How can you maintain your hybrid car?
- Charge Battery For Electric Motor
- Regularly Check Cooling System
- Periodically Replace Engine Parts
The automotive world is shifting into a new paradigm where electric and hybrid vehicles are gradually taking over the market. Many see the benefits of switching to hybrid vehicles due to their outstanding fuel-efficiency and reduced emissions. However, many also still question the maintenance of a hybrid car.
With all the complex electronics and components these hybrid vehicles come with, the level of maintenance isn’t too far off from a traditional combustion engine-powered vehicle. These new-age electronically assisted automobiles come with several parts that are absent in a traditional combustion engine vehicle. Here’s what you need to know about maintaining a hybrid car’s components.
Charge Battery For Electric Motor
A hybrid vehicle’s battery is different from a conventional vehicle’s battery. The latter makes use of the battery’s power to keep the vehicle’s accessories running. These refer to a car’s radio, lights, and air conditioning system just to name a few. For a hybrid vehicle, the battery is used to power the electric motor.
The electric motor drives the wheels of your vehicle, together with the combustion engine. Certain hybrid vehicles have the option to solely use the electric motor at low speeds. A hybrid car’s electric motor is used to aid the combustion engine as you drive. This ultimately reduces your fuel consumption and wear of your powertrain and drivetrain parts.
To properly maintain your hybrid vehicle batteries, you would want to keep power at around 40%-65%. It’s best not to discharge them to 0% nor keep them fully charged for extended periods. This ensures that your battery and its overall capacity will last longer.
Regularly Check Cooling System
Keeping your cooling system at its peak is essential for any type of vehicle, especially for hybrid cars. An immense amount of heat is produced from a hybrid car’s energy regenerative braking system. This part of the car is responsible for converting energy – in the form of heat from braking– into power stored to the batteries.
Under constant exposure to high degrees of temperature, it’s vital that you regularly check a hybrid vehicle’s cooling system. This means ensuring that all hoses, pipes, filters, and coolants are in operating condition at all costs.
Periodically Replace Engine Parts
This should be at the top of your list when you want to talk about maintaining your hybrid vehicle or any vehicle in general. Your hybrid car will still have an internal combustion engine. It will be the main source of your drive.
For this major component, you’ll need to replace your oil, sparkplugs, radiator coolant, and air filter – periodically. There’s nothing better than having a vehicle with a healthy engine.
Key Takeaway
When it comes to the maintenance of your hybrid car versus a traditional combustion engine vehicle, the only real difference is the new electronic components. The rest of the vehicle should be maintained just like every other kind of vehicle. You’ll still need to visit your mechanic periodically to prolong the life of your hybrid vehicle. Having a cohesive maintenance schedule is key.
