The rise of hybrid cars: types, advantages and why they are a hit with taxis

A hybrid car is a vehicle that combines a combustion engine, usually petrol, with one or more electric motors and a battery. The system decides at every moment which to use, or both at once, to burn less fuel. In the city, where you are constantly braking and pulling away, the savings are greater because the car recovers energy when braking and can run in electric mode at low speeds. That is why hybrids have become one of the most common vehicles in Madrid's taxi fleet.

The key lies in three elements that work together:

• Combustion engine: provides the power on the open road and at higher speeds.
• Electric motor: helps when pulling away and accelerating, which is when a combustion engine uses most fuel, and drives the car on its own on some stretches.
• Regenerative braking: when you lift off or brake, the electric motor acts as a generator and recharges the battery with energy that a conventional car would lose as heat.

The driver does not have to do anything special: the car manages the split between the two on its own. And because the combustion engine is still there, the range does not depend on the battery.

Not all hybrids are the same. The difference lies in the size of the battery, whether it can be plugged in and how far it can travel in electric mode.

We explain the environmental labels and what they mean for driving in Madrid in Madrid's eco-taxis.

Advantages

• Lower fuel consumption in the city than an equivalent combustion car.
• Lower emissions on urban journeys, with an ECO or Zero label.
• No range anxiety: you can refuel at any petrol station.
• Smooth driving, usually with an automatic gearbox.
• Less brake wear, thanks to regenerative braking.

Drawbacks

• A purchase price slightly higher than a similar combustion car.
• On the motorway the savings are smaller, because the combustion engine does most of the work.
• Plug-in hybrids only perform well if they are charged often; otherwise the weight of the battery takes its toll.

A taxi is almost the ideal setting for a full hybrid: long hours in the city, constant stopping and starting, and unpredictable journeys where there is not always time to recharge. Add to that the municipal regulations, which have pushed the fleet towards ECO or Zero vehicles, and the reliability many of these models have shown under intensive use.

The next step, fully electric, is growing as the charging network improves; we cover it in electric taxis. And why diesel, once king of the taxi world, has lost ground is explained in diesel, chronicle of a death foretold.

Before changing your car, it is worth doing the sums. If you use it little and mostly to go into the centre or to the airport, you might be better off without it; we analyse this in own car versus taxi. For your trips to Barajas, check the fixed price for your area in the fares table and book your airport taxi without worrying about parking or labels.