What is a hybrid?

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The hybrid drive combines different energy conversion types into kinetic energy. The most common variant consists of a combination of a combustion engine and an electric motor.
The combustion engine (operated using petrol, diesel, gas, ethanol and such like) converts chemical energy (fuel) into thermal energy (combustion by ignition of a mixture) and on into kinetic energy (turning the crankshaft).
The electric motor converts the electrical energy which, in the case of a battery, is generated by a chemical process, into a rotary movement.

Serial hybrid


 The mechanical and electrical drive trains are clearly separated from one another.
The combustion engine drives the generator to charge the energy store and supply the drive with electrical energy.
In addition, several further auxiliary generators are supplied from the electrical on-board power supply (water pump, fan, fuel pump, air-conditioning compressor etc.). The vehicle is driven by one or more electric motors.

 

Parallel hybrid

The combustion engine and the electric motor share the drive task.
Both can provide a proportion of the power required.
Supplementary use of the electric motor provides a significant increase in dynamics and more spontaneous response characteristics.
It also serves to shift the load point and thus to increase noticeably the efficiency of the combustion engine.