# How does a hybrid car work?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-hybrid-car-work/297422>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 2, 2005, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-hybrid-car-work/297422 "2005-04-02T18:16:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![flex727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@flex727](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flex727)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-hybrid-car-work/297422/21 "2005-04-03T20:29:35Z")

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> [@GaryM](#):
>
> An excellant explaination of how all this works is located here: [http://home.earthlink.net/~graham1/MyToyotaPrius/PriusFrames.htm](http://home.earthlink.net/~graham1/MyToyotaPrius/PriusFrames.htm)

This site is extremely informative and detailed with a lot of great diagrams. Thanks for the link!

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**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-hybrid-car-work/297422/22 "2005-04-03T21:36:32Z")

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The system where an gas engine powers a generator, and that + batteries powers electric motors is called a serial hybrid.

The system Honda uses on both the Insight and the Civic hybrid (where the electric motar is used kind of like a turbo booster) is called a parallel hybrid  
The transmission is eithermanual or a cone-and-belt continuously variable system.

The Prius uses the above mentioned power split device, and lacks a transmission in the convential sense of the word.

The Prius predates Honda’s hybrids, tho Honda introduced thiers to the US first.

Brian

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