According to surveys, hybrid car sales in Spain are increasing at a rate of between 25 and 50 percent. In addition, hybrid technology has advanced and improved significantly. But, to get the most out of a hybrid you have to know how to drive it. In this video we give you 10 keys. #cars #hybrid #hybrids Become a member of this channel to enjoy benefits: / hermetic garage I confess that in the beginning I was not very attracted to thermal-electric hybrid cars. Having a car with two types of energy on board, according to my “engineering” mentality, did not seem to me, as my children said when they were little, “the best”. We are going to give advice to all of you who drive a hybrid to get the most out of it… and to get the most out of a car, a technology, the best thing is to understand it. How does a hybrid work? I have mentioned this on other occasions, but it is worth repeating: The idea of ​​a hybrid is brilliant and we are going to tell you why. Imagine that you are driving a “conventional” car. You are driving in the city and you accelerate up to 50 km/h, burning fuel to achieve this. And you come to a traffic light and you have to stop. The brakes, which are nothing more than a fixed part that rubs against another moving part, convert this energy into wear, which costs us money, and into heat, which is wasting energy. Let’s see what happens in a hybrid under identical circumstances. The first thing you should know, which most of you probably know, is that an electric motor can work as a generator… or a generator as a motor, it is the same. In this motor-generator, if you “put” electricity in, you produce movement and if you put movement in, you produce electricity. It’s that simple. So when you are going 50 km/h in our example and you stop accelerating and brake, there are two phases. In the first case, the “mechanical” brakes do not act, only the electric one, and the energy that you used to accelerate is recovered in the form of electrical energy during braking. When you use the mechanical brakes… the magic is over. But there is a third, very interesting option that modern hybrids use and that I have had the opportunity to test, very thoroughly, in several Renault models… although many other brands use it. Let me explain: Imagine that you are driving at 120 km/h. Depending on your car’s transmission, this speed corresponds to a certain speed, let’s say 3,000 rpm. But maybe on flat ground or on a slight downhill, even if you accelerate a little, the internal combustion engine produces more power… which the car uses to charge the battery. 1. Brake just enough. You have to be sensitive to know when your car is braking only in electric mode or is already using the mechanical brakes. It may seem complicated, but it is very simple and you will notice it. 2. Drive “on the sail”. With a hybrid, if you are driving at a steady speed, lift your foot off the accelerator until the car indicates that you are in electric mode… all hybrids tell you this in one way or another. 3. Smooth curves. I am not saying that you should take the curves or approach the roundabouts “like a race car”, but if possible, as my father used to say, do not “kill” the speed of the car. 4. Overtaking. Leave some distance between you and the car you are going to overtake and when you see that a gap is going to form, that there is no one behind the car you see in front of you, move the car. The idea is that when you get into the left lane you will already be going faster than the car you are going to overtake… and without doing anything stupid or taking risks, you can benefit from its slipstream. Going behind at the same speed, getting out gently and accelerating once in the left lane… is bad driving. 5. Smoothness. I often start my driving courses with this phrase: “To be a good driver and drive very well, there are only three tricks: Smoothness, smoothness, and smoothness.” 6. The car teaches you. Many hybrids, through different graphics and data, will give you key information so that you can improve. Graphics such as the energy flow and data such as instantaneous and accumulated consumption, as well as of course knowing when you are in electric, thermal or mixed mode, can help you get more out of your car. Take it as a challenge. 7. Always charge. If you have a plug-in hybrid, charge whenever you can. Even if you have an 80 percent battery or you are traveling, always charge, because the car will be faster, greener and more efficient. 8. Long climbs. I confess that this is for very, very motivated drivers. Because it involves bothering to know how your trip will be. 9. Who is smarter? This is advice especially for plug-in cars. I am sorry to disappoint you: Your car is smarter than you. 10. Conclusion: Plan ahead! In this case, I confess: I repeat myself a lot. The trick to efficient, sporty, safe, economical driving in all types of cars is planning ahead.