A hybrid electric vehicle or the HEV is a variant of a hybrid vehicle that performs with the integration of an electric propulsion system and a traditional combustion system. The electric powertrain process makes the vehicle achieve better fuel efficiency and performance.
There are a wide variety of hybrid electric vehicles and the types of functions each vehicle performs. However, the most common vehicle is the hybrid electric car. An HEV electric motor is powered by a gas or liquid fuel based, and an electric motor is powered by a battery.
HEVs harness engine combustion and regenerative braking to charge the battery, offering eco-friendly driving options. Various methods exist for HEV construction, with a straightforward approach involving attaching an electric motor to the car’s engine via drive belts, often with an electrical clutch replacing the conventional one. Additionally, luxury automakers like Lexus integrate advanced hybrid technology seamlessly into their lineup, exemplifying sophistication and eco-consciousness in their luxury vehicles.
To build an HEV, you need to have knowledge of automobile engineering with electrical and electronics used in automobiles. There are a lot of online courses offering good information on HEV automobiles. Then, you choose the courses which teach how to develop HEV and the power electronics course online on how to build an HEV.
You get many conversion kits in the market to convert your vehicle to HEV:
- Choose the right one as per the technician’s advice.
- Decide what type of HEV you need to convert.
- Before you build or transform the vehicle to HEV, take necessary permits and approvals from the concerned authorities; otherwise, the vehicle will be impounded.
Here are some of the variants to choose from
Hybrid series vehicle
Here the vehicle is driven in a series crossover. The fuel engine runs the generator, and the generator charges the battery. After driving a few distances, you can switch over to electric mode. Governments are bringing many benefit schemes to encourage HEV. So the future of HEV is very bright and promises good demand.
Parallel hybrid vehicle
Here the fuel engine and the electric engine are connected to work together to drive the vehicle.
Series and parallel hybrid vehicle
Here the vehicle is converted in such a way that you can drive using fuel, electricity, or a combination of both.
Plug-in hybrid
The vehicle can be driven by fuel or entirely by an electrically charged battery. Here the charging is done externally through charging points at fuel stations. You need to refit the vehicle with the components mentioned in the conversion kit. It will sometimes involve replacing your fuel tank with an electric drivetrain.
Traditional vehicles are not designed to handle a battery, so integrating an HEV kit will require much rework and design. You need to rewire the entire vehicle’s electricals to the batteries instead of an alternator. You need to set the system and control transmission units. In addition, you to install an electric generator with variable voltage circuits. Depending upon the condition of the vehicle, additional structural support will be required for the EV components.
Conclusion
With global warming rising alarmingly with an increase in fuel prices daily, a Hybrid electric vehicle is a better choice. It saves money on fuel, and carbon emission is also controlled, thus saving the environment.