01-11-2009, 10:06 PM
The term you need to learn more about is regenerative braking.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=regenerative+braking
The batteries are not charged by the gasoline engine only, they are also charged by the car slowing down.
Also, in hybrids like the Prius, both the gas and electric motors can drive the wheels, so you don't convert gas to electric to motion. Gas can go directly to motion.
Edit: Hybrids work by capturing normally wasted energy and storing it in a battery and using that energy to assist (and at times replace) the the power from the gas engine.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=regenerative+braking
The batteries are not charged by the gasoline engine only, they are also charged by the car slowing down.
Also, in hybrids like the Prius, both the gas and electric motors can drive the wheels, so you don't convert gas to electric to motion. Gas can go directly to motion.
Edit: Hybrids work by capturing normally wasted energy and storing it in a battery and using that energy to assist (and at times replace) the the power from the gas engine.