How it Works in 4 Steps

1. The gasoline engine runs a generator to produce high-voltage electric power.
2. The energy storage system captures braking energy and releases this electrical energy to help accelerate the vehicle.
3. The power management controllers meet driver demands while:
   • Maximizing energy recovered during regenerative braking (fuel savings).
   • Minimizing peak power requirements from engine/generator (more fuel savings).
4. The electric drive motors turn the vehicle’s drive shaft, which connects to the vehicle’s axle and wheels, making the vehicle move.

Get more detailed information about how energy flows through a Bluways' hybrid system.

What makes it a Hybrid?

In conventional drive systems, the main source of power comes from the mechanical energy produced by the internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine drives the wheels through a connection with a transmission. Some of the energy delivered to the drive wheels is used for acceleration. When brakes are applied, this kinetic energy converts mostly into heat in the brake pads. The brake pads experience wear and tear and this burst of energy is essentially lost. Depending on the application, over 50% of the energy delivered to the drive wheels is essentially wasted in the brake pads. Hybrid technology takes a different approach.

Making the Best Use of Energy

Hybrids are different in the way they optimize the use of energy. In hybrid drive systems, an electric motor supplements the delivery of power to the drive wheels. This reduces overall energy consumption and leverages the electric power supplied by the electric motor. Rather than “waste” the power generated during braking, a hybrid drive system recaptures this energy through a process called “regenerative braking.”

Recaptured energy can be used for acceleration and to power on-board processes such as air conditioning. This energy “recycling” increases fuel efficiency, reduces wasteful energy consumption, and also leads to lower emissions.