Hybrid Technology Indian Car Industry

Hybrid technology

The term ‘hybrid vehicle' refers to a vehicle with at least two sources of power. A ‘hybrid-electric vehicle' indicates that one source of power is provided by an electric motor. The other source of motive power can come from a number of different technologies, but is typically provided by an internal combustion engine designed to run on either gasoline or diesel fuel. The term ‘diesel-electric hybrid' refers to a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) that combines the power of a diesel engine with an electric motor. The hybrid car typically gives 1.5-2.0 times greater fuel efficiency and lower emission than the conventional petrol engines.

·        Gasoline engine: The hybrid vehicle has a smaller gasoline engine as compared to normal gasoline engines but offers better technology to increase fuel efficiency and reduce emission.

·        Fuel tank: The fuel tank in a hybrid vehicle is an energy storage device for petrol used for running gasoline engine.

·        Electric motor: The electronic motor in a hybrid car is very sophisticated. Advanced electronics is used which allows it to act as a motor as well as a generator. For example, when it needs to, it can draw energy from the batteries to accelerate the car. Apart from acting as a generator, it can slow the car down and return energy to the batteries.

·        Generator: The generator is similar to an electric motor, but it acts only to produce electrical power.

·        Battery: In a hybrid car, the battery is the energy storage device for the electric motor. The electric motor in a hybrid car puts energy into the batteries and draws energy from them.

·        Transmission: The transmission in a hybrid car performs the same basic function as the transmission of a conventional car.

Hybrid concepts

The hybrid engine runs on two concepts - parallel hybrid and series hybrids.

·        Parallel hybrids: In the parallel hybrid concept, both the engines (electric and gasoline) can provide the power to turn on the transmission and the transmission powers the wheels. Honda Insight and Toyota Prius are the vehicles which run on the parallel hybrid concept.

·        Series hybrids: In the series hybrid concept, the gasoline engine turns the generator on and the generator can either charge the batteries or power the electric motor that drives the transmission. Thus, the gasoline engine or electric motors can never directly power the vehicle.

Honda, the global leading manufacturer of hybrid vehicles, had launched Civic Hybrid in India. However, the company has stopped selling these vehicles because of lower demand. 

Other technologies

Other technologies such as fuel cell technology, cars based on electric technology, solar energy, methanol and hydrogen gas technology are also being used globally. However, these technologies are still at the development stage in India.

·        Fuel cell technology: This is an electrochemical process to create energy which uses a conversion device that converts chemicals like hydrogen and oxygen into water, and in the process, produces electricity. Although this technology is not yet commercialised, all major automobile companies like GM, Ford, Toyota, and Honda are conducting researches on this technology.

·        Electricity: - Electricity can be used as a transportation fuel to power electric battery and fuel cell vehicles. Electric vehicles (EVs) use the electricity stored in a battery as fuel. The electric motor in an EV converts electricity, usually from a battery pack, into mechanical power, in order to turn the wheels. However, EV batteries have limited storage capacity and must be replenished by plugging the vehicle into a recharging unit.

·        Methanol: Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, has been used as an alternative fuel in flexible fuel vehicles that run on M85 (a blend of 85 per cent methanol and 15 per cent gasoline). However, it is not commonly used at present because auto manufacturers are no longer producing methanol-powered vehicles. In the future, methanol could be used for providing the hydrogen necessary to power fuel cell vehicles.

·        Hydrogen: Hydrogen gas is expected to play an important role in developing sustainable transportation because it can be produced in virtually unlimited quantities using renewable resources. Pure hydrogen and hydrogen mixed with natural gas (hythane) have been used effectively to power automobiles.

·        Solar energy: Solar energy technologies use sunlight to produce heat and electricity. Electricity produced by solar energy through photovoltaic technologies can be used in conventional electric vehicles. The market for pure solar powered vehicles is limited (used for competition and demonstration) and no vehicle manufacturer is planning to manufacture these vehicles on a commercial scale.