Aren the Toyota & Ford systems, which integrate electric motors & ICE through a power split device, true hybrids?
Some confusion regarding the operation of today’s HEVs is understandable. The debate over series/pure/true/full hybrids versus parallel/mild/partial hybrids has continued for at least 8-10 years in both media and scientific papers. Toyota’s Prius, and all other commercially available HEVs are parallel hybrids. GM’s Volt concept is the only series hybrid being offered by OEMs that we’re aware of – and it will be years in coming. In series hybrids (like ours) there is no direct connection between the fire-breathing dragon & the wheels. This type of hybrid functions in sequence: from engine to generator, generator to batteries, batteries to electric motor. In other words, the car is propelled entirely by its electric motor. Or, as Popular Mechanics puts it in their May 2007 article “The 110 Volt Solution” by Ben Hewitt: “E-flex vehicles such as the Volt will drive their wheels with a 120-kw, 160-hp electric motor. An engine or fuel cell will run an on-board electric generator.” Now compar
