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isn't a hybrid basically like charging your car from a petrol generator? Its just the same fossil fuel going in? I heard those Lexus ones had a hilariously low mpg.
There are 3 types of hybrid:
- Mild Hybrids: Charged by braking regen and reduce fuel consumption and emissions within city type driving. Fuel is saved by not a great deal.
- Full Hybrids: Charged by braking regen or the combustion engine acting as a generator. Can run fully on either combustion or electric or a combination of the two. Fuel is saved, and IMHO the generator mode is wildly inefficient as you're combining the inefficiencies of both the combustion and the battery, but it is possible to give yourself the illusion you're doing well here... but I'm unconvinced it's real.
- Plug-in Hybrids: Charged by braking regen, combustion engine as generator, but more typically by plugging in to the grid. Can run fully on either combustion or electric or a combination of the two. This for me is the sweet spot, plugging in makes a world of difference to round trips < 10 miles where I run full electric only.
The first was the first to market and have set most people's understanding of a hybrid... but the PHEV is the one now appearing in far larger numbers and that is typically running pure electric or a very fuel efficient ratio within cities (low speeds where batteries shine).
Most parking discounts, congestion discounts, relate not just to the emissions, but to the distance the vehicle is able to do on pure electric as that influences whether people are likely to achieve the low emissions.
- Mild Hybrids: Charged by braking regen and reduce fuel consumption and emissions within city type driving. Fuel is saved by not a great deal.
Velocio-
My Full Hybrid has a CVT gearbox meaning it always runs at the best RPM for the mode Eco/Normal/Sport.
Sometimes you notice the ICE(Internal Combustion Engine) both powering the wheels and charging the battery, presumably this is where there is a slight economy gain by running the ICE at a higher power than is needed to maintain the speed.
This does mean when you accelerate the Revs stay the same the gearbox changes gear, the engine note stays the same just becoming louder which a lot of people hate.
The engine is Atkinson cycle which isn't as flexible across the rev range as Otto cycle but the motors and gearbox fill in the gaps.
Efficiency wise West Norwood through the Rotherhithe tunnel to Enfield 58mpg in an SUV with roof bars on, 44-45 mpg motorway cruising.
Dibble
isn't a hybrid basically like charging your car from a petrol generator? Its just the same fossil fuel going in? I heard those Lexus ones had a hilariously low mpg.