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Hybrid electric vehicles--HEVs--combine a gasoline-powered combustion engine with an electric motor to offer a more environmentally-friendly driving experiences. Hybrid cars are classified according to the type of drive train or power train they feature, which determines how the engine and the motor work together to power the car. Parallel hybrids and series hybrids represent opposite ends of the spectrum and there are several key differences between these two types of hybrid drive trains.
Parallel hybrids allow both power sources to work simultaneously, allowing the optimized performance of each. While this strategy allows for increased efficiency and performance, the transmission and drive train are more complicated and expensive.
Series hybrids have only one drive train, but require two distinct energy conversion processes for all operation. These two energy conversions, gasoline to electricity and electricity to drive wheels, each have losses due to inefficiency of energy conversion.
