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How Does a Hybrid Car Work?

Hybrid cars are automobiles that run on two or more varied power sources, most often gas and electricity. Inside the car, there is a small gas engine and an electric motor, but what distinguishes a hybrid from a normal car is its battery, which captures energy that would otherwise be wasted during activities like braking. This stored energy is called upon when the car needs a boost-when accelerating, for example, or trucking up a steep hill. Hybrid cars can get up to 70 miles per gallon with this extra stored energy.

Plug-in hybrids are cars that can literally get "plugged in" and charged overnight in a normal 110- or 220-volt socket, reducing the need for large volumes of costly gas; these kinds of cars are not yet commercially available, but will be rolled out as soon as 2010. These kinds of hybrids will eventually increase the fuel economy of the vehicles on the road, and cut carbon emissions.

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