On 7/28/2017 5:26 PM, Capitol wrote:
newshound wrote:
On 7/27/2017 10:59 AM, Nightjar wrote:
On 27-Jul-17 10:18 AM, NY wrote:
...
As a matter of interest, are most hybrid cars propelled entirely by
electric motors, with the power coming from either batteries or
petrol/diesel-electric generator? Or does the engine drive the wheels
*mechanically* (as in a conventional car) when you no longer need
low-pollution electric propulsion. ...

I think it varies. Some, such as the Jaguar I mentioned, use only
electric motors to drive the wheels, while others, often described as
electric assist, use either or both systems to drive the wheels. The
former is mechanically simpler and probably cheaper to implement.

If it's the former, you have the advantages of the extra control (eg
automatic acceleration profile) and of single gear ratio, with none
of the discontinuities that auto/manual gearboxes cause as you change
ratio and the dreaded surge of power when an auto box unexpectedly
changes down as you call for more power in a situation where in a
manual car I'd hold onto my present gear and simply press the
accelerator a bit further - it is this thing that I find hardest to
adjust to when driving an auto car: gauging the accelerator pressure
to give me the acceleration that I want, neither too little in a
higher gear nor too much in a lower gear.

You need to drive a better quality of auto :-)


+1. The Jazz hybrid with its CVT is superb, the only downside is that
the cabin could do with a bit more sound insulation from the engine (but
of course it is small, and based on a mid-range rather than luxury
vehicle).

The last Jazz auto she drove ran backwards on slopes at the
slightest provocation. has it been improved?

I've not had that problem, although you may need to use the handbrake
for pulling away on steeper slopes.