A lot of people wonder if a hybrid just crawls along on the highway, causing road rage left and right. Even though people know that they will have to compromise slightly on speed, many people are curious if they will be able at least travel as fast as they had been traveling in a normal car.
How fast do hybrids cars actually go? Hybrid can travel as fast as 100 miles an hour. They are able to use the gas engine in conjunction with the horsepower and torque of the electric motor to reach this high speed. For acceleration, they on average can reach 60 miles per hour in around 10 seconds. There are hybrids that are faster, but the price is much higher as a consequence.
Why are Hybrids Relatively Slower than Normal Cars?
Hybrids can be relatively slower than the average car because they are designed to save on gas, they are not designed to be muscle cars that can win drag races. Engineers that design the engines for a hybrid try their best to allow the driver to stay in the electric mode as long as possible. Nevertheless, when you need that added speed, it is there for you.
Merging can be Done Relatively Easily by a Hybrid
For instance, if you are merging, you may need a sudden burst of energy in order to acceleration fast enough to safely merge into speedy traffic on the highway. The hybrid’s onboard computer will instruct the gas engine to turn on so that you can have more power than it is able to provide solely with the electric motor.
The electric motor, nevertheless, is fine during city driving. You will never notice a lack of power while in the city if you are gentle with the pedal. Some people have the habit of thrusting the car forward once the light turns green which is silly. You might pull up behind the next vehicle quickly, and then what? You could be stuck there because the adjacent lane is blocked with traffic.
I used to drive aggressively in the city because I was so used to it. I was stomping on the gas pedal and then sometimes I would need to slam on the brakes if the light were to turn red. Now, in my hybrid, city driving causes less stress. I calmly move along with the traffic and then I never have to deal with the added g-force pushing me back into my seat each time that I felt as if I had the space to spring forward.
Do Hybrids Have Lots of Torque and Horsepower Because of the Two Motors?
When the hybrid is operating its two engines in parallel, the total torque and horsepower do increase. Nevertheless, this power is not going to be earthshattering. It could be close to that of the average vehicle but in most cases, it will be less.
When you look at the specs for a hybrid before buying it, they will list the maximum horsepower, which is calculated by adding together the horsepower from the electric motor and from the gas motor. This can be misleading because you will rarely use both motors at the same. In a city, if you are careful, the gas motor will never be activated. You will be using zero gas which is the goal of most hybrid owners.
Once you are on the highway, you will have the opportunity to really test the limits of torque and horsepower. When increasing your speed, at some point, the gas motor will kick in. In a hybrid that has parallel technology, both motors will operate at the same time providing you with max power.
Max power is actually slightly augmented due to the added torque that is in an electric motor. When comparing a normal internal combustion engine to an electric engine, you may notice that they have the same horsepower. In such a case, the car with this electric motor will actually have more force. A gas motor is slow to respond to commands of the driver for more force. The max force is available right away with an electric motor.
Just keep in mind that being forceful, and not going to necessarily mean that a car is faster. Someone can be strong, but if they do not use that strength, they are not going to accomplish anything. It is the same with a hybrid’s electric motor, it is forceful, but it takes added horsepower to utilize this available strength.
Is it Possible to Buy a Sporty Hybrid?
You can buy a sporty hybrid car. You are going to pay a lot more than you would for the traditional hybrid. Hybrids can be fast, but to own one that is designed to look and operate like a real sports car, you will have to fork out a lot more money.
The thing about getting a sporty hybrid car is that it is going to be hard for you to really enjoy the speed ability of this hybrid if you are getting a hybrid to reduce your gas consumption. The more speed that you attempt, the greater the chance that the gas motor will be activated. The two concepts do not just jive well together. Sportiness and the ability to save on gas due to the electric motor is difficult to achieve with a hybrid.
For instance, most hybrids have a very limited range. The BMW 530e IPerformance Hybrid has an electric mode range of just 29 miles. It is super fast though. It can reach 60 mph in under 6.3 seconds. This added speed is fine until you quickly dip into your gas reserves after cruising along at 146 mph on your favorite highway.
If you are looking to have the look of sportiness in a hybrid, then buying a car like the BMW 530e is a good option. It has a pleasant look to it that is sporty. It is heavier than the average BMW but the fact that you can operate it with electric only within a city is a big plus. This heaviness makes it slightly less fun to drive than other cars in this class. Nevertheless, it is perfect as an executive car since it is a hybrid that can be plugged in.
It is possible to create the atmosphere that your hybrid is sporty like the BMW model. I read about how you can get the sporty feel through sound. Your excitement level will increase just because of the sound waves that dictate that you are driving a hybrid that has been transformed into a muscle car. Of course, this illusion will be for the occupants of the car only.
Here is how to create the sound of a sporty hybrid. Go to google play and download the app called XLR8. You may have to search around for another app that is updated on a regular basis, not sure if this app is flawless. Nevertheless, when I first heard about this app, I thought that it would a strange option. Pumping fake sounds in your hybrid? I read some reviews and many people feel as if they are driving around in an exotic sports car. The app at the time of writing this article was free, so it is a cheap way to add some sportiness to your boring hybrid.
Will There Be Faster Hybrids in the Future?
There definitely will be faster hybrids showing up in the future. The average hybrid owner is around 54 years old. If manufacturers were to augment the speed, they could instantly increase their market share to include younger buyers. Men and women in their thirties can be green conscious, but they might feel better if they were to have a hybrid that was powerful enough to easily pass slower drivers on the highway.
I noticed that the Ferrari SF90 is one of those hybrids that will be able to easily spring forward with tons of horsepower. It is priced high, so you may need to be rich to purchase one. Nevertheless, if you want the speed in a hybrid, this model has 986 horsepower. It achieves this level by using three electric motors. One motor controls the rear wheels, the other two controls the front wheels.
Ok, you are probably feeling that is actually cruel for me to mention that this fast vehicle is out there. What about models that are reasonably priced and that have at least the same torque and horsepower as a regular vehicle?
Based on my research, there are manufacturers out there that experimenting with designs that will incorporate multiple motors, perhaps even several electric motors. For instance, there are patents being filed presently for variations that are related to power split configurations. A power split configuration is extremely efficient. The most promising one is the input split. This split has an internal combustion engine and also two electric motors. One variation allows each electric motor to control speed depending on the conditions.
