How Much Maintenance Does Your Hybrid Vehicle Require?
As the world shifts towards greener forms of energy and transportation, Hybrid vehicles have entered the market as a combination of gas-powered and fully electric vehicles. Hybrids are made much more eco-friendly by the conversion of mechanical energy into electrical energy and then back into mechanical energy. Hybrid vehicles need extra maintenance as compared to conventional vehicles, but this maintenance is mainly focused on the regenerating braking system and the batteries.
WHAT IS A HYBRID VEHICLE?
A vehicle that uses more than one propulsion mechanism- a gas-powered engine and an electric motor- is called a hybrid vehicle. These vehicles have several advantages over conventional gas-powered vehicles. They are more economical due to their dual-use of energies, environment-friendly, and hybrid vehicle owners also enjoy tax exemptions, though these vary from country to country.
How do hybrid vehicles work?
As mentioned earlier, hybrid vehicles use a conventional engine, electric motor, and a battery. When a vehicle runs on a conventional engine it charges the battery with the help of a generator.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HYBRID VEHICLES?
There are three types of hybrid vehicles. The most commonly used one is the Parallel Hybrid Vehicle and the other two are Range Extender Hybrid Vehicle and Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle.
HYBRID VEHICLE MAINTENANCE
The Electric Battery Pack
The most important thing to maintain in hybrid vehicles is the battery. The battery pack is the most important component in a hybrid vehicle. Battery pack size varies from vehicle to vehicle and they have a very long lifespan. If a battery is properly maintained it can work properly for 10-15 years or 120,000 to 150,000 miles. There are many battery pack service providers available in the market with highly trained staff. With the help of your local battery service provider you can increase the life of your battery.
The Electric Motor
The second most important component of the hybrid vehicle is the electric motor. This is the component that propels the vehicle from the battery. It can even use the vehicle’s motion to generate more power than is stored in the batteries. If the vehicle solely functions on the electric motor, it makes the driving quietly. In fact, hybrid vehicles are so quiet that they are required to have a noise generator in order to reduce the chances of pedestrians being struck by a car they cannot hear.
The Combustion Engine
The combustion engine requires the same maintenance as a traditional vehicle. The combustion engine has all the same primary parts as conventional vehicles and mainly needs a proper oil change and drive transmission maintenance.
The Regenerative Brakes
In a conventional vehicle, every time you apply your brake, energy is being wasted due to friction and heat. The hybrid vehicle’s regenerative braking system takes that energy and stores it for later use in the battery or uses it immediately to continue powering the electric motor. This pattern of braking increases the life of the brake pads by reducing heat and friction. However, they still need to be properly maintained to sustain peak performance.
The Hybrid Transmission
In hybrid vehicles, the transmission has three main functions. First, it slows down the vehicle when you apply the brakes. Second, it helps to recharge the battery. Third, it delivers power to the wheels to move the vehicle. With so many important jobs, it is important for your hybrid vehicle that you have your transmission serviced regularly. Hybrid transmission failure is more costly than conventional vehicle transmission. To increase the life of the transmission, it’s important to have the transmission fluid changed as per the recommendation from the service provider.
THE BENEFITS OF HYBRID VEHICLES
One of the main advantages of a hybrid vehicle is that it is more economical than most conventional vehicles. Naturally, these vehicles need regular maintenance for the best driving experience. The lower fuel consumption as compared to conventional vehicles make the hybrid vehicle more environmentally friendly and will save you a lot of fuel and maintenance expenses in the future.
So, if you are planning on buying a hybrid vehicle you will find yourself not only saving money, but also participating in the fight against the global climate change issue.