how do hybrid-electric engines work and have much greater efficiency than standard gas engines?
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An internal combustion engine uses fuel continuously while being on, it needs to make enough power to keep the oil pump, water pump and alternator running, otherwise the engine will be damaged.
Standard gas engines also need to be reasonably powerful throughout a wide RPM range, otherwise the engine would feel “sluggish” and unpleasant to drive (like a Toyota..)
Hybrid drivetrains allow the combustion engine to be switched off when not needed, immediately saving this idle fuel consumption part.
The second bit is that hybrid drivetrains have large enough batteries to use brake energy regeneration, so instead of throwing energy away whenever you need to move slower (or stop), this energy can be captured, stored and used again to accelerate.
Lastly, you can now optimise your combustion engine for very specific RPM, because the electric motor can smooth out the sluggishness, which allow you to burn the fuel more efficiently.
The absolute most efficient way of doing this same thing, is how diesel-electric locomotives do it, running big diesel generators (which are designed to operate at a peak efficiency RPM continuously) to make electricity, and then use that electricity to run electric motors to power the train’s motion. Now you don’t need big transmissions, lots of different gears, mechanical linkages that have friction losses, etc.
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