Recently, I took a Honda Civic Hybrid to a get-together at a friend’s house. My friends are all gearheads, and they know gasoline cars inside-out-and-backwards. But to my surprise, the little Honda had them stumped, and they had numerous questions about it. If a car buff’s mystified by a hybrid, I reasoned, many casual car buyers will be, too; here are some frequently-asked questions regarding this relatively new method of transportation.

Q: How does a hybrid work?

A: There are different types of gasoline/electric hybrids, but the models currently available all use a small gasoline engine combined with an electric motor and a rechargeable battery pack. The gasoline engine works as it does in a conventional vehicle, but when more power is needed, such as during acceleration, the electric motor operates in conjunction with the gasoline engine. Since electric motors are all about torque, they provide this power at much lower engine speeds, and so you can get acceleration that would normally require a larger and less fuel-efficient engine. Depending on the model, the electric motor can also run the car by itself for short periods. Hybrids also have an “idle-stop” feature, which shuts off the gasoline engine when the car is sitting at idle, such as at a traffic light.

Q: Does the engine shut off every time you stop?

A: Yes, if conditions are right. For most hybrids, that means that the outside temperature must be above freezing, the gasoline engine must be at operating temperature, the battery pack must be fully charged, and the car does not have the defroster on, or the air conditioning set to maximum. The car doesn’t shut down entirely; the lights, stereo, heater, air conditioning, and power accessories such as windows and locks still work. The car is restarted automatically by the electric motor, so there’s no need to worry about premature starter wear. The benefit is that no matter how long you’re stuck in traffic, you’re not burning fuel or expelling tailpipe emissions.

Q: Do I need to switch the car from gasoline to electricity?

A: No. The vehicle does it by itself, deciding on the most advantageous time to use gasoline, electricity, or a combination of both. On some vehicles the switch will be so seamless that you’ll only know if you look at the gauges.

Q: Does a hybrid have to be plugged in?

A: Plug-in hybrids are being tested, but you don’t plug in any of the currently-available hybrid vehicles. The electric motor captures energy from the engine and braking system and stores it in the battery pack as electricity, to be used when needed. In effect, the car recharges itself.

Q: So when do I need to replace the battery, and how much will it cost?

A: There are always variables, but so far, battery life has proven itself. Current hybrids have a manufacturer’s warranty on the battery for eight years, and/or between 130,000 and 160,000 km. They last a long time because the system is set up to keep the battery in its optimal range; unlike cell phone batteries, for example, which drain and then are recharged, a hybrid’s battery is kept at a steady level. Toyota reports that while it has had a battery recycling program for dealers since it sold its first hybrids here in 1999, it has not received a single battery pack. Toyota also says that if a battery pack should need replacing out of warranty, it will be around the same price as a transaxle, or about $3,500.

Q: What if I don’t want a small car?

A: The first hybrids were restricted to smaller vehicles like the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius, but the technology has been expanded to larger vehicles, including SUVs like the Ford Escape, Saturn Vue, Toyota Highlander, and Lexus RX400h. These bigger vehicles won’t get the same fuel economy as smaller hybrids, but do better than the conventional gasoline-only models upon which they’re based. In the case of the Lexus, the hybrid system also simplifies the all-wheel drive: the rear wheels are powered by individual electric motors, instead of the conventional method of running a central driveshaft to a rear differential.

Q: What’s up with that CVT transmission?

A: Many hybrids use a continuously variable transmission, or CVT. Rather than using traditional stepped gears, a CVT uses cone-shaped pulleys with a belt between them. This allows for an infinite number of ratios between the highest and lowest gears and keeps the engine in its most efficient range, which increases fuel economy. Since hybrids are all about saving fuel, it only makes sense to mate them to a transmission that helps cut down on consumption.

Q: Sounds great! Where do I sign?

A: Not so fast. Hybrids are a viable transportation solution, but they’re only one of many, and they may not be the best choice for everyone. You need to assess your needs before you buy a hybrid.

Hybrids deliver their best fuel mileage under optimal conditions. If you accelerate hard, do a lot of highway driving, or don’t utilize the stop-idle function often, you may find that you don’t get the full benefit. Hybrids actually get better mileage in the city than they do on the highway, which is the opposite of conventional gasoline vehicles. You must adapt your driving habits to a hybrid; if you expect the hybrid to adapt to you, you will probably be disappointed in the vehicle.

Hybrids also cost more to buy, and you will have to factor that into the overall cost of owning the vehicle. Depending on the price of gasoline, the relative fuel savings and how far you drive, it may be many years before you “break even” over the cost of a conventional model, if ever. You buy a hybrid to save the planet, not your wallet. If a hybrid is right for you, you can be very happy with one; but if your driving habits aren’t hybrid-friendly, you may be very disappointed.

One of my friends at the get-together, once she’d heard about the hybrid, said that she wanted to buy one for her daily commute to work, which is about 150 km for the round trip. She travels almost exclusively on the highway, always drives about 20 km/h above the speed limit, and prefers a car that zips off the line, since she accelerates hard. She figured the hybrid would save her money. My response was that she’d undoubtedly be much happier with a small diesel engine, which gets great mileage and has a long range; given my friend’s driving habits, it would probably get just as good if not better fuel economy than a hybrid, and with a lower purchase price. And that’s the bottom line: do your research. Ask the questions, and get the answers.