JMW Global Services Group

Oklahoma City Oklahoma

To: Sarah Schroeder From: Jennifer Walker Date: February 15, 2010 Subject: Hybrid Technologies Background Information The production of hybrid vehicles has been the answer to many consumers pollution and rising gas prices concerns. A hybrid is any vehicle that uses two sources of power, rather than one, to enable an automobile to function. While car manufacturers have experimented with various power sources globally, the United States has only marketed gas-electric hybrid vehicles as of today. As the name suggests, these types of vehicles take advantage of a gasoline and electric source to make the automobile more efficient. Therefore, the following research on hybrid technologies will focus on this particular type of hybrid. In car manufacturing, a useful vehicle meets the following requirements: The vehicle can drive 300 miles before needing to be recharged or refueled The vehicle is simple and fast to recharge or refuel The vehicle can accelerate and drive at appropriate speeds

Gasoline Powered Vehicles - Many are familiar with gasoline powered cars. The power supply for these vehicles is gasoline, which is stored in a tank, allowing a typical car to drive a distance of about 300 miles on average with one tank of gas. A typical engine for a gasoline-powered car, say a four-cylinder engine, where four cylinders are used to convert fuel into power needed to move a car, produces more than 100hp (hp refers to horsepower, measuring how powerful the vehicle is) and allows a car to operate at speeds up to 8,000rpm (rpm refers to revolutions per minute, measuring how hard the engine must work to shift the vehicle into a gear). The transmission on a standard vehicle, the mechanism which creates power along with the engine to create power and speed, allows a car to reach speeds up to approximately 150 miles per hour while operating in a narrow range of speed. Gasoline powered cars meet the efficiency standards; however, they also experience a high amount of pollution and are more costly to refuel. Electric Powered Vehicles - In an electric powered vehicle, the power source for a car is stored in batteries, which allows a vehicle to drive between fifty and one hundred miles before needing to be recharged. Similar to an engine, these vehicles have an electric motor and can produce up to 15,000rpm and stores up to 100 kW (kW refers to kilowatts, measuring electric power of the vehicle) of power, which enables the vehicle to experience quick acceleration. The transmission for electric cars usually only requires one gear since the motor can operate up to 15,000 rpm. Although an electric power car does not pollute, but it also does not meet the standards of reaching 300 miles before needing to recharge. Hybrid Models A hybrid model takes the advantages of both of gas and electric powered vehicles while attempting to eliminate negative aspects associated with each. Parts - To understand how a hybrid car achieves this, it is important to understand the various parts in a standard model as seen in the image on the next page:

Gasoline engine (or internal combustion engine as depicted in image) - smaller in hybrids, making them produce less emissions and operate more efficiently Fuel tank similar to those in gasoline powered cars Electric Motor (or electric machine as depicted in image) very efficient mechanism as it acts as a motor and a generator, allowing it to provide a power source when needed and to conserve energy, by returning power back to the batteries when unneeded Generator (or integrated power electronic as depicted in image) similar to an electric motor Battery Pack- device used as power storage for the electric motor Transmission (depicting a 5 speed manual in image) operates similarly to transmissions on a standard cars; however, transmission styles can vary greatly on various hybrids

Hybrid Combinations - While these are parts are common mechanisms to most hybrids, the energy and gasoline source can be combined in various way. For example, in a parallel hybrid, the fuel tank supplies gasoline to the engine, while its batteries supply power to the electric motor. The engine and the motor both have the ability to turn the transmission at the same time. In a series hybrid, the gasoline engine does not directly turn the transmission. Rather, it turns a generator that either charges the batteries or powers the electric motor, which turns the transmission. Hybrid Efficiency - Hybrid cars are efficient in a number of ways. They take advantage of employing a smaller, lighter engine, so they pollute less. When hybrids need to accelerate or drive uphill, their engines resort to extra power from its battery source, rather than using gasoline. Hybrids also utilize a mechanism referred to as regenerative braking, where the vehicle captures lost energy, such as when the car is slowing down, and stores it in the battery. Hybrids automatic start and shutoff feature will shut off will save power and shut off the engine when it is not needed, such as when the car is stopped. Hybrids are also more efficient because they use fewer cylinders which require fuel to power the engine. In addition, the structure of hybrid cars and the materials used to build the vehicle are more energy efficient. Unlike gasoline powered cars, the internal components and exterior materials of hybrids are lighter, thereby saving even more energy. The frontal area of the car is smaller compared to conventional cars and their design limits masse that stick out from the car. This reduces aerodynamic drag, or the extra effort needed by the engine to drive the car through air. The tires used by hybrids also assist in eliminating drag because they are tougher and have a higher inflation pressure.

Works Cited "How Hybrids Work." HybridCars. 29-Mar-2006. HybridCars.com, Web. 13 Feb 2010. <http://www.hybridcars.com/types-systems/how-hybrids-work.html>. "Gasoline-Electric Hybrid." HowStuffWorks. Web. 13 Feb 2010. <http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/hybrid-car-hyper.jpg>. Eng, Paul. "How Do Hybrid Cars Work?." ABC News/Technology. 01 Oct 2009. ABC, Web. 13 Feb 2010. <http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Hybrid/story?id=97518&page=1>. Nice, Karim, and Julia Layton. "How Hybrid Cars Work." 20 July 2000. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://auto.howstuffworks.com/hybrid-car.htm> 14 February 2010.