Perhaps you can’t go for a full electric vehicle yet, because there are not enough fast-charging points where you reside. Alternatively you may not be quite ready to make a full transition from gasoline power. Whatever the case, hybrid electric vehicles provide us with a bit of the best of both. That’s because we can use the battery for an extra burst of power, or improve the energy efficiency of the combustion engine.
130 Years of Mixed Fortunes for Hybrid Electric Vehicles
It’s quite surprising in this age of new technology how old the concept is. An American named William H Patton filed a patent for a gasoline-electric hybrid rail-car system in 1889. His series controller charged a lead-acid battery in parallel to conventional traction.
Ferdinand Porsche responded within months with a hybrid car using a gasoline motor to charge batteries driving hub-mounted motors. The beast worked well enough for Belgian Henri Pieper to produce a ‘dual power’ auto in 1905. This ran on batteries up to 15 mph, where after the main engine took over. However hybrid electric vehicles faded from the scene as engineers ‘perfected’ the combustion motor.
The Birth of Regenerative Braking After Various False Starts
We can only wonder what might have happened if they were aware of global warming back then. The 1970 federal clean car incentive program inspired development of regenerative braking. However, it took the 1989 Audi C3 100 Avant Duo to finally reignite hybrid’s fire. This innovation used a nickel cadmium battery to drive the rear wheels while a gasoline engine powered the front.
However, the intention was still to deliver an electric vehicle for city use, and a petroleum engine when out in the country. Fast-forward to the present moment where the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight are common sights on American roads. They offer us the best of both hybrid worlds. However the time will come when we no longer see them.
That will be because we have finally accepted gasoline has had its day, and the sun is rising high on non hybrid electric vehicles.
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Preview Image: Lohner Porsche Hybrid Electric Car 1889
