Modern cars require more and more advanced engines. This applies to power, efficiency, dynamic characteristics and ensuring the requirements of environmental standards. Developers are constantly improving the capabilities of modern internal combustion engines. Other sources of energy are used (hydrogen and gas engines), new types of cars (electric cars) are created, but there are unusual use cases for the good old ICE. One of them is a hybrid engine.
Conventional internal combustion engine is a
source of pollution of the atmosphere and the environment. Many of its shortcomings are deprived of an
electric motor (but it has its own). A car with a conventional motor can drive 500-600 km at one gas station, an electric car - 100-150 km at full charge. One of the attempts to resolve this contradiction is the creation of a new type of power unit, the so-called hybrid engine. To understand
what a hybrid engine is, you just need to imagine the joint work of electric and gasoline (diesel) engines. ICE rotates the generator that generates electricity, and the electric motor ensures the movement of the car.
This is just a description of the principle that is embedded in the hybrid engine. The specific implementation of the idea of such an engine can be quite diverse. It can be noted that there are three different versions of such a power unit:
-full;
-moderate;
- "plug-in".
The so-called moderate engines mainly use the internal combustion engine, i.e. a conventional engine runs in the car, and if necessary an electric motor is connected to it. This is extremely convenient, it allows you to smooth out the peak load on the engine and provide him with the most favorable working conditions. A full hybrid engine on a car uses only electricity for movement; here, in its pure form, the principle described earlier is implemented - the joint operation of two different engines. And finally, the plug-in hybrid allows you to charge the batteries you use from the mains.
The topic of a separate conversation may be the process of interaction of electric and gasoline engines during operation. It is enough to mention only that such an interaction can be realized in parallel, sequentially and sequentially-in parallel. Each of the mentioned methods has disadvantages and advantages, therefore, the choice of interaction option depends on the conditions of use of the engine on a particular car.
There are currently mass-produced hybrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius. There are cars with similar powertrains and other automakers. Such cars are most popular in North America, less in demand in Europe. Perhaps
hybrid cars in Russia will appear in the near future (serial production of the Russian hybrid car will begin - it will become an E-mobile). His presentation has already taken place, so those who wish can only wait for the start of production.
Of course, a hybrid engine will not solve all the problems of car developers. However, it can be considered an intermediate option, allowing to extend the use of traditional ICE. And to ensure its use with less pollution.