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Hybrid engines have both an electric motor and a gasoline-fueled engine.

SCIENCE BEHIND HYBRID CARS Another way to obtain a more efficient engine is to simply build a different kind of engine, and that is where hybrids come in. What exactly is a hybrid car? A hybrid vehicle uses both traditional gasoline and an electric motor. There are two types of hybrids. The first type uses gasoline to power an electric generator, which creates electrical power to move the car forward. A second type of hybrid plugs in to allow the battery to recharge. When the electric battery is drained, the engine uses gas power. Both the traditional ICE and a hybrid engine produce horsepower. In a hybrid, though, the traditional gasoline engine and the electric motor share the work of powering the car. Since electric motors are more efficient than gas motors, hybrid cars are more efficient. Most hybrid engines contain the technology that sends any unused energy back to the battery of the electric motor, a key to their superior efficiency. Hybrids have a large electric motor and a battery pack, which reduce the demand placed on the gasoline engine. This is called

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SCIENCE IN AUTOMOBILES