At one juncture or another, it is important to know the answers to the fundamental questions before driving yourself into the technicalities. Most of us have similar issues on hybrid vehicles such as: Are hybrid cars expensive to maintain? Are their batteries costly to replace? Is it safe to drive a hybrid car? And many other similar questions.
Hence, if you have these kinds of questions in your mind, this article will answer most of your queries as well as give you helpful tips on how you can maintain a hybrid car.
The Basics Of A Hybrid Car
Hybrid cars are a little bit different from the regular cars when we start comparing their routine maintenance. Apart from the systems that monitor and control the additional electric drive motor and the onboard batteries, the routine maintenance for hybrid cars is a little more lock step with your dad’s Oldsmobile. Follow my regular car maintenance schedule to ensure you have all of the basic covered.
Full hybrid cars are uniquely designed, since they can shut off the internal combustion engine and move using the electric motor under particular conditions such as the light cruising and low-speed maneuvering. So the hybrid engine does not operate as hard by minimizing wear and tear. Also, hybrid cars regularly use regenerative braking systems that can both reduce wear on the brake’s components as well as charge the batteries.
Hence, What Is The Difference?
The train varies due to the way that their internal combustion engine, the transmission, and the electric drive motor are joined to operate more or less as a whole. One component that can affect the functioning of the others is the malfunctioning part. Critical troubleshooting, repair as well as diagnosis of this system is recommended to be dealt with by a professional.
Maintenance tip:
You can inspect your transmission fluid, replace the spark plugs as well as air and fuel filters. However, delving much deeper needs specialized training.
Sophisticated Electronics
The complex electronic modules responsible for powering the electric drive engine for both regenerative braking as well as propulsion can produce a plenty amount of heat; hence, they regularly have their devoted cooling systems.
Your battery control module controls both the discharge and charge rates and the state of charge of the whole bank. These systems will use both heating and cooling systems to work consistently under most conditions.
Maintenance tip:
When engaging into the regular maintenance on your engine cooling system, always remember to take a look at the individual hoses, clamps, and pipes as well as the additional filters which might be utilized for the engine and battery heating/cooling system.
Be Safe: Beware the Orange
Hybrid vehicles are equipped with dual voltage systems. However, the electrical system a safe standard 12-volts, the drive engine and the related components use more than 100 volts. Your safety threshold is low; hence, an electrical shock having as little as 50 volts can be critical.
Your cables are wrapped in an orange casing to warn the operator as well as the technician of these high voltage circuits. The system should be depowered to maintain as well as repair these components in a safe way. This task is preferred to be performed by some experienced technicians.
Conclusion
A regular car needs a remarkably little maintenance which is one of its greatest attractions. On the other hand, a hybrid vehicle combines a regular engine with an electric motor; so a hybrid car requires more maintenance than the electric car. Before you decide on purchasing either of the two vehicles, it is important to know the kind of maintenance a particular kind of car requires.
Author Bio
Stella Grant
My name is Stella Grant . I am the founder of Speedfinal.com . Automotive is my passion, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with everyone.