The different types of Hybrid

Our Cars Ever Greener: A Bit of Clarity on Hybrid Engines

In recent years, the car market has seen a significant increase in registrations of hybrid vehicles, which have a lower environmental impact than traditional diesel or petrol: this trend is set to grow further, given the ever-increasing sensitivity of consumers towards environmental issues and the search for alternative fuel systems to fossil fuels.

In addition to reducing polluting gas emissions, hybrid cars also have numerous other advantages, such as purchase incentives, access to limited traffic zones in cities and of course reduced fuel costs.

Precisely because of this significant increase in demand for hybrid vehicles, many (if not all) car manufacturers have begun to expand their offerings in this new sector, implementing new, increasingly advanced and efficient technologies.

Not everyone knows that hybrid vehicles are not all the same: depending on the systems they are equipped with and their level of technological advancement, they can in fact be divided into some main categories, commonly identified with the English terms “micro hybrid”, “mild hybrid”, “full hybrid” and “plug-in hybrid”, which present various differences in terms of operation.

  • “Micro hybrid” (start&stop system): this is the first step towards the development of hybrid technology, through a system that allows fuel consumption to be reduced by turning off the engine when the vehicle is stationary. It is not actually a true hybrid, as there is no electric motor dedicated to the movement of the vehicle: rather, it is an enhancement of the electrical system, aimed at improving the efficiency of the vehicle and therefore reducing fuel consumption. This type of system increases the number of starts that the battery must be able to provide: for this reason, more efficient batteries have been developed, such as EFB (Enhanced Flooded Battery) and AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat), with better performance than traditional lead-acid batteries; it has also required the implementation of new methods for monitoring the battery status, such as the state of charge (State Of Charge – SOC) and the state of health (State Of Health- SOH): in fact, the vehicle must be able to determine at any time whether the engine is able to restart automatically when the vehicle is stationary and the engine is off .
  • “Mild hybrid” (light hybrid): these vehicles use a new technology called “passive boost”, similar to the KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System), introduced in recent years on Formula 1 car engines. Thanks to this system, an engine/generator replaces the traditional alternator and starter motor. The passive boost is able to store the energy produced during braking, to then use it both to start the internal combustion engine and to help it during acceleration. This system therefore does not allow the vehicle to be moved exclusively in electric mode. These vehicles are equipped with an AGM battery to support the additional electrically operated components. Some examples of vehicles that feature this system are Audi A4, BMW 5 Series, Audi A5, Fiat 500 Hybrid, Fiat Panda Hybrid, Ford Kuga, Kia Sportage, Kia Xceed, Land Rover Defender, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Mazda 3, Skoda Octavia, Volvo XC 90.
  • “Full hybrid” (hybrid traction): this type of vehicle is equipped with both a motor/generator with greater power than mild hybrid models, which recovers energy during deceleration and reuses it during acceleration, and a mechanism that allows the decoupling of the motor and starter generator: in this way, the vehicle can be driven by a combustion engine, an electric motor (with limited autonomy) or a combination of the two.

    These vehicles are equipped with an AGM battery to support the additional electrically operated components. Some examples of vehicles that feature this system are Ford Mondeo Hybrid, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Kona Hybrid, Kia Niro, Lexus CT, Lexus UX 184 HP, Renault Clio E-Tech Hybrid, Toyota C-HR Hybrid, Toyota Corolla Hybrid, Toyota Prius, Toyota RAV4, Toyota Yaris Hybrid.

  • “Plug-in hybrid” : these vehicles feature technology that is very similar to that of full hybrid vehicles, with the addition of a power outlet that allows the batteries to be recharged via the electrical network (charging stations or domestic sockets). These vehicles enjoy greater autonomy in fully electric mode compared to other types of hybrids. Some examples of vehicles that feature this system are the Audi A7 Sportback, BMW Serie 2 Active Tourer, Ford Kuga plug-in hybrid, Hyundai Ioniq Plug In, Kia Niro plug-in, Peugeot 3008 GT Hybrid 4, Skoda Superb iV, Toyota Prius Plug-in, Volvo S60