Two Different Engines

• Hybrid cars have two different engines, most commonly a gasoline engine and an electrical engine. How these two engines work together varies on how much power is produced from which engine.
  
  

Regenerative Braking System

• The regenerative braking system allows the hybrid car to recover energy and store it in the battery. The electric engine acts like a generator and charges the batteries while the hybrid is slowing down to stop.
  
  

Idle-Off Feature

• A hybrid car turns off its gas engine when it is not moving and turns it back on when the car begins accelerating. While you are stalled in rush-hour traffic, stopped at a traffic light or waiting in line at the drive-thru, the gas-powered engine automatically turns off.
  
  

Power Assist Ability

• The power assist ability occurs when one engine helps the other perform the full function of driving. A gasoline engine recharging the electric battery while driving is an example of power assisting.
  
  

Lightweight Materials

• Hybrid cars are produced from lightweight metals, such as aluminum and magnesium, or lightweight composite materials like carbon fiber. These lightweight materials increase the efficiency of hybrid cars, causing them to use less energy to accelerate and increase their gas mileage.
  
  

Low-Rolling Resistance Tires

• While the tires on conventional cars are deigned to provide a smooth ride, less road noise and more traction, these cause a surprising amount of drag. Hybrid cars use special tires that are both stiffer and inflated to a higher pressure than conventional tires, so they cause about half the drag of the regular tires.