Whether it’s an office worker scoffing a hot cup of morning coffee before their day kicks off or Vin Diesel injecting his car’s engine with nitrous oxide so he can jump a bridge in a Fast & The Furious movie, sometimes an extra boost can make all the difference.
If you’re looking at buying a car and want to know what one of the main benefits of a hybrid is - apart from the obvious fuel savings - it’s the same concept: the car comes with a battery-charged electric motor as well as a combustion engine, the former providing the latter with an extra boost when needed.
The double bonus of a hybrid, of course, is that they also give a boost to your hip pocket because they can reduce the amount of fuel you use, and some even allow the car to use electric power alone, whenever possible (generally at low speeds, for example), switching off the internal combustion engine and thus reducing your petrol use to zero.
The hybrid power boost is especially handy for those looking at family cars that need to lug around a lot of bodies - and usually a lot of the accompanying luggage that comes with said bodies. In short, you’re doubling the number of motors in your car - one conventional, one electric.
The dual engines of a hybrid work like this: at low speeds your vehicle will engage the electric motor, and at high speeds it will engage the combustion engine, or both, while the electric battery handily recharges itself (which it also does when braking or slowing down).
When you need to climb a hill or accelerate at a greater speed, however, the electric motor gives the combustion engine a helping hand to deliver more usable torque.
Benefits of choosing a hybrid when buying a car
Although there may be some misconceptions around the power that electric motors can deliver to family cars, there can be minimal compromise in terms of performance when it comes to driving a hybrid.
Any concerns about getting to a charging station before your vehicle powers down are also allayed due to the ingenious inclusion of the self-charging battery and the petrol engine. A hybrid doesn’t need plugging in or charging up, indeed it drives and operates just like a normal petrol car. No more stress, but great performance and fuel economy.
Hybrids are also quiet to operate, meaning more time to hear the kids in the back seat should you buy a family car of the electrified variety.
Subaru’s Forester SUV and XV small SUV are two family cars on the Australian market that have hybrid variants, and each is a wise choice for anyone looking to lower their fuel consumption (read: everyone) - and add an extra boost to their savings, and their driving experience, every day.
CarsGuide
Paid Partnership
25 May 2021
