Like everything new with cutting-edge technology in our lives, hybrid cars are subject to doubt and speculation, especially among those who are not particularly working in the automotive field. Here’s how to dispel some misconceptions about hybrid cars:
You can get an electric shock!
If you try hard enough, a gas-powered car can shock you with thousands of volts—for example, if you put your finger on the end of a spark plug that has been removed but not disconnected. In the high-voltage circuits of the power system of a hybrid car, the current reaches 650 V. This is indeed a life-threatening voltage, but in order to feel it, you need to somehow overcome the appropriate insulation and protection of cables and terminals. Unless you’re looking for trouble in the form of garage repairs, there’s no danger. The electrical networks of hybrid cars have multi-level protection, and at the slightest suspicion of a problem, this signals the threat of physical damage / for example, in an accident /, the automation interrupts the power supply directly to the battery.
Water is dangerous
No more than in cars with internal combustion engines. Even when bathing the elements on the road, there are no problems, because the battery and the main elements of the power supply are located in the cabin, in addition to the fact that they are reliably protected from moisture, and the car is generally the driest place.
They don’t work in the cold
A modern hybrid car works in all weather conditions, if only because a high-voltage electric motor and traction battery are used to start the engine, which are many times superior to a standard starter and battery. When tested in a climatic chamber, for example, Toyota RAV4 Hybrid works without problems even at -37 degrees.
They are unreliable
According to the ranking of the famous German institute TUV, Toyota Prius is ranked seventh in the overall ranking, and in the ratings of the American magazine Consumer Reports Prius C has the highest rating among all Toyota models. They are expensive to repair and maintain.
There is some truth, but it depends on what and when you have to correct. More subject to wear are the moving mechanical parts in the car, which are much less in electric hybrids, especially compared to automatic cars. Brake pads are changed less often due to regenerative engine braking, oil is less contaminated due to more even engine operation.
Batteries have a short life
If we talk, for example, about the Toyota Synergy Drive hybrid system, then its traction battery is designed for a service life equal to that of a car.