15
votes
Accepted
Can I jumpstart a non-hybrid car from a hybrid or full electric car?
There are two power systems on all electric cars (fully electric and hybrids alike). This is in conjunction with the much higher voltage battery packs which normally power the electric motors. The ...
- 147k
12
votes
2008 Ford Escape Hybrid Stop Safely Now - P1A0C
The first attempt at fixing the sudden shutdown issue was to replace the Electric Motor Cooling Pump. Since it was a recall the dealer replaced it for free.
The picture pump above is the "out the ...
- 411
11
votes
Accepted
Why do hybrids still use mechanical transmission?
It depends on the type of hybrid car you are talking about. In one type of hybrid, there will be a gasoline engine and at least one electric engine capable of driving the wheels. In this case, the ...
- 2,055
10
votes
Can I jumpstart a non-hybrid car from a hybrid or full electric car?
The other answers failed to emphasize an important point: the 12V battery on hybrid cars is not designed to start an engine, being much smaller than typical automotive starter batteries. Thus, it may ...
- 14.3k
10
votes
Accepted
Why do many hybrids have little or no trailer towing capacity?
Brake performance, or vehicle stability, not motive power are the primary concerns with trailer limits.
Why no trailers in early hybrids?
Several considerations; first is the battery. In hybrids ...
- 11.5k
10
votes
Why no exhaust gas turbine generator in hybrid vehicles?
They Exist
I was unable to find any manufacturers that have rolled out this technology into production vehicles but there are several manufacturers that have the baseline technology in R&D
Formula ...
- 32.9k
9
votes
Accepted
How do hybrid's with all-electric mode typically handle oil changes?
As race fever indicated, many modern cars, and all hybrids, will record how many hours the ICE (internal combustion engine) has been running.
It appears the Ford C-max, along with most other hybrids, ...
- 6,037
9
votes
Accepted
How does the Koenigsegg Regera work?
Well, you have posted the link to the website, where they explain it, and also give this image:
There are three E-motors. Two on the axes, and one on the same shaft as the combustion motor (C-motor), ...
- 7,037
9
votes
Accepted
Is it bad to run a chevy volt out of gas on a regular basis?
Short answer, it is bad don't do that.
Longer answer, the fuel pump is cooled by the gas in the tank and runs while the fuel system is pressurized. When you run it dry the pump can overheat which ...
- 895
8
votes
Can I jumpstart a non-hybrid car from a hybrid or full electric car?
Lots of good answers, but will clarify something for what it is worth:
All hybrid cars do have a 12V and a high voltage system. In my Prius (2009, 2003-2009 model), the 12v battery is in the boot.
...
- 81
8
votes
2006 Toyota Prius in Africa
That model of car can't recharge from a charging station. It charges the battery either from braking or by using the petrol engine as a generator.
So yes, you should in theory get the 50mpg without a ...
- 181
7
votes
Accepted
Will never charging the batteries of a hybrid electric plug-in vehicle damage it?
No, it won't get damaged. But you also shouldn't let the battery totally empty for long periods. Li-ion batteries are best stored with some charge (normally about 40% is recommended charge level for ...
- 1,168
7
votes
Accepted
Can hybrid cars be driven regularly without their battery?
No, this is not possible.
The high-voltage (HV) battery is used to start the engine. Remove this battery, and you soon find yourself unable to start the engine. The engine is started by motor-...
- 14.3k
6
votes
Accepted
Series Hybrids: Why Isn't Anyone Making Them?
I don't entirely agree with the upvoted answer. I have read somewhere (but cannot locate the source right now) that the electrical power transfer pathway is 70% efficient in Toyota Prius, whereas the ...
- 14.3k
6
votes
Will never charging the batteries of a hybrid electric plug-in vehicle damage it?
The car will charge its battery while driving, e.g. when you brake. This allows the electric motor to augment the diesel engine, reducing overall fuel usage. The result is that the charge state of the ...
- 4,412
5
votes
Toyota Prius Mk2 "gasoline only" operation mode
This is in theory possible, but I have no idea how to implement it in practice.
The Prius HSD "Hybrid Synergy Drive" has, at its transmission heart, a planetary gearset with two power inputs: One ...
- 12.4k
5
votes
Why do hybrids still use mechanical transmission?
I don't think the accepted answer answers this question acceptably. The reason for hybrid vehicles having a mechanical power transfer pathway is that mechanical power transfer has a higher efficiency ...
- 14.3k
5
votes
2010 Ford Fusion hybrid-- terrible gas mileage
The chances of you driving to match the government specified "city" cycle, well it won't happen...
Your city drive may not have the variety that the "city cycle" assumed ie X percent of highway, 3 ...
- 34.5k
4
votes
Series Hybrids: Why Isn't Anyone Making Them?
The short answer is power requirements. Most of the vehicles are parallel, or mild hybrids, some are series/parallel (Prius and Tahoe come to mind), and there are a few series ones (Chev Volt).
A ...
4
votes
Accepted
How does the Prius (2011) re-ignite the gas engine without causing too much wear on the ignition?
The Prius doesn't start traditionally. It actually has two motors, MG1 and MG2 (MG = Motor Generator.) MG1 replaces a traditional starter motor in the sense that it is responsible for spinning up ...
- 403
4
votes
Highlander Hybrid losing oil/coolant
I don't recommend driving it further; you risk packing up the cooling system if oil makes its way there.
You might want to invest in some quick tests before you buy anything:
You need to confirm if ...
- 39k
4
votes
In Toyota Prius and Ford Fusion Hybrids, at what max speed can it go with only Electricity?
Prius Gen4 (2017) apparently can go up to 72 mph with electricity only: https://priuschat.com/threads/what-is-the-max-ev-speed-no-ice.161545/ (message #5). However, that doesn't mean the tiny battery ...
- 14.3k
4
votes
Accepted
Can you pushstart a hybrid / fully electric car?
There are two reasons why a modern hybrid car could fail to start due to lack of electricity. Two reasons, because every hybrid car has two batteries (12V and HV).
One is that the 12V battery is flat....
- 14.3k
4
votes
Accepted
How hard is it / is it possible to expand batteries in a hybrid vehicle?
There are several issues with wanting to just add to the existing battery pack. The manufacturers could certainly design the car to be capable of it, but it's probably not something you can do as an ...
- 13.3k
4
votes
Can hybrid cars be driven regularly without their battery?
It's not possible - and it's probably not what you want anyway. My first Prius lasted over 350,000 miles (570,000 km) without any battery maintenance whatsoever. If there were a way to run without ...
- 223
4
votes
Accepted
Explaining why electrical and hybrid cars always have automatic transmission
In many cases, a hybrid system uses a planetary set with multiple power inputs (IC engine and [electric] motor). The power sources work individually on say the ring and the planetary carrier, while ...
- 12.4k
4
votes
Accepted
Power steering stiff after hybrid cold start at -20C
Sounds like nominal behavior of power steering fluid at -20c.
Unless there is no fluid involved with whatever that thing does to make the wheels turn, then it sounds like nominal behavior of an ...
- 474
4
votes
2010 Ford Fusion hybrid-- terrible gas mileage
TL;DR
If your car is advertised for 36 city and you are getting 32-33 then the discrepancy is only about 10% which is apparently really good. Even at 31 mpg it is just a 14% loss.
Fuel economy is ...
- 1,187
4
votes
Is driving a BMW 330e with only the gas engine detrimental to the car?
No, this vehicle as well as similar "hybrid" vehicles are designed to work this way. The gasoline-fueled part of the system will keep the batteries properly charged.
This vehicle only has a very ...
- 11.5k
4
votes
Pros and cons of driving a vehicle with a misfiring cylinder
I can relate a story from my own experience with my daughter's car. Turns out it had two bad ignition coils that caused the engine to misfire when it was raining. Did she stop when the check engine ...
- 11.5k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible