Hybrid cars have grown in popularity in Kenya and the world at large. They have a peculiar feature in their make in that they use an engine powered by both fuel and batteries.
Hybrid car sales rose by 33 percent to around 3.1 million in 2021. Automobile companies have embraced this technology in what is seen as a gradual shift from conventional fossil fuel engines.
Some of the common hybrid cars in Kenya are the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight. Other hybrid brands in Kenya include the Honda Fit Hybrid, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, and Lexus RX450h.
Notably, the ever-rising cost of fuel in the world is one of the reasons hybrid cars are on the rise. Hybrid cars have the capacity to use self-charged batteries that act as an alternative to fuel.
The hybrid battery is charged through regenerative braking and by the internal combustion engine. The engine switches between gasoline power and electric power.
This helps to save fuel hence making the car cost-effective. In addition, the electric motor provides more power during acceleration and when climbing inclinations.
A hybrid car also comes with a feature that automatically switches off the engine when it stops. The engine stops and restarts again after acceleration which helps in reducing idling energy, hence proving to be more consumer-friendly and efficient.
These cars are also lighter compared to the conventional ones. They are assembled using lighter materials and have a smaller engine complemented by the batteries which reduce the amount of energy used to power them.
In addition, hybrid cars are environmentally friendly. They are considered a safer option, especially at a time when the world is aiming to explore green energy.
Studies have established that hybrid cars have lower emission rates of carbon hence making them ideal options to avert the global warming threat.
Most cities in the world have advocated for the use of green energy. This is also in line with United Nations' Affordable and Clean Energy sustainable development goal (UN).
The United Nations Environmental Program(UNEP) lauded hybrid cars for the role they play in reducing the rate of emissions to the environment.
UNEP says that hybrid cars will have reduced carbon emissions by more than 60 billion tons by 2050.
