If you’re looking for a new ride in St. Louis that maximizes fuel efficiency without sacrificing performance, consider upgrading to a hybrid vehicle! At Suntrup Automotive Group, we offer new and pre-owned models from all the most popular automakers, including Nissan, BMW, Genesis, and Hyundai. While hybrid technology used to be niche and expensive, these days, almost every automaker offers a hybrid or plug-in hybrid in their lineup. If you’re wondering exactly how hybrid cars work under the hood, check out the guide below!
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So, what is a hybrid car, and how does it work? No matter what kind of hybrid you drive, it’s powered by a combination of gasoline (through an internal combustion engine) and electricity (through a secondary electric motor). These power sources work together to minimize fuel consumption and maximize your performance on the St. Charles roads. Standard hybrid models are divided into two categories: parallel and series hybrids. Here are the details:
The parallel hybrid powertrain is probably the most common. This is what people think of when they think of “traditional hybrids,” since they draw power simultaneously from the gasoline engine and the electric motor.
A series hybrid powertrain also uses an electric motor paired with a gasoline engine, but the system works a bit differently. With a series hybrid, rather than both sources powering the vehicle at the same time, only the electric motor powers the transmission. The gasoline engine acts as a power source for the electric motor. In other words, the engine powers the motor, and the motor powers the vehicle!
There’s a second type of hybrid car that’s become more popular in recent years called a plug-in hybrid or PHEV for short. Plug-in hybrids also use a combination of electric power and gasoline, but the electric motor is much larger and more powerful than on a traditional hybrid. This means that the car has to be plugged in to recharge its battery, but it also means that your ride is even more efficient and can even run on 100% electric power for short distances! If you use your vehicle primarily for the daily commute or running short errands, you’ll drastically cut down on fuel consumption.
Interested in seeing how one of our hybrid or plug-in hybrid models handles on the Fenton roads for yourself? Contact our office to set up a test drive! We’ll take care of everything and get you behind the wheel in no time. You can also contact us or check out our finance center if you’ve made up your mind and want to move forward with the buying process!
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