Approved Automotive Services have invested in the future with extensive training and in-house research into Hybrid Vehicle Service.

We currently have 4 mechanics certified to work on hybrid cars and we have even purchased an in-house training and research vehicle to sharpen our skills and continue to learn as much as we can about these economical vehicles.

Hybrid vehicles are not too different to standard petrol driven cars when it comes to servicing, although obviously there are some factors that need to be taken into account, such as the battery and electric motor. This does not mean however that servicing a hybrid vehicle should cost a lot more, or require you to return it to the dealer you bought it from. We are fully qualified to service your hybrid vehicle right here in our Newton workshop.

Hybrid vehicles recharge the batteries with the power generated by the petrol engine and the regenerative braking system harnesses further energy each time the brakes are used. So obviously it is a good idea to look after the engine and braking system to maximise the amount of energy generated as well as the life of the system. Other things that should be given close attention are wheels and tyres to ensure you are getting the full economic benefit from your hybrid vehicle.

Hybrid vehicles combine the best aspects of a petrol engine and an electric motor. Cars with Electric motors alone tend to be incredibly fuel efficient, but this comes at a cost - namely limited range. They also tend to have very long recharge times which are often a hassle.

Petrol engines are simply not very efficient. Only about a quarter of the fuel they burn is translated into the energy driving the wheels. In fact often only a small percentage of the power produced is actually used much of the time a petrol engine is running.

Hybrid vehicles utilise a petrol engine that is typically smaller than those in standard cars of similar size and combine it with an electric drive system to produce extra power when needed without using additional petrol.

Modern conventional hybrid vehicles recharge the batteries with the power generated by the petrol engine and the regenerative braking system harnesses further energy each time the brakes are used. This means the need to plug them in to recharge the batteries is removed. (Plug-in hybrids, or PHEVS differ for obvious reasons, but that is another story).

Unlike a fully electric car a hybrid vehicle is not as restricted in range, as the petrol engine will keep the battery charging as long as there is fuel in the tank.

For fully certified hybrid vehicle service in Newton you can rely on the team at Approved Automotive Services