What is a hybrid vehicle?
CS Electrical And Electronics Staff answered 3 years ago
A hybrid vehicle combines any two power (energy) sources. Possible combinations include diesel/electric, gasoline/flywheel, and fuel cell (FC)/battery. Typically, one energy source is storage, and the other is the conversion of fuel to energy. The combination of two power sources may support two separate propulsion systems. Thus to be a True hybrid, the vehicle must have at least two modes of propulsion. For example, a truck that uses diesel to drive a generator, which in turn drives several electrical motors for all-wheel drive, is not a hybrid. But if the truck has electrical energy storage to provide a second mode, which is electrical assists, then it is a Hybrid vehicle. These two power sources may be paired in series, meaning that the gas engine charges the batteries of an electric motor that powers the car, or in parallel, with both mechanisms driving the car directly.