Hybrid Car Information

Are all-electric cars a smart investment of resources for automakers -- and the governments that sometimes subsidize them?

By Akweli Parker

I'd really like to take credit for the information below, but the truth of the matter is it comes from my friends at Plug In America. Learn more about the 12 myths about electric vehicles.

By Dave Chameides, Planet Green

For about as long as cars have been around, the thing to say when a powerful car rolls by has been: "How much horsepower are you running?" Learn more about AC Motors.

By Patrick E. George

So you've done everything you can think of: You've checked your tire pressure, carpooled, telecommuted -- maybe you even bought a hybrid. Learn more about how electric cars run cheaper.

By Jamie Page Deaton

Cars are dangerous machines. They kill more than 30,000 people per year in the United States alone. Learn more about electric cars safety issues.

By Christopher Lampton

Happily, the answer is yes -- the batteries that power electric cars (and hybrids, for that matter) can be recycled. Learn more about recycling electric car batteries.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

It's tough to get a new business off the ground. Learn more about the challenges facing the electric car industry.

By Jamie Page Deaton

Most people know by now what an electric car is. It's a car that runs on a battery-powered electric motor. Learn more about the difference between electric cars and hydrogen fuel cell cars.

By Christopher Lampton

Just like a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine, an electric car's motor generates power that drives the wheels to put things in motion. Learn more about how horsepower figures into electric cars.

By Patrick E. George

Coming soon to a garage near you: Electric vehicles! Big-name auto makers like Nissan, Ford, and Mitsubishi are scheduled for major EV releases in the next year or so, while small car makers are busy building small electric vehicles for short trips around the neighborhood. Learn more about how long it takes to charge an electric car.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Electric cars that run only on power stored in their batteries -- no gasoline required -- are going to hit the mass market in the United States over the next few years, thanks to the likes of Ford, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mini and a slew of others with plans on the drawing board. Learn more about charging your electric car.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

The electric car is sure to figure prominently in any conversation about green vehicles. Learn more about the top 10 electric car frequently asked questions.

By Team Planet Green

In the beginning, your main problem in keeping your electric car well-maintained is going to be finding a mechanic who knows how to do it. Learn more about more maintenance with electric cars.

By Christopher Lampton

A potentiometer is one of the parts an electric car needs to transfer power to the motor. Learn what a potentiometer in an electric car is in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Like most cars, a hybrid car's power output is measured in horsepower. And since hybrid car engines tend to be smaller than most standard car engines, hybrid cars are underpowered -- right? Maybe not.

By Jamie Page Deaton

The hybrid cars that we're familiar with use nickel metal hydride battery packs. But the next generation of hybrids, like the Chevy Volt and Fisker Karma, will use Li-ion battery cells. What's the difference?

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

For more than a decade now, people have debated the economic impact of hybrid vehicles. Will the fuel savings offset the difference in sticker price? What about expensive repair bills? What's the answer?

By Nicholas Gerbis

Motor vehicles emit several different pollutants, including particulate matter and volatile organic compounds. But just how much pollution do cars produce?

By Meghan E. Smith

Once upon a time, an eco-friendly car buyer could go green and save money on taxes at the same time. You could still do that -- to an extent -- but the rules have changed.

By Linda C. Brinson

Several energy experts have made headlines for suggesting that lessening U.S. dependence on foreign oil via the purchase of electric cars is the patriotic thing to do. That may be true, but what about hybrid cars?

By Linda C. Brinson

Imagine a day when you could go out to the garage and add more power to your vehicle in a matter of minutes. It could be possible with a modular hybrid. Never heard of one? This could be what's next with hybrid vehicles.

By Josh Briggs

That smell of a new car never seems to get old. But the car itself will. When it does and it's time to sell it, you may not get much for that old conventional vehicle. But will you do better with a hybrid?

By Josh Briggs

Though all hybrid vehicles reduce gas consumption and get great mileage, they don’t all have the same types of engine. Let's take a look at some of the different technologies that make hybrids run.

By Alison Kim Perry

Does it cost more to maintain a hybrid car than a conventional gasoline-fueled car? Not really, but you could run into big trouble if your hybrid breaks down without a warranty.

By Linda C. Brinson

You probably know that a hybrid car uses both a gasoline engine and an electric motor. But greater complexity often translates into less efficiency. So how does this combination of power sources actually cut fuel use?

By John Kelly