Not sure how a hybrid works? Learn about the nuts and bolts (and batteries) of these gas-sipping, electric green machines. Hybrid cars and other vehicles are powered by two sources: an internal combustion engine and an electric motor with a battery pack. At slower speeds, the electric motor primarily drives the hybrid car. It’s one reason why fuel economy is higher in city driving versus highway cruising, unlike a traditional vehicle. What happens when you need more acceleration or higher speeds? That’s when the hybrid vehicle switches to its gasoline engine. Frequently, both the engine and electric motor run at the same time. Thanks to supplemental power from the hybrid vehicle’s electric motor, its gasoline engine is smaller than what you’ll find in many traditional cars. That improves fuel economy without sacrificing performance. As a hybrid car, truck, or SUV coasts or slows down, its regenerative braking system generates electricity, charges the battery and stores energy. By contrast, the brakes in a conventional car create heat and friction that go to waste.

Because a hybrid vehicle has a frequent start-stop cycle, plus an electric motor that sometimes powers the vehicle instead of the gasoline engine, it doesn’t always reach the optimal operating temperature required to boil off water that gets condensed in the engine oil. The result is fuel dilution and condensation, leading to engine corrosion, increased wear and sludge. That’s why hybrid cars and other hybrid vehicles call for a different kind of protection. Valvoline Hybrid Motor Oil is engineered with exclusive Trap & Lock Technology, preventing damage by suspending water molecules in the oil to ensure proper lubrication on all metal surfaces.

When lubricants contact electrical components in a hybrid vehicle, the electric charge can cause problems. It’s one reason why hybrid vehicles need a transmission fluid fully compatible with insulating materials and coatings. Valvoline Full Synthetic Hybrid ATF is proven to maximize transmission life. Compatible with copper and the coatings on copper in hybrid transmission, it offers greater oxidation stability, insulation for the electrical current, and increased heat transfer capabilities to safeguard against transmission failure. It’s formulated to provide greater durability that can increase the efficiency of the hybrid transmission, improving the performance of the entire hybrid vehicle. What’s more, Valvoline Full Synthetic Hybrid Vehicle ATF is suitable for use in over 95% of hybrid automatic transmission vehicles.

Hybrid vehicles have enhanced battery and electrical components, placing added demands on the cooling system. That’s why hybrid cars call for a custom coolant engineered for its unique needs. Zyrex Hybrid Vehicle Antifreeze helps optimize heat transfer with a silicate-free formulation that minimizes channel blockage and prevents corrosion and battery component wear. To maximize battery life and system performance, upgrade to Zerex Hybrid Vehicle Antifreeze, guaranteed for the life of your vehicle. Explore Valvoline’s entire lineup of intelligent solutions engineered specifically for hybrid vehicles.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) are a more recent evolution, accounting for a smaller number of hybrid vehicles on the road. They gain power from regenerative braking plus external charging. Toyota’s RAV4 Prime, for instance, can go about 40 miles on a single electrical charge before switching over to its hybrid engine. You can drive short distances entirely on electric power alone, saving on gasoline costs. The downside, however, is the added upfront purchase price, typically thousands of dollars more than a comparable non-plug-in hybrid vehicle, although tax credits may be available.