How Hybrid Cars Work

With gas prices ever on the rise, people are slowly beginning to make the transition from traditional gas powered vehicles to the more fuel efficient hybrid cars. It's becoming increasingly more common to see hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius or Honda Insight out on the roads.

Despite the host of benefits being touted for the hybrid, better gas mileage and better for the environment being just two, some people are still reluctant take the leap.

And rightfully so.

With the high price tags and common misconceptions that still shroud hybrid cars it can be a tough decision for anyone.

More so than the high price people aren't purchasing hybrids simply because they don't understand how hybrid cars work.

Do you have to plug a hybrid in?

How far can they drive?

They probably don't go very fast.

All common misconceptions and questions that people have because they don't know how hybrids work.

The truth is, hybrid power has been all around us for quite a while. Locomotives are often diesel-electric hybrids. Submarines are often nuclear-electric or diesel electric. Even the lowly moped combines the power of gas with the pedal power of its rider.

Hybrid cars work much in the same way.

While gas powered cars run solely on gasoline, and battery powered cars (the kind you plug in) run solely on a series of batteries, the hybrid car is an even compromise between the two.

While gas powered cars can drive long distances and are easy to fuel, the can be expensive to refuel and are harmful to the environment. On the other hand, electric cars produce little to no pollution, are cheap to refuel but can only travel short distances and can often take a long time to recharge.

But how do hybrid cars work? And how are they, as viewed by some, the best of both the gasoline and electric worlds?

Hybrid cars work in a very unique way. According to HowStuffWorks.com, hybrid cars are comprised of six main components that make them work. The gasoline engine, the fuel tank, electric motor, generator, batteries and transmission.