History Of Hybrid Cars

Hybrid car is the hybrid vehicle that uses two or more sources of power for proper functioning and moving. The hybrid vehicles have an electric motor, in addition to a combustion engine, to generate power to move the vehicle.

A hybrid vehicle combines the power generated from electric batteries and gasoline engine. These vehicles were developed when the awareness about less damaging, power generating methods were discovered. The hybrid vehicles were the solution for preserving the oil resources, increasing prices of gasoline and effects of vehicle emission on the environment. Due to their benefits, hybrid cars are now made and offered by all the leading vehicle companies.

Hybrid cars are not something invented in the recent times but have a long history. Ferdinand Verbiest in 1665 came up with the idea for the first time when he tried to run a vehicle using steam engine or by moving. Nicholas Cugnot tried to put the dean to practice in 1769. He worked on steam-powered engine and was successful in moving the vehicle at the speed of six miles an hour. It was difficult to move the vehicle for a long distance; therefore, the project did not proceed further.

In nineteenth century, Robert Anderson designed the first car powered by electricity in 1839. It was also not a proper hybrid car as it was difficult to recharge the car and it therefore had a very limited range. After a few years in 1870, David Solomon, another scientist, made a lighter motor for the hybrid vehicle. Recharging was difficult and costly, so the idea was not practical enough to put into use.

Developing good hybrid cars became a potential market for different investors. Many large motor companies started working on the project of developing Hybrid cars. For driving an electric engine in the hybrid vehicle a 28-cell battery was designed. It led to the invention of "Bersey Cabs", in 1897. These cabs used an electric motor and 40 cell battery for moving. The power system was invented and designed by Walter Bersey. These hybrid cars could easily cover a distance of fifty miles in a single charging.

In 1898, Porsche was the company that used a combined internal combustion and electric engine to derive the power. The batteries were installed in the wheel hubs of the vehicle. The vehicle could easily travel a distance of forty miles, without any recharging on a single battery.

A Belgian carmaker Pieper introduced a breakthrough idea for development of hybrid cars. The car he made used a horsepower motor and electric motor. In this hybrid vehicle, the electric motor provided the extra power to gas engine, whenever needed. The designed vehicle needed a battery pack to work properly.

Commercial Built Trucks Company introduced a substitute for battery pack. It was a four-cylinder gas engine, but the company did not produce a lot of vehicles. Hybrid cars again gained importance as a potential market. In 1969, the General Motors Company designed hybrid vehicles that used gas combustion and electric power. Volkswagen invented the switch in the hybrid vehicles that was used to switch from gasoline engine to electric motor of the vehicle. This switch helped in increasing the efficiency of vehicle.

Other hybrid vehicles were also designed till 1997. But in 1997, Toyota was the first company that developed an efficient and practical hybrid car. These hybrid cars gained popularity. After that, brand like Honda also cracked the hybrid car market and different modifications since then have made hybrid cars the first option for the customers when buying a car.