The number of hybrid cars in showrooms and on the streets is growing every year, but a large number of consumers still have only a rough idea of what they are.
A hybrid car is a vehicle with a power unit that combines several sources of mechanical energy. In general, there are only serial hybrid cars in the world with a combination of petrol (sometimes diesel - Mercedes and BMW) and electric motor. The difference between the two, however, is that the combustion engine and the electric motor can be activated differently.
Most modern hybrids are classic cars, but there are some exceptions.
Full hybrid - FHEV (Full hybrid)
This is currently the most common hybrid car. It has a sufficiently powerful internal combustion engine and a self-sufficient electric drive that transmits its power to the wheels alternately or simultaneously. An important indicator that the car has a full hybrid powertrain is that it can travel at least a few kilometres on electric drive alone. This means that the car has a sufficiently large (high-capacity) traction battery and an electric motor with sufficient power and cooling system.
A typical hybrid has a powerful petrol engine and an electric motor that not only helps the combustion engine to accelerate, but can also drive the vehicle by itself for a short time.
Plug-in hybrid - PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid)
In our opinion, this is one of the most convenient hybrids - such a car can be used as an electric car for tens of kilometres. That is, after charging the battery at home overnight, the owner can go to work in the morning by electric drive. And if it is also possible to charge the battery at work, he will also return home on electricity.
The most suitable hybrid today is the PHEV (Plug-in), which has a large traction battery that can be charged from the grid
For longer journeys - such as to the weekend, the country house or the supermarket - the vehicle is automatically connected to an internal combustion engine, which starts to charge the battery or drive the wheels. Technically, the PHEV (rechargeable or plug-in hybrid) is similar to the full hybrid FHEV, but the PHEV is significantly more expensive due to the high capacity battery.
Micro-Hybrid - Mild-Hybrid
The electric drive of this hybrid is much simpler than that of other types. Its main engine is strictly an internal combustion engine, a small electric motor is auxiliary, electronically activated when more output from the power unit is required - for dynamic acceleration, overtaking and the like.
