Hybrid Vehicles Tutorial

New Hybrid Vehicles Increase Gas-saving Options for Consumers

Hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) combine the benefits of gasoline engines and electric motors and can be configured to obtain different objectives, such as improved fuel economy, increased power, or additional auxiliary power for electronic devices and power tools.

Some of the advanced technologies typically used by hybrids include

Regenerative Braking. The electric motor applies resistance to the drivetrain causing the wheels to slow down. In return, the energy from the wheels turns the motor, which functions as a generator, converting energy normally wasted during coasting and braking into electricity, which is stored in a battery until needed by the electric motor.

Electric Motor Drive/Assist. The electric motor provides additional power to assist the engine in accelerating, passing, or hill climbing. This allows a smaller, more efficient engine to be used. In some vehicles, the motor alone provides power for low-speed driving conditions where internal combustion engines are least efficient.

Automatic Start/Shutoff. Automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle comes to a stop and restarts it when the accelerator is pressed. This prevents wasted energy from idling.

---

More Hybrid Models Avaiable Soon

The number of hybrid vehicles available to consumers continues to grow as Ford Motor Company offers the first commercially available hybrid SUV, the Escape Hybrid, for model year 2005. Toyota Motor Corporation will also be offering hybrid versions of the Toyota Highlander and Lexus RX400 SUVs for model year 2005. Honda will be offering a hybrid version of the Accord for this model year, further increasing consumer choices for hybrid vehicles.

In addition to these new hybrids, the Honda Insight and Civic Hybrid and the Toyota Prius are still available to consumers and offer exceptional gas mileage, the best in their respective classes. These vehicles are also environmentally friendly, emitting less global warming and smog-forming emissions than most conventional vehicles. Hybrid pickup trucks are also available as General Motors Corporation continues to offer the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra hybrid pickup trucks to a limited number of fleet and commercial operators in selected areas.

More Hybrids Coming Soon
How Hybrids Get Great Gas Mileage

Gas-Saving, Low-Emission Choices
Chevy Silverado Hybrid (2005)		MPG (city/hwy)	Price (MSRP)
	Automatic(2WD)	18/21	NA
	Automatic(4WD)	17/19	NA
Full-size pickup truck First hybrid pickup with MPG certified by EPA 5-13% better gas mileage than non-hybrid version
GMC Sierra Hybrid (2005)		MPG (city/hwy)	Price (MSRP)
	Automatic(2WD)	18/21	NA
	Automatic(4WD)	17/19	NA
Full-size pickup truck First hybrid pickup with MPG certified by EPA 5-13% better gas mileage than non-hybrid version
Ford Escape HEV (2005)		MPG (city/hwy)	Price (MSRP)
	Automatic(2WD)	36/31	NA
	Automatic(4WD)	33/29	NA
Sport Utility Vehicle First hybrid SUV with MPG certified by EPA Most efficient Sport Utility Vehicle in 2005
Honda Civic Hybrid (2005)		MPG (city/hwy)	Price (MSRP)
	Automatic	48/47 47/48	NA
	5-speed manual	46/51 45/51	NA
5 passenger sedan First hybrid version of an established car model 40% better gas mileage than conventional Civic Sedan
Honda Insight (2005)		MPG (city/hwy)	Price (MSRP)
	Automatic	57/56	NA
	5-speed manual	61/66	NA
Two Seater First hybrid sold in the U.S. (introduced 2000 model year) Light-weight aluminum body Best gas mileage (manual transmission) of the three hybrids
Toyota Prius (2005)		MPG (city/hwy)	Price (MSRP)
	Automatic	60/51	NA
5 passenger sedan (Midsize passenger car) First mass-produced hybrid in the world 0-60 in 10.1 seconds

Even More Choices Coming Soon

According to automakers, consumers who care about fuel economy will have a dozen hybrid cars and trucks to choose from within the next few years. Below is a list of hybrids and their announced introduction dates.

Manufacturer	Model	Type	Estimated Date Available
Model Year 2005
Dodge	Ram Contractor Special	Fullsize Pickup	Fall 2005
Honda	Accord Hybrid	Midsize Car	Released
Lexus	RX 400h	Midsize SUV	Released
Toyota	Highlander	Midsize SUV	Released
Model Year 2006-2008
Saturn	VUE	SUV	2006
Mercury	Mariner Hybrid	Midsize SUV	2006
Nissan	Altima Hybrid	Midsize Car	2006
Chevrolet	Malibu/Equinox	Midsize Car/ SUV	2007
Chevrolet	Tahoe (AHS II)	SUV	2007
GMC	Yukon Hybrid (AHS II)	SUV	2007
Ford	Futura	Midsize Car	2007
GMC	Sierra Hybrid (AHS II)	Fullsize Pickup	2008
Chevrolet	Silverado Hybrid (AHS II)	Fullsize Pickup	2008

Sources: J.D. Power-LMC; Energy & Environmental Analysis (EEA), Inc.

The links above are to pages that are not part of the fueleconomy.gov Web site, or The Auto Channel. We offer these external links for your convenience in accessing additional information that may be useful or interesting to you.

How do hybrids get such great gas mileage?

It is no accident that the most fuel efficient vehicles in some classes for the 2005 model year are hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs). Hybrids can be configured in many different ways to achieve a variety of different objectives. They combine the best features of the internal combustion engine with an electric motor and can significantly improve fuel economy without sacrificing performance or driving range. HEVs may also be configured to provide electrical power to auxiliary loads such as power tools.

HEVs are primarily propelled by an internal combustion engine, just like conventional vehicles. However, they also convert energy normally wasted during coasting and braking into electricity, which is stored in a battery until needed by the electric motor. The electric motor is used to assist the engine when accelerating or hill climbing and in low-speed driving conditions where internal combustion engines are least efficient. Some HEVs also automatically shut off the engine when the vehicle comes to a stop and restart it when the accelerator is pressed. This prevents wasted energy from idling. Unlike all-electric vehicles, HEVs now being offered do not need to be plugged into an external source of electricity to be recharged; conventional gasoline and regenerative braking provide all the energy the vehicle needs.

Potential buyers should also be aware that the federal government is currently offering tax incentives for HEVs and other alternative fuel vehicles. Some states also offer incentives.

For fuel economy information on these vehicles, please visit the Compare Side-by-Side section.