These cars use a hybrid battery to store electric power generated when driving. The vehicle can switch back and forth between electric and gasoline power. This happens so quickly drivers often aren’t aware the advanced technological hand-off is taking place.

A hybrid battery uses regenerative braking to recharge the battery. When you press the brake, you are putting more juice in the hybrid battery. The added power allows the vehicle to run solely on the hybrid battery for longer periods of time, and the gasoline engine, therefore, does far less work. That is the primary reason that drivers of vehicles with hybrid batteries see 20 to 35% better fuel efficiency than do drivers of vehicles propelled solely by a gasoline engine.

If you look inside a hybrid battery you will see two electrodes placed in electrolyte solutions. The electrodes are separated by a polymer film that prevents short circuits. When you turn your vehicle on it bridges the electrodes. Cars have a battery pack with many cells that work together. This creates the large amount of electricity needed to move a heavy auto.

This represents a remarkable revolution in automotive engineering. Today, millions of hybrid autos on the roads use far less fossil fuel and emit far less exhaust that harms the environment.

But hybrid battery technology is not static. Today’s hybrid batteries are far more resilient than the batteries used only a few years ago. In the event your battery does wear out, you can save with third party options or save cost with a reconditioned Toyota hybrid battery.