What Was the World's First Hybrid Car?

[CameronDella]

The world's first hybrid car was the Armstrong, assembled and manufactured by the Armstrong Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA. Its structural composition consisted of: a 6.5L opposed twin-cylinder engine with a crankshaft output connected to a flywheel motor, an electronically controlled clutch, and a semi-automatic transmission with three forward gears and one reverse gear. The engine featured side-mounted electronically controlled intake valves, while the chassis utilized a tubular frame and solid axles. The Armstrong's design allowed the engine's rotation and regenerative braking to charge the onboard battery, which could then be used for engine ignition, headlight illumination, and engine starting. As a hybrid vehicle, the Armstrong's sufficiently sized flywheel motor could also independently propel the vehicle forward.