What does dual-engine car mean?
3 Answers
A dual-engine car is a highly efficient and low-consumption vehicle equipped with both an electric engine and a gasoline engine. Additionally, this type of car employs a special system to capture the energy generated during braking and stores it in the onboard battery. The electric engine consumes no energy when idle, remaining completely shut off, and it uses less energy than the gasoline engine during low-speed driving. The gasoline engine performs better at high speeds, delivering more power for the same engine weight, which means the electric engine is more effective in stop-and-go traffic during peak hours. The advantage of the gasoline engine is that it produces no exhaust emissions, reducing smog pollution levels, and it automatically starts to recharge the battery when the charge is low, eliminating the need for a power cord.
The dual hybrid car is essentially a gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle. I've been driving Toyota's hybrid version of the Camry for three years, and the most noticeable experience is that the engine hardly works in traffic jams, relying entirely on the electric motor for propulsion, with unbelievably low fuel consumption. Last month, I took a long-distance trip covering 900 kilometers on just one tank of fuel. The difference between it and ordinary hybrid cars lies in its more sophisticated intelligent control system, which allows the engine and electric motor to cooperate like a relay race—using electricity for quiet and fuel-efficient low-speed city driving, while the engine kicks in for ample power at high speeds. Many brands are now developing similar technologies, but Toyota's dual hybrid system has the best reputation, and its battery durability has stood the test of time.
My friends often ask me if hybrid cars need to be charged, but actually, there's no need to plug them in at all! Their electricity comes entirely from brake energy recovery and surplus engine power. I've studied how it works: when you brake, kinetic energy is converted into electricity and stored in the battery; at red lights, the engine automatically shuts off, and the battery powers the air conditioning; during acceleration, the electric motor kicks in first, and the engine only starts once speed picks up. This seamless transition technology reduces fuel consumption by over 30% compared to pure gasoline cars, making it especially suitable for urban commuting. Many people worry about maintenance costs, but nowadays, hybrid systems come with long warranty periods.
