Gasoline Engine
This hybrid vehicle has a gasoline engine much like the one you’ll find in many shuttle buses. However the engine in a hybrid uses advanced technology working in conjunction with an electric drive motor and battery pack to increase fuel economy by as much as 40% and reduce emissions by over 30%*.
Electric Motor/Generator
The electric motor on a hybrid vehicle is very sophisticated. Advanced electronics allows it to act as a drive motor as well as a generator. For example, when it needs to, it can draw energy from the batteries to accelerate the vehicles from a stop. But acting as a generator it can also slow the vehicle down and return energy to the batteries. This function is called regenerative braking. Not only does regenerative braking recapture energy normally lost while braking, it also reduces brake wear.
Batteries
The batteries in a hybrid vehicle are the energy storage device for the electric motor. Like gasoline in the fuel tank which provides energy to the engine, the batteries provide energy to the motor / generator to help propel and accelerate the vehicle from zero to approximately 20 miles per hour.
Transmission
The transmission on a hybrid vehicle performs the same basic function as the transmission on a conventional vehicle.
* Fuel economy and reduced emissions statements have been provided by Azure Dynamics.
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