What Does a Hybrid Vehicle Mean?

With Ford's electric plans for the future, I thought it would be a good idea to break down some terminology that you may have already heard and will be hearing about in the upcoming months. Many people are probably already familiar with the phrase “hybrid vehicles”, but may not really understand what that really means. Ford currently has three different categories of electric vehicles which are hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and all-electric.

Hybrid Vehicles:

- A Hybrid vehicle combines the power of a traditional gasoline engine with the efficiency of a battery-powered electric motor. This helps to improve fuel economy because the vehicle is using a smaller, more efficient gasoline motor because of the electric motor.
- The battery of the electric motor is powered by regenerative braking. What this means is that when a vehicle is braking, kinetic energy is generated and then converted into electricity. Regenerative braking “captures over 90% of braking energy normally lost to heat due to friction” (Ford).
- The battery is also powered by the gasoline engine.
- An example of this kind of vehicle is the Ford Fusion Hybrid

Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles:

- A Plug-In Hybrid vehicle is very similar to how a hybrid vehicle runs and is designed. What makes the plug-in different is that it has a larger battery than a hybrid, which can then by re-charged by plugging into a normal household current. A plug-in hybrid also has the same capabilities of a regular hybrid in that it has on-board charging capabilities from regenerative braking and from the gasoline engine.
- The plug-in hybrid has a “greater range in full electric mode than a full hybrid, which helps reduce fuel consumption” (Ford).
- An example of this vehicle will be the all new Ford C-Max Energi .

All-Electric Vehicles:

- An All-Electric vehicle does not have a gasoline engine and is solely battery powered by an electric motor.
- These vehicles have a high voltage lithium-ion battery pack and can be recharged in a household current. However, separate vehicle charging stations are available to enable a faster charge.
- An example of this vehicle will be the all new 2012 Ford Focus Electric . “The powertrain provides 100% CO2-free driving, and will give Focus Electric an mpg equivalent competitive with other electric vehicles in the market” (Ford).

Ford plans to have five electric vehicles in the market by 2012. These vehicles are the Ford Focus Electric, Ford C-Max Hybrid, Ford C-Max Energi, Ford Transit Connect Electric, and one other vehicle that has yet to be revealed.