The typical gasoline powered car contains a combustion engine, fuel tank, and transmission, whereas with the gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle, it contains the following parts:

Gasoline Engine. The engine of a hybrid car is relatively smaller than its gasoline-only counterpart. This is because of two reasons: (1) the car doesn't require a big engine since there it uses another source of power, (2) a bigger engine means larger displacement, heavier weight, and poor fuel economy; since most hybrid cars are designed for maximum fuel efficiency, the engine has to be small. (Diesel engines for diesel-electric hybrid vehicles.)

Fuel Tank. The fuel tank is the energy storage device of the gasoline engine. The size of the fuel tank on a hybrid car may be reduced since the car has to accommodate the size of the batteries.

Transmission. Most hybrid cars use the same transmission as a conventional car.

Batteries. The batteries of a hybrid car are the energy storage device for the electric motor. The batteries perform 2 functions: they send energy to the electric motor and store energy that is being captured by the generator.

Electric motor. A hybrid electric motor is very sophisticated. It can perform as a motor as well as a generator. This means, the electric motor can draw the energy from the battery to accelerate the car or to assist the gasoline engine during acceleration. The electric motor can also act as a generator by slowing the car down and store the energy back to the battery.

Generator. The generator of a hybrid car is much the same as the electric motor but it only acts to produce electric power. Generators are mostly used on series hybrids.

Hybrid electric cars can be parallel or series. Parallel hybrid cars can use the electric motor or gasoline engine to drive the transmission which turns the wheels. Or, it can use both the electric motor and the gasoline engine to drive the transmission and turn the wheels.

Series hybrids, as opposed to parallel hybrids never directly use the gasoline engine to power the vehicle. Instead, the engine turns the generator which either powers the electric motor that drives the transmission or changes the batteries.

Be it a parallel or series structure, the hybrid vehicle uses two sources of energy to provide the same performance we expect from a passenger car and increasing fuel economy at the same time.

Global warming has become a major issue in the past year. Although environmental issues are recognized, they are not given that much attention on a wider scale. Now, more and more people are becoming aware of how much mankind has affected the planet. The need for solutions is recognized more than ever to address environmental issues. Due to this hybrid cars are becoming increasingly popular to consumers.

The shift from conventional cars is not just because of environmental concerns but also due to soaring gas prices. Hybrid vehicles bridge the gap between using an SUV and caring for the environment. There have been lots of improvements in the hybrid technology as the millennium came and it will be just a matter of time before it dominates the fuel dependent dominated automobile industry.

The hybrid vehicle drive train

Hybrids come in different types depending on their structures. Although they may differ in some aspects all of them are made with the same purpose. These vehicles are designed to reduce fuel consumption, reduce pollution and noise emissions and provide an alternative for customers.

They come in three structures. The parallel hybrid system has a diesel engine and an electric motor that is connected to a mechanical transmission. A large electrical generator and a motor are combined to replace the starter motor and the alternator.

A series hybrid system has a similar design with a electric battery vehicle. It is also referred to as the Range Extended Electric Vehicle. The difference is the diesel engine drives the electric generator instead of the vehicle's wheels. The electric generator in turn charges the battery and powers the electric motor which propels the vehicle. A super capacitor or a flywheel can be added to recapture braking energy which reduces the losses in the battery.

The combined hybrid system, as it names suggests is a combination of the parallel and the series system. It is incorporated with power split devices so that the power paths placed from the engine to the wheels can be either electrical or mechanical. This is done to decouple the power supplied by the diesel engine from the power needed by the driver.

If a consumer wishes to convert his or her vehicle aftermarket kits are available. The owner has the option of buying a glider and a hybrid or an electric motor from the automaker. He or she will then receive the vehicle installed with the hybrid drive train structure.