There was a time not too long ago when hybrid vehicles were considered a niche vehicle and many consumers assumed that they would never find their place in the mainstream automotive industry.  Considering the variety of hybrid vehicles we see on a daily basis in our Hybrid Shop, that mindset has obviously changed significantly over the last few years.   The HEV’s success and popularity has inspired automobile manufacturers to create newer and better HEV’s to roll out to customers.

If you were to poll your neighbors about what hybrid vehicles are available, the most common response would be the Prius.  We love the Prius, it was the pioneer of the HEV market and it continues to be an extremely popular choice of HEV purchasers.  The HEV market doesn’t end there though; there are so many more options and brands available now that consumers have the opportunity to choose a hybrid  that meets their unique needs.

There are currently four different categories of hybrids that are available for purchase; fully electric vehicles, a battery electric vehicle, plug in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles.  The most common is, of course, the battery electric vehicle which category the Prius falls under.  It operates by running on electric power at lower speeds but switches over to the gasoline engine when the battery is depleted or it needs extra power or higher speeds.

The next most popular type of HEV is the plug in hybrids which are quickly making their mark on the hybrid market.  They have much larger battery packs which allows you to drive more miles exclusively using battery power.  The fully electric vehicle has some problems to overcome such as limited range and long charging times, however they have a very small environmental footprint which makes them desirable to some consumers.

The future of the HEV is in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.  It is a zero emission vehicle with water vapor as its only byproduct.  It fuels in minutes and has a range of 300 miles before needing to be refueled.  There are still some obstacles ahead before it can become a mainstream option but within a couple years we hope to see many more of these types of vehicles on the road.

We love how much the hybrid market has grown over the years which is why we are proud to say that all of us here at Good Works Hybrid Shop have been certified to repair and maintain your hybrid vehicle.  You can trust your HEV to the professionals when you come in for service or repair.