Would you believe that the history of the hybrid car reaches all the back to the 18th century when France had a steam powered motor carriage that only went 6mph. Then in the 19th century an Englishman made a car with an electric motor and a blacksmith from Vermont made an electric motor powdered carriage.

The 1800s ended with the production of hundreds of electric cars and a German by the name of Porsche manufactured a front wheel drive electric car and then later a hybrid that used internal combustion engine pared with an electric motor. This is probably the first hybrid car on record. This was the trend until Henry Ford created the first assembly line to manufacturer gas powered vehicles.

Surprisingly the US Congress began launching bills in the 1960s that stated that electric vehicles would help curb air pollution and this revamped the interest in the electric car. The tinkering back and forth over gas prices and issues with the early electric cars lead the industry through many ups and downs, but in 1997 Toyota put out the very first mass produced hybrid in Japan. It was the Toyota Prius, which didn’t make it here to the US until 2000. And the rest is as they say history. Read the rest of this entry »

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A hybrid car, simply meaning a car that uses two or more forms of power, is an excellent way to improve upon fuel economy and stay on top of the latest in automotive technology. With more and more evidence of global warming and its dire long-term effects on the planet imminent, people are looking for ways to minimize their impact on the environment.

Some people say they are intimidated by this relatively new technology, choosing to stick with the tried and true conventional gas-powered engine vehicles. But this high-tech sector of the automotive world doesn’t have to be a confusing one as it’s easy to learn the simple terms that are most commonly associated with the industry.

Terms commonly used include:

Full hybrid: This term is used to indicate a hybrid car that is able to start out at low speeds without the need for gasoline. When the car reaches speeds around 20 to 30 miles per hour, gasoline is then needed for power.
Mild hybrid: The mild hybrid is a car that is able to start out from standing still only if the combustion engine is engaged, using the electric part of the motor mainly for assisting the gas engine when more power is needed.

The mild hybrid system can be further broken down into three sub-categories: Read the rest of this entry »

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Be a real proud owner of a hybrid car! Here are some tips for you to ensure that you have a nice working car in the long run:

Hybrid Car Maintenance Tips

Batteries: Battery packs designed for hybrid vehicles are manufactured to last for the lifetime of the car. This can be as long as 150,000 to 200,000 miles and up, although warranties on batteries generally are usually between eight to ten years and vary by manufacturer.
As more and more mechanics are learning how to properly service and repair hybrid vehicles, the less owners have to take their cars back to the dealer to be serviced. Maintenance costs for hybrid cars are generally the same as they are for other vehicles, and may even be less, as there is considerably less wear and tear on these types of engines as opposed to conventional gasoline engines.
One of the best ways to avoid the need for having your car repaired for some reason is to have it serviced on a regular basis.
If you don’t plan on driving your hybrid car for a period of more than three months, experts recommend starting the vehicle for about a half hour every 90 days. Leaving the car dormant for more than three months may require a charge to the battery by a professional mechanic. Read the rest of this entry »

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