Sierra Mazda’s Guide to Green Driving: Part 3
Hybrids
Los Angeles California
Hybrids use two sources of energy to power the vehicle – gas and electricity – either in combination or alternating, depending on what kind of driving you are doing. The vehicle’s computer figures out whether to use the gas or the electricity or both without you even being aware of the decision. They get better mileage because of the advanced power train, but also because of a host of other technologies used on hybrid vehicles, including regenerative braking (charging your batteries when you brake), turning off at idle speeds (they turn right back on when you step on the gas), lower profile/higher pressure tires and generally a vehicle design that emphasizes weight reduction. For a history of the Honda hybrid program and more detail on how it works, search for Ken Liu’s article on the subject.
