Hybrid Engines: The Right One For You

Author

Javaughn Barrow

Engines have been one of the most exciting contributions to civilization since 1872. There have been so many advancements since then. Fast forward to today, modern engines are some of the most fuel efficient examples we have to date. With the introduction of electric vehicles, it pushes forward the efficiency agenda, with the hopes of being a more environmentally friendly option. Both methods of power come with it’s drawbacks. However, when you combine both together in one car, both compliment each other. It’s as if it was meant to be. Hybrid engines can be one of the most fuel efficient or exciting methods of power you can experience today. Let’s talk about what they are and how they operate.

What you will learn about:

What is the hybrid engine :

How do hybrid engines work ?

A hybrid engine is a combination of two modes of power in one unit like a hybrid vehicle. These two modes of power are an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) and an Electric Motor. Both work together, to propel the vehicle forward or backward or sideways if you catch my drift. Pun intended. In order to explain how hybrid engines work, let first talk about the four main types then the different powertrains.

Four Main Types Of Hybrid Engines:

Full Hybrid

Full hybrid engines are types, where both electric and combustion engines fully work together to move the car. They also complement each other, when the combustion engine uses some of its power to charge the electric motor’s battery. The electric motor also kicks in to help move the car when the combustion engine is at its least efficient. The battery can also get charged via kinetic energy, when the car is either coasting or braking. With motors working together, you can see a great reduction in fuel consumption.

Plug-In Hybrid

Plug-in hybrid engines are a mid section between fully electric vehicles and gas engines. This type of hybrid engine has bigger batteries and a larger electric motor that can be run independently for considerably more miles. Once the electric range has finished, the combustion engine kicks in and the system works like a full hybrid. However, in order to get the most fuel efficiency out of this system, you have to charge the battery by plugging it into a power source. The engine can be used to charge the battery as well, but it’s not a very efficient way. Using the combustion engine to charge the battery, in a plug-in hybrid adds to your fuel consumption.

Mild Hybrid

Mild hybrid engines, use a smaller electric motor that works with the engine not independently of it. It is not as fuel efficient as plug-in’s or full hybrids, however, still better than gas engines. Depending on the model, some mild hybrids supply the engine with extra power or take care of chores like turning the engine off when the car is coasting or braking, for less fuel consumption. In mild hybrids the electric motor doesn’t work independently of the combustion engine so there is no EV mode only in this type of hybrid.

Two Main Types Of Hybrid Powertrains:

Series Hybrid

This is a system, where the wheels of the vehicle are moved by an electric motor rather than being connected to the engine. The engine is used to charge the battery. Fuel is used to power the combustion engine obviously, however, the engine is connected to a generator. The engine sends power to the generator, which then sends power to a charger, which then sends power to the battery pack. The battery pack then sends power to the motors via a controller, which then powers the wheels. These are all a series of steps, hence the name series hybrid. Also in a series hybrid the electric components can run independently from the combustion engine.

You may be wondering, why would they have an engine that’s not directly driving the wheels. Why add extra motors, when the engine can just be connected to the wheels. Well the answer is efficiency. It’s more efficient to have motors move the wheels rather than the engine. Efficiency decreases the higher the engine revs. Once an engine is connected to the wheels, it has to have a higher rev range to move the vehicle at certain speeds. Since the engine’s job is not to drive the wheels, in this case a series hybrid engine can keep the engine revs in the most efficient range, while the motors drive the wheels. Simply put, the engine doesn’t have to rev as high, making it a more efficient engine. That being said, all power to move the vehicle comes from the motors driving the wheels, there is no access to the combustion engine for more power.

Parallel Hybrids

Parallel hybrids, unlike the series hybrid, allow both the engine and electric motor to send power directly to the wheels. They both work together in this cause, making it easier for one or the other to drive the car. The fact that both power sources work together allows for a smaller engine and electric motor layout. Two is better than one in this case. The smaller layout benefits the overall weight of the vehicle, which in turn helps to be more efficient. However, since the engine is connected to the wheels, it would mean that it has a higher rev range when compared to an engine from a series hybrid.

This means, the engine from a parallel hybrid, won’t be as efficient as an engine from a series hybrid. That being said, there are benefits of instantaneous power, when the engine and electric motor are connected in the case of a parallel hybrid. You can also get more power from the engine because of the direct connection to the wheels. In a series hybrid, there are a series of steps where energy is transferred and each time it is transferred there is a loss of energy. In a parallel hybrid there are less steps, which means less loss of energy occurs within the unit.

What happens if a hybrid engine runs out of gas?

In hybrid engines, the gas engine and electric motor are meant to work together in order to move the vehicles in the most efficient way. In some cases, like a series hybrid powertrain which could be found in plug-in hybrids, the electric motor directly powering the wheels can run independently from the combustion engine at times. However, the engine and electric motor compliment each other as well. The combustion engine charges the battery, which in turn helps the electric motor. So in a case where the gas runs out it could be very dangerous. First of you never want to run out of gas, whether it’s a gas powered car or hybrid. Once you run out of gas in a hybrid, all the work is left up to the electric part of the car’s propulsion, to cover all bases.

In a system where both engine and electric motor are meant to work together, now having one source can be overwhelming for the system. Some hybrid cars shut down preventing any damage to the system, while others go into a battery only safety mode. This mode is where it limits your speed and performance power, in order to get you enough miles to drive to a fuel station. Once a hybrid car is in EV only mode with no back up from the engine, it gets very dangerous. The electric systems in the car are now dependent on a limited resource. If you have electric steering, that could get affected and if the car limits your speed, it can be a problem if you need to merge onto highways.

How long does a hybrid engine battery last ?

Most manufacturers warranties are up to 100,000 miles for their batteries. This indicates that manufacturers think this is the typical life expectancy of a battery. With proper maintenance some owners can get double (200,000) out of their battery. Good Maintenance battery practices, like using the battery can help the lifespan of your battery. A full range of use like draining and recharging the battery, helps the system to remember its capacity before needing to be replaced.

Hybrid engine lifespan:

How long do hybrid engines last ?

When it comes to an engine’s lifespan, proper use and maintenance must be taken into consideration. Now considering that an engine is properly maintained, there are a few things that cause engine & battery wear. In the case of combustion engines, the higher an engine revs the more the engine will wear. Cold starting an engine also has more wear, when the engine oil has settled, than a stop and start system, where there is more engine oil running through the lubrication system. In a hybrid vehicle, both engine and electric motor help each other out, putting less strain on both of them. Hybrid engines rev less and have less cold starts which should mean less wear. With less engine and battery wear, the lifespan of these engines increases.

Pros and cons of Hybrid engines :

Advantages of Hybrid engines

In a Series Hybrid engine set up, some benefits are :

• The engine is not directly connected to the wheels, which means that the engine can rev less, being more efficient while experiencing less wear which can make it last longer.
• You are able to use your kinetic energy when braking or coasting as a form of recharge for the battery pack in the vehicle.
• Series hybrids have simpler drivetrains because only the electric motor is connected to the wheels rather than both engine and electric motor.
• Series hybrids can run independently from the combustion engine when the battery has sufficient power.

Advantages of Parallel Hybrids are

• The engine and electric motor are both directly connected to the wheels, which means more and instantaneous power on demand.
• Parallel hybrids have less energy loss from energy transfer than a series hybrid because of less series of steps.
• Because Parallel Hybrids have less series steps it also has less heavier parts and overall smaller electrical unit bringing the overall weight of the vehicle down.

Disadvantages of hybrid engines :

Disadvantages of Series Hybrids are

• The electric motors are directly connected to the wheels. Although that brings great benefit for efficiency it limits the amount of power you can get. You can’t get more power from the combustion engine because it is only meant for charging the battery.
• As I mentioned above a series hybrid goes through a series of steps to transfer useful energy. Each step is a loss of energy. You would have more energy loss than say a parallel hybrid which has less steps.
• A series hybrid has electric motors, a charger , battery pack, a generator  and controllers, all of which are heavy components, which can bring the total weight of the car up.

Disadvantages of Parallel Hybrids are :

• Because parallel hybrids both use the engine and electrical motor to power the wheels it requires a more complex drivetrain including a clutch.
• Because in parallel hybrids the engine is also connected to the wheel which means it has a wider rev range, which is not great for less wear and to be most efficient.

Conclusion

Gas and electric working together created hybrid engines and they work together well. It’s like having the best of both worlds at times. If you’re worried about the range of an electric car and the pollution of a gas engine, both work together to offer a better solution. Hybrids are also a great middle ground before you go fully electric, a great way to dip your toes in, a gateway for a fully electric future. Even Mild Hybrids offer a lot of excitement and fun in the sports/super/hypercar world.

Javaughn Barrow

Hello! My name is Javaughn Barrow, a young car enthusiast who writes all the articles for Karcandy.com. I’ve written over 50 articles about automobiles. With each article, I deepen my understanding and expertise in writing and the automotive world. Ever since childhood, I’ve always had a strong passion for cars. All types shapes and sizes were interesting to me. I’d spend most of my time after school researching cars and the more I found out about them the more exciting it was. In my teens, I created a fan page about corvettes posting content at least ten times a day! Yes, I was crazy about it. The page ended up garnering over 40k followers! After a while, I wanted more than a fan page. I wanted to express my passion differently. I wanted to create more helpful content, higher-quality content. My first car was a 2013 VW CC Sport. Learned very quickly car ownership wasn’t as expected. I spent a lot of time replacing control arms, cam position sensors, brake rotors, brake pads, etc. Walking away with more information than I knew before. As I was growing in my automotive journey I was learning about writing. Starting by writing a detailed outline about 300 words long then I would pay a professional to write a full 1000-word article and learn from them getting familiar with the process of writing. The moment I realized I could use my writing skills to express my passion for cars and help people simultaneously, I started Karcandy.com. I realized with my unique perspective coupled with my hard work discipline and work ethic I can create a space online to help bridge the gap between the complicated and simple in the automotive world. I’m motivated by the challenges and work it will take to create such a space. My work ethic is something I choose to refine and make better each day. I think it’s important to push myself and stay committed to my evolution as a human and this website is only one of the results of that.

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