Hybrid powertrains
In recent years, there has been a constant increase in sales of hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Prius or the Ford C Max. These hybrid electric vehicles are plug-in hybrids, and can be charged on the normal power grid. There are also many other variants of hybrid drives, as well as charging options for batteries on the market. Differences between the technologies can be seen, for example, in parallel and serial drives.
Function of a parallel hybrid drive
The drive of the parallel hybrid drive is based either separately on the combustion engine, the electric motor or a combination of both. The parallel hybrid is often used at higher speeds where the two-motor combination performs better.
Function of a serial hybrid drive
The serial hybrid is characterized by the fact that the combustion engine is connected before an electric motor and only drives the generator of the electric drive. The combustion engine has no mechanical connection to the drive wheels. The vehicle is driven by the electric motor at all times. Especially in city traffic with high start-stop intervals, for example in commuter traffic, this driving technology contributes significantly to reducing fuel consumption and saving CO2 emissions.
Challenges for hybrid engines
Unlike conventional vehicles, which are powered solely by a combustion engine, the combustion engine of a hybrid car runs only in certain situations and then often under low load. An increased switching frequency between the two drive technologies is then often comparable with an increased number of cold starts, depending on driving style. Particularly when frequent switching between the drive technologies while driving does not guarantee the necessary operating temperature of the engine, special requirements for the engine oil must be observed.
