1.

0 INTRODUCTION
A hybrid vehicle uses two or more distinct types of power, such as internal
combustion engine and electric motor e.g. in diesel-electric trains using diesel engines and
electricity from overhead lines, and submarines that use diesels when surfaced and batteries
when submerged. Other means to store energy include pressurized fluid, in hydraulic
hybrids.
However, the wide expansion of technology since the early days of hybrid
technology, this technology is not only used in trains and submarines anymore. Hybrid
technology is adapted in many types of transportation mediums including cars, motorcycles,
heavy vehicles, cranes, military off-road vehicles, ships and even aircrafts.
In Malaysia, the usage of hybrid technology is very scarce as compared to the usage
of this technology in developed countries such as Japan and America. However, in this fast
developing nation, today we can see that there is a rising usage amount of the Hybrid
Electric Vehicles such as Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic and so on.
2.0 HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES (HEV)
When the term hybrid vehicle is used, it most often refers to a Hybrid electric
vehicles. These encompass such vehicles as Toyota Prius, Toyota Yaris, Toyota Camry
Hybrid, Honda Civic Hybrid, Lexus RX 400h and many other recent vehicles which have
adopted the hybrid system.
In April 2016, over 11 million hybrid electric vehicles have been sold worldwide since
1997. Japan is the market leader with more than 5 million hybrids sold, followed by the
United States with sales of over 4 million units since 1999, Europe with about 1.5 million,
and the rest of the world with combined sales of over 500,000 hybrids (Cobb, 2016).
The usage of hybrids in Malaysia is still scarce in comparison with other countries,
however, the number of hybrids on the Malaysian roads is rising because of the quality and
citizens rising awareness towards the benefits of using this fuel efficient vehicle in todays
world. The most commonly used hybrids in Malaysia include Toyota Prius, Honda Civic and
the newest Toyota Camry.
2.1 TYPES OF HYBRID SYSTEMS
Due to its electrical characteristic, the hybrid systems come in three different
types namely the series, parallel and series/parallel.

2.1.1 SERIES HYBRID SYSTEM

The engine drives a generator, and an electric motor uses this
generated electricity to drive the wheels. This is called a series hybrid system
because the power flows to the wheels in series, i.e., the engine power and
the motor power are in series. A series hybrid system can run a small output
engine in the efficient operating region relatively steadily, generate and supply
electricity to the electric motor and efficiently charge the battery. It has two
motorsa generator (which has the same structure as an electric motor) and
an electric motor. This system is being used in the Coaster Hybrid.
2.1.2 PARALLEL HYBRID SYSTEM
In a parallel hybrid system, both the engine and the electric motor
drive the wheels, and the drive power from these two sources can be utilized
according to the prevailing conditions. This is called a parallel hybrid system
because the power flows to the wheels in parallel. In this system, the battery
is charged by switching the electric motor to act as a generator, and the
electricity from the battery is used to drive the wheels. Although it has a
simple structure, the parallel hybrid system cannot drive the wheels from the
electric motor while simultaneously charging the battery since the system has
only one motor.
2.1.3 SERIES/PARALLEL HYBRID SYSTEM
This system combines the series hybrid system with the parallel hybrid
system in order to maximize the benefits of both systems. It has two motors,
and depending on the driving conditions, uses only the electric motor or the
driving power from both the electric motor and the engine, in order to achieve
the highest efficiency level. Furthermore, when necessary, the system drives
the wheels while simultaneously generating electricity using a generator. This
is the system used in the Prius and the Estima Hybrid.
3.0 CHARACTERISTICS OF HYBRID SYSTEMS
The hybrid system has four main characteristics that differ from that of a normal
vehicle. Firstly, the system supports energy-loss reduction by automatically stopping the
idling of the engine during traffic jams or stops, thus reducing the energy that would normally
be wasted in the process.

Secondly, the hybrid also supports energy recovery and reuse system by recovering
the energy wasted during deceleration and braking by converting it into electrical energy.
This electrical energy will then be used to power the starter and the electric motor.
Besides that, the hybrid system also includes the motor assist system where the
electric motor assists the engine during acceleration. Last but not least, the hybrid system
maximizes the vehicles overall efficiency by using the electric motor to run the vehicle under
operating conditions in which the engines efficiency is low and by generating electricity
under operating conditions in which the engines efficiency is high. The series/parallel hybrid
system has all of these characteristics and therefore provides both superior fuel efficiency
and driving performance.
4.0 PROS AND CONS OF HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES
There are many benefits of using a hybrid vehicle. One of which is that the hybrid
vehicles are environmentally friendlier than conventional gas engine cars, and have
relatively lower carbon monoxide emissions. Besides that, tax deductions are available for
hybrid users in certain countries.
Next is fuel efficiency, using the hybrid system allows oil consumption to drop, which
may eventually lead to lower gas prices. The cost on fuel if one is using a hybrid car is
proven to be much lower than the conventional cars fuel cost.
However, using a hybrid vehicle also has its cons. Firstly, the performance of a hybrid
car is lower than that of a conventional vehicle because of the lack of fuel combustion in the
engine of the vehicle.
Besides that, hybrid cars will usually cost a few thousand more than the conventional
gas engine version of the same model.
5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
There are ways to overcome the disadvantages of hybrid system, for example, the
price of the hybrid system. The price of the hybrid system today is due to its relatively early
stages of development, however, multiple hybrid electric vehicle manufacturers such as
Toyota and Honda are developing a lower-cost hybrid system. This lower-cost hybrid system
will will benefit greatly from the ongoing revolution in computer simulations, computer-aided
design, and on-board computer controls. Indeed, the revolution in computers is essential to
development of lower-cost systems with good drivability.
The performance of the hybrid vehicles can be improved by changing the system to a
fully electrical aided vehicle as proposed by Elon Musk in this TESLA conference. The

performance of the current hybrid vehicles are lower than that of a conventional vehicle
because of the time and energy consumed when the hybrid engine is converting kinetic
energy into electricity. This process of conversion slows down the performance of the hybrid
vehicle and it can be solved by developing the vehicle into a fully electrical aided.
6.0 CONCLUSION
The Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) is far from a mature technology, and innovations
and improvements are coming rapidly. Improved batteries designed with high power density
for hybrid applications will start arriving soon. Hybrid systems other than the input power-split
design pioneered by Toyota 17 years ago are still in early stages of development, and
present huge opportunities to reduce cost through better designs, learning, and economies
of scale.
Thus, the HEV will benefit citizens from many aspects such as helping to reduce the
combustion of fuel in vehicles and also help reducing the release of carbon monoxide gas
into the environment. Therefore, HEV is one of the key solutions to our deteriorating world
environment.

(1276 words)

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