Do all hybrids use regenerative braking?

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MB-less

Both Toyota's Synergy Drive and Honda's IMA system use regenerative braking,

I was wondering if regenerative braking was part of the "definition" of an official hybrid...

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MB-less

My understanding is there are different "levels" of hybrid such as "light", "medium" and I guess "heavy"? I believe the Insight is actually considered light. I think there was an article in Scientific American a while back about this. Anyway, there was a Chevy pickup that was marketed as hybrid but I don't think it had regen, and I think its mileage only went up from 12 to 14 but it had the unique feature of 120 VAC outlets on it.

Mike

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

mpolli -
Are you thinking of series vs parallel hybrids?

The Insight is series hybrid, where the electric motor takes the place of the flywheel on a normal internal combustion engine. The motor is a supplement to the ICE - whenever the car is moving, the ICE is always on.

The Prius is a parallel hybrid, where the electric motor is connected the ICE via a device that allows either, or both, to operate. The advantage to this system is that the ICE can stay turned off, and you can creep through traffic using electric power only.

The latest version of Honda's IMA system can only electric-only operation, but the crankshaft of the ICE is still moving, as are the pistons.

No, I read somewhere the Insight is light hybrid. Here is a reference mentioning mild, medium and full hybrid. They would seem to classify the Insight as full.

http://www.hybrid-car-central.com/Hybrid-car-Technology.html

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

120 VAC outlets aren't exactly exotic. Our Jetta has one in the back seat.

I thought regenerative braking was the whole point of a hybrid. Capture the kinetic energy of the moving car in the batteries as the car slows to a stop. Use the captured energy via the electric motor to accelerate the car back up to cruising speed. That's why they get better city mileage than highway - it's like driving along at a steady 40MPH.

If it didn't have regenerative braking, wouldn't a hybrid get worse fool mileage than a conventional gasoline car. (I'm ignoring shutting the engine off at traffic lights.)

- JimY