Not Your Average Prius

It is no secret that when you here the word "Hybrid", the picture below is the first thing that comes into mind. This is the case because the Prius (Pictured below), was the first mass-produced, record-breaking, cheap, hybrid vehicle.

This car is heavily criticized, and is the center of many jokes. This is because of its lack of power, its less-than-aggressive styling, and its super economical ("green") ways.

For many people, this car is exclusively driven by Environmentalists, and people who could care less about their vehicles sex appeal.

A common slogan for the Prius is, "I'd rather be dead than seen in one of those". But really, what is everyone so upset about?

What is a Hybrid Car?
A Hybrid car is a vehicle that has both a gasoline engine, and an electric engine onboard. The Gasoline engine is small, and extremely efficient, but lacks any sort of power. Luckily, this engine is only used to assist the electric  motor. The engine is only used at certain times, maximizing efficiency. Often, the electric motor is charged automatically, making hybrid cars require only small amounts of gasoline.


The electric motor is charged by recovering energy lost under braking. When a car is attempting to break, all engine power is going to waste as it is not needed. In hybrids, this energy is taken and stored in a battery that the electric motor can then use.

While this car may be slow, un-appealing, and the center of jokes, it was a breakthrough in modern engineering that opened the door for many new designs.

What the Prius Inspired
The Prius broke new ground, and the exact same technology in the Prius is used in car that may shock you...

 McLaren P1
The P1 is a 903bhp Hybrid Supercar made by British automaker and F1 Team McLaren. Like the Prius, the P1 uses a gasoline engine and an electric motor at different times, but this time, to maximize speed. Again, the electric motor is kinetically charged under braking, but produces 177bhp on its own, more than the amount produced by both engines in the Prius.

 Porsche 918
It's the same story at German automaker Porsche. The 918's gasoline engine produces 608bhp, less than the P1. But, the Porsche, has two electric motors, used the same way, but producing 279bhp. Like the McLaren above and the Ferrari below, the Porsche can break 210mph, and can corner as hard as a typical airplane.



Ferrari La Ferrari
Named after.. uh... itself, the La Ferrari (from Italian automaker Ferrari) carries a 789bhp gasoline engine, but uses its onboard electric motor slightly differently. The motor is charged just like the others, but instead of being automatically implemented, it is accessed by a button that says "KERS" on the steering wheel. Which stands for "Kinetic Energy Recovery System". This provides a boost of 161bhp from the electric motor at, literally, the touch of a finger. Technology taken from both the Prius and Formula 1. Never thought those two names would be included in the same sentence, did you.

Writer: Pat Wilkinson

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