The term hybrid is originally from Greek, where it initially held the meanings of high spirits, violence and abuse. Later and also in all modern languages, the term primarily called something “Mixed” “of two origin” or a combination of several things.
According to this definition, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle with two different forms of energy or drive principles. Together, they solve a drive task within an application. The first part of the word hybrid, it stresses that the vehicle produces a whole composed from different parts or processes. The specificity of this composition is in the special nature of each element: on its own, they are ready-made solutions. By combining them, however, gives entirely new solutions. In plain language this means: an electric motor and a combustion engine to have its own advantages and disadvantages. By combining them in a vehicle are added together, however, its advantages and its disadvantages are reduced.
The hybrid version of a combination of internal combustion engine and an electric machine is the most common. It does in principle no matter whether the internal combustion engine is a diesel or a gasoline engine. The electric motor has an electric memory in the form of a battery, fuel cell, or super capacitors (a high performance capacitor).
Hybrid drives can increase the performance of a vehicle at low revs. In the course of the present everywhere in European environmental debate, hybrids drive but also meet a more important purpose: in the series car it is possible significantly to reduce fossil fuel consumption with the use of such a hybrid or, more simply the use of fuel saving.
The theme Hybrid drive and vehicles is so important for both economic and environmental movement that has engaged itself to the UN. In 2003, they defined the term hybrid vehicle as a vehicle in which at least two energy converters and two different energy storage systems (installed in the vehicle) are available to drive the vehicle.
