The world's first hybrid car

Maybe we are already very familiar with hybrid cars. But if we already know the first hybrid car? In 1900 Ferdinand Porsche to design an electric car by Porsche Cars and claimed to be the ancestors of the current hybrid cars. Porsche hybrid car is not due to Porsche's first car was launched after World War II.

Although known as the founder of Porsche and VW Beetle designer, Ferdinand Porsche's interest first rather than in a car engine but power, and his first job as an engineer is to make the electrical equipment in the company of Austria. In young company Porsche was asked to design an electric motor-order company that is Austrian royal carriage Jacob Lohner & Co.. Electric motors will be mounted inside the wheels. When the motor design completed in 1898, the Porsche at the request worked for Lohner, creating a moving train with a motor.

The first hybrid car. picture via autohistory.org

The electric car was very revolutionary for its time and received an award as "most innovative invention" at the Paris World's Fair in 1900. This car sold more than 300 units. These cars use electric motors in both front wheels and can go up to 31 miles per hour (50km/hours).

One of the racing variant made in 1900 can go up to 37mph (59.2km/hours), have electric motors in the four-wheel car that made Porsche claims its founder was the inventor of the 4WD car.

That makes electric cars so revolosioner Porsche is a very simple production process and energy efficiency to be gained by placing the motor directly on the axle. Without transmission, or the cables needed to transmit energy from the motor to the wheels, 83% of the energy consumed by cars used to drive a car. Yet today mobi engine at best efficiency is 40%.

One of the biggest barriers of the electric motor is battery technology. Battery the days were not able to store enough electrical energy to the long trip. Add power and distance range means to add weight. Battery also makes the car more expensive.

Porsche said in a way to generate electricity directly from the car as the car moves. In 1901 he added the gasoline engine to an electric car 4WD variant. This is the first hybrid car in the world.

Unlike current hybrid cars, which use gasoline engine never drives the wheels directly. Used solely generate electricity for electric motors. Also do not use plug-in technology that is supplying electricity from external sources. There are five produced, all made 1901. Equipped with Mercedes-Benz gasoline engine. With a series of improvements Lohner-Porsche hybrid can reach speeds of 56 mph (89.6km/hours).

At that Porsche did not see any reason to continue the project. Gasoline prices are still very cheap and the price of electric motors are still very expensive. Hybrid technology re-sticking in the late 20th century when Honda and Toyota launched their hybrid cars. Now almost all major automobile manufacturers have a hybrid car. The next question is which company is leading the current hybrid car? Maybe we'll answer the Japanese automakers, namely Toyota. Our answer is probably not wrong because of the Toyota Prius has become the world's best-selling hybrid car, for now. What about tomorrow? of course the world community that determines, as are many of the world automobile manufacturers have a quality hybrid car.