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Electric Vehicles and Hybrids

CliveS

The advantage of electric vehicles is to reduce carbon emissions and these can be charged at home and if you are lucky may even be charged by a solar panel on your roof. Excellent.

But some hybrids do not have a home charger socket and also no way of switching on to electric only when in city centres.  

Can someone please explain to me how these hybrids can be more efficient than an identical none electric car which does not have to carry an extra battery etc?   

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    Those hybrids have a combined motor/generator and a small battery.

    When a conventional car needs to slow down, the excess kinetic energy is turned into heat in the brakes, and wasted.  When the car needs to speed up again, it can only be done by burning more fuel.

    A hybrid will use the generator in place of the brakes, to slow down the car and charge the battery.  When the car needs to accelerate again, the battery and motor can be used to give the car a push, requiring less fuel.

    It's most useful in city driving.  On the open road, the hybrid system delivers little benefit.

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  • 0

    Those hybrids have a combined motor/generator and a small battery.

    When a conventional car needs to slow down, the excess kinetic energy is turned into heat in the brakes, and wasted.  When the car needs to speed up again, it can only be done by burning more fuel.

    A hybrid will use the generator in place of the brakes, to slow down the car and charge the battery.  When the car needs to accelerate again, the battery and motor can be used to give the car a push, requiring less fuel.

    It's most useful in city driving.  On the open road, the hybrid system delivers little benefit.

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