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Competing drive systems for cars. Which is the most convincing?
In the last few decades, drive types for cars have evolved greatly. From the original combustion engines to hybrid and electric motors to fuel cell systems, there are now various types of engines for cars. Which one performs best depends very much on the intended use and the requirements for performance and environmental protection. In the following text, you can find out more about how they work and the advantages and disadvantages of the most common types of the drive systems currently available.
The classic car drive type: the combustion engine
Internal combustion engines are the traditional car drive systems and have been in use for decades. They work by burning fuel and generating mechanical energy that sets the engine in motion. The fuel is either fed directly into the engine or via an injection pump. The engine converts the combination of air and fuel into energy, which eventually makes the car move.
The advantages of internal combustion engines are their reliability and cost efficiency. Since they have been in use for decades, the technologies are well known and there is a lot of experience on the market. Internal combustion engines are also cost-effective compared to alternative propulsion systems.
One disadvantage of combustion engines is their poor environmental performance. The exhaust emission problem has been known to various manufacturers for decades, and they have since tried to solve this problem by developing more efficient engines, better exhaust gas control and purification systems, and finally new biofuels.
Nevertheless, even the latest engines continue to emit exhaust gases. However, the internal combustion engine still has a chance on the market, as it can pave the way for even cleaner cars. New technologies such as petrol hybrid engines or direct injection engines make it possible to extract more power from less fuel consumption. There is also promising research in the field of synthetic fuels, which could further improve the environmental effect.
However, the internal combustion engine also poses risks: Pollutant emissions have a high impact on the environment. There are also potential problems when operating the engine in high temperatures or other adverse conditions. In addition, it is not very energy efficient compared to alternative propulsion systems, which means that it consumes more fuel than other systems of equal performance.
At present, however, the combustion engine is not yet obsolete: although there are alternatives and new technologies are being developed, it should not be forgotten that the proven technology will continue to play a leading role in the automotive industry for some time. In the long term, however, the days of this drive are numbered, at the latest when a ban on the sale of new combustion engines in the EU comes into force in 2035.
An increasingly popular drive type: the electric motor
The electric motor is now one of the most popular types of drive for cars. Already about one-fifth of all newly registered vehicles in Germany have an electric drive. This is because this engine is quiet, emission-free, and highly efficient, making it much more environmentally friendly than an internal combustion engine.
It is produced by converting electrical energy into mechanical energy. The motor consists of two separate parts: the stator and the rotor. The stator is fixed and is located around the rotor. The rotor is made of magnetized metal and rotates when it is supplied with electric current.
A major advantage of the electric motor is its efficiency: it can use up to 90 percent of the energy, compared to only 25 to 30 percent for internal combustion engines. However, there are also some disadvantages of the electric motor, including the high initial investment, the limited range, and the dependence on still limited charging infrastructures.
Despite these disadvantages, the electric motor offers a great opportunity for drivers to switch to a more environmentally friendly way of traveling. More and more manufacturers are investing in the development of electric cars and coming up with new technologies to make the vehicles ever more efficient. This is probably one of the reasons why sales of electric cars have multiplied in the last decade.
Nevertheless, there are also risks in operating electric vehicles, especially when it comes to batteries: they need regular maintenance and can lose their performance or even fail over time. Recently, however, battery technology has improved significantly, so such risks have become much smaller. Electric motors have been developing steadily recently, and it seems that in the medium term, they could be ahead in the race for the best drive for cars. We'll have to wait and see what possibilities the future still has in store for us!
A powerful alternative: the hybrid engine
Hybrid engines are a combination of petrol or diesel engines and electric drive and are becoming increasingly popular. They offer drivers several advantages that distinguish them from other types of drive.
The electric motor provides energy during starting and braking, while the petrol or diesel engine is the main source of energy and powers the car in continuous operation.
One of the biggest advantages of hybrid vehicles is their fuel efficiency. Compared to normal combustion engine vehicles, hybrids can save up to 25 percent more fuel. They also have lower exhaust emissions than pure combustion engines.
Another advantage of hybrid drives is their performance. Since they have both the electric motor and the combustion engine, they can be even more powerful than conventional vehicles without consuming more fuel at the same time.
Of course, there are also disadvantages to hybrid vehicles. For example, the purchase price of a hybrid car tends to be higher than that of a conventional car, as the technology is currently still more expensive. Maintenance costs can therefore also be higher - especially when you need to replace the batteries. However, one should be aware that one can save money in the medium term through lower fuel consumption.
When it comes to opportunities and risks, the decision for or against a hybrid car has a lot to do with the respective personal lifestyle. For people who often travel in city traffic or drive plenty of short distances, an electric or hybrid car may be the right choice. For people who spend a lot of time on motorways, however, a combustion engine may currently be more suitable. Ultimately, it is up to the drivers themselves to decide which drive system best suits their needs and which makes the most sense - whether hybrids or conventional engines.
Alternative drives
The most promising alternative drive systems for cars are currently hydrogen engines and engines with fuel cells. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Hydrogen fuel cell drive
A hydrogen fuel cell drive for cars is based on the chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen to form water. This releases electrical energy that can be used to power the car.
The hydrogen is stored in a tank in the car and reacts chemically in a fuel cell together with oxygen from the air. This produces water and electrical energy. This is then used to power the engine, which in turn sets the car in motion.
One advantage of hydrogen fuel cell cars is that they are emission-free, as the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen only produces water as a waste product.
However, there are also some challenges in using hydrogens, such as the need to store them at high pressure and the fact that there are currently not very many hydrogen filling stations. In addition, hydrogen is currently still expensive - and most of it is not yet produced in an environmentally friendly way.
Hydrogen drive
A hydrogen drive works similarly to a hydrogen fuel cell drive, using hydrogen as a fuel to generate electrical energy. The main difference is that the chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen does not take place in a fuel cell but in an internal combustion engine.
Again, the hydrogen is stored in a tank in the car and then fed into the engine, where it reacts with oxygen from the air. This produces water vapor, which sets the engine in motion. The internal combustion engine then drives a generator, which in turn produces electricity that is used to power the car.
Hydrogen drives are usually more powerful than fuel cell drives and can also accelerate faster. They can also store large amounts of energy in a short time and can also be refuelled quickly because hydrogen has a high-energy density.
One disadvantage of these propulsion systems is that they are emitting, as carbon dioxide is released when hydrogen is burnt. They are therefore not as environmentally friendly as fuel cell drives, which have no emissions.
Another disadvantage of hydrogen drives is that, like fuel cell drives, they are still expensive. There are also not yet very many hydrogen filling stations, so it can still be difficult for hydrogen cars to fill up at present.
Which type of drive has the edge?
Which drive ultimately comes out on top depends on individual factors such as price and environmental awareness. But market developments and new laws can also have a long-term impact on the use of individual drives. Internal combustion engines still have a slight lead because they are cheap, and the infrastructure is optimal. But from 2035, new cars with internal combustion engines may no longer be sold in the EU, which is why the importance of electric vehicles is currently increasing. It can be assumed that car manufacturers will increasingly rely on alternative drive systems such as electric motors or, in the long run, hydrogen fuel cells.
However, the technology in the field of drive types is constantly developing. It is possible that in the future there will be new types of drive that will come out ahead when it comes to future viability, environmental protection, range, and costs. It is, therefore, worth keeping an eye on developments in this area.
In any case, the automotive sector is in upheaval, which brings new opportunities but also challenges. If you need the support of automotive experts in this process, please feel free to contact us!