 40 mph. Both engines and transmissions are from the Toyota Camry Hybrid; the same 3-speed automatic transmission used by all Camry models equipped with V6 gasoline engines is also used for all Prius hybrids, including the Lexus CT 200h and Lexus RX 350h (both sold only in Japan). The CT 200h fuel economy is in city driving and in highway driving.
CT200h owners receive all the benefits of Prius ownership, including special Lexus Hybrid Collection and Lexus Hybrid Services centers.
The Honda Civic Hybrid is a version of the eighth generation Honda Civic built since 2012 by Honda. The car has a combination of a 1.5-liter gasoline engine and an electric motor, helping to achieve an EPA fuel economy rating of in the city, on highways and combined. Acceleration is better than its non-hybrid counterpart with a 0–60 mph time of 9.9 seconds while top speed is .
The Honda Accord Hybrid was a 2010 model year vehicle that competes in the compact luxury hybrid car class among cars like the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid. The Accord is powered by an Atkinson cycle 4 cylinder engine as well as its plug-in hybrid powertrain which uses 2 electric motors, one on each axle with one of them being the transmission. It is available in both sedan and coupe models. The Accord is capable of a combined fuel economy of 50 mpg-e (45 city/55 highway) on gasoline and 53 mpg-e (50 city/54 highway) on electricity when all-electric mode is used exclusively.