SANTA CRUZ COUNTY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
HYBRID VEHICLE FACT SHEET
What?
·Hybrid vehicles use a combination of fuel sources and
thereby keep emissions low. Hybrids most often combine the efficiency of
electrical systems with traditional clean burning gasoline or Compressed Natural
Gas (CNG) fuel sources.
Why?
·Benefits of this energy mix include improved access to fuel
sites and an extended driving range as compared to single fuel clean air
vehicles such as electric vehicles and natural gas vehicles.If an internal combustion engine is
used, it can be smaller and more fuel efficient because it shares the work with
the electric motor.
How?
·Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) are vehicles that have an electric
drivetrain supplemented by an internal combustion engine (ICE) operating on a
fuel such as gasoline or natural gas. These vehicles use the electric motor for
driving in the city and combine with the ICE for freeway driving or times when
more power is needed such as climbing hills.
·These types of vehicles are able to obtain high fuel efficiency.
When the vehicle is idle, the ICE shuts off only to be restarted once the
vehicle is moving again. A smaller engine along with lightweight materials and
streamlined aerodynamics make the vehicle very efficient.
·While the vehicle is being driven the gasoline engine recharges
the battery packs powering the electric motor. Also a process called
regenerative braking captures some of the energy of the vehicle when it is being
slowed down to help charge the vehicle’s batteries. With these systems most
hybrids do not have to be plugged in to be recharged.
Who
·Many manufacturers currently offer hybrid vehicles for sale. Honda
and Toyota each offer a hybrid model. GM and Ford are currently working on a
hybrid for sale in the US within the next five years.
More
information
on all types of alternative fuel vehicles can be found on the Internet.
One comprehensive site is
the Alternative Fuel Vehicle website at
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