From the Front Desk: Just What Is a Hybrid Vehicle?

Greetings from the front desk at Wareing Sturgis Ford. Would you believe the history of the hybrid vehicle reaches back more than 100 years? In 1900, a young Ferdinand Porsche developed the Lohner-Porsche Semper Vivus, recognized as the world’s first functional full-hybrid vehicle.

In a hybrid vehicle, the two elements being combined are sources of power, and the system created can improve fuel efficiency while reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

Modern hybrid vehicles combine a gas engine, an electric motor, and a high-voltage battery. Depending on the hybrid system and driving conditions, the vehicle can use electric power, the gas engine, or a combination of both.

The vehicle’s internal systems manage the transition between electric and gas power based on factors such as speed, battery charge, acceleration, temperature, and driving conditions.

Under the right driving conditions, there is a great benefit to this combination. A hybrid offers the power and driving range of a combustion engine along with the efficiency and assistance of an electric motor. Ford offers hybrid powertrains in vehicles such as the Ford Escape and Ford Maverick.

A Little About the Battery

The electric motor is powered by a high-voltage battery. Unlike a plug-in hybrid, a conventional hybrid does not need to be plugged in to recharge its high-voltage battery. The battery is charged while driving, including through regenerative braking.

Ford provides Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Unique Component coverage for 8 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first, which includes the high-voltage battery. See the applicable Ford warranty for complete coverage details.

Whew! How’s that for a crash course in hybrid vehicles? Ferdinand would certainly be impressed.

Interestingly, Porsche’s early hybrid design used a gasoline engine to drive a generator, which supplied electricity to motors built directly into the wheel hubs.

Where Does a Hybrid Fit?

Hybrid vehicles offer a middle ground between conventional gas-powered vehicles and fully electric vehicles. They can provide excellent fuel economy and driving range without the need to plug in for routine charging.

Hybrids aren’t necessarily the best choice for every driving situation. But for those of us in the Black Hills with shorter commutes and plenty of in-town driving, a hybrid can be especially well suited. Fuel economy will vary with weather, terrain, driving habits, vehicle configuration, and other conditions.

The Ford Maverick Hybrid is a good example. Its combination of a gas engine and electric motor can provide a noticeable fuel-economy advantage, particularly in city driving, while still giving the driver the convenience of filling up at a gas station.

Stop by sometime for more details on hybrid vehicles, and one of our Sales Consultants would be happy to show you how the technology works and help you decide whether a hybrid fits the way you drive.

Thanks for reading.