DRILL OF THE MONTH

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DRILL OF THE MONTH

• HYBRID VEHICLES

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WHAT IS A HYBRID VEHICLE?

• Any vehicle which combines two or more sources of
  power.
• Examples
• Diesel electric
• Nuclear electric
• Gasoline - electric

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HYBRID STRUCTURE

• The two power sources found in hybrid
• vehicles may be combined in different
• ways, either in parallel or series
• Either one will allow the gasoline engine to shut
  down when it is not needed.

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PARALLEL HYBRID

• Gasoline motor
• Batteries which powers an electric motor
• Both can power the transmission at the same time
• Electric motor supplements the gasoline engine

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SERIES HYBRID

• Gasoline motor turns a generator
• Generator may either charge the batteries or
  power an electric motor that drives the
  transmission
• At low speeds is powered only by the electric
  motor

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HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

• Power for the electric motor is supplied by
  high-voltage nickel-metal hydride battery
• Batteries for all hybrids are produced by
  Panasonic EV Energy in Japan
• Voltage ranges from 144 volts to 650 volts of DC
  current

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HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

• High voltage wiring may color coded orange,
  bright blue or even yellow
• Batteries vary in design, however, all
  incorporate individual cells connected to one
  another

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HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
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BATTERIES

• Individual cells originally contained liquid
  potassium hydroxide
• The liquid is almost totally absorbed by the
  paper membranes inside each cell of the battery
• Because the liquid is absorbed these batteries
  are considered dry cell batteries

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BATTERIES
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HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

• Batteries are usually located in the rear of the
  vehicle under the floor of the trunk or under the
  rear seat.
• The wiring harness from the batteries usually
  runs below the floorpan of the vehicle about one
  foot in from the drivers side of the vehicle.

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HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
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BATTERY RECHARGING

• The Ni-MH batteries are recharged through a
  process call regenerative braking
• Regenerative braking takes energy from the
  forward momentum of the vehicle and captures it
  while coasting or braking.
• Occasionally batteries are recharged by the
  electric motor

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THE SILENT HYBRID

• Most gasoline engines in hybrids will shut off
  when not needed i.e. when stopped in traffic
• Most hybrids have an indicator light which may
  alert individuals to the status of the vehicle

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THE SILENT HYBRID

• When the vehicle is in this silent mode it may
  awaken without notice
• Chocking the wheels is critical to responder
  safety

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EMERGENCY PROCEDURESFIRES

• Vehicle fires can be handled following normal
  vehicle firefighting procedures
• Crews should not be shocked, even if flames are
  impinging on the battery pack itself
• Virtually all fires involving Ni-MH batteries can
  be controlled with water

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EMERGENCY PROCEDURESNi MH BATTERY PACK
PHYSICAL DAMAGE

• High-voltage circuits are color-coded either
  orange, bright blue or yellow
• Never disassemble or remove the metal cover of
  the high-voltage battery pack
• DC current is normally isolated from any contact
  with the vehicle itself theoretically in order
  to receive a shock you would have to physically
  contact two separate points within the
  high-voltage system at the same time

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EMERGENCY PROCEDURESNi MH BATTERY PACK
PHYSICAL DAMAGE

• If the high-voltage cables running under the
  vehicle were damaged the high-voltage battery is
  designed short circuit.
• This short circuit would de-energize the entire
  high-voltage battery circuit

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HYBRID VEHICLES CRASH PROCEDURES

• Hybrid vehicle identification
• Vehicle stabilization
• Access to the passenger compartment
• Shift gear selector lever (to park)
• Turn the key OFF and remove it from the
  ignition
• Check that the ready indicator light is out
• Disconnect the 12-volt battery.

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HYBRID VEHICLES OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

• A rear-end collision would destroy the most
  obvious hybrid vehicle logos
• Indicator light on the dash would help identify
• Vented c-pillar on older hybrids
• Orange wiring under the hood
• If the high-voltage battery is severely damaged
  it should be considered a hazmat incident
• This is not true, the total amount of liquid
  originally placed in the batteries is only around
  6 oz. this is almost totally absorbed by the
  paper membranes in the cells

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HYBRID VEHICLES OTHER CONSIDERATIONSKEYLESS
IGNITION SYSTEMS
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KEYLESS IGNITION SYSTEMS

• Convenience of push button start
• Systems are designed to deter theft and break-ins
• Utilize key fobs which contain a chip with an ID
  code that the vehicle must recognize
• The key fob must be in the vehicle in order for
  the car to start

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KEYLESS IGNITION SYSTEMSWhat do we do in an
emergency?

• Place the vehicle in Park and press the
  start/stop or power button.
• If possible remove the key fob from the interior
  of the vehicle this may be difficult since it
  may be in a purse or pants pocket. This will
  prevent the car from being powered up if the low
  voltage system cannot be secured.
• Disconnect the low voltage battery per department
  policy.

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COMMON MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION
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COMMON MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION
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COMMON MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION
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WHOS MAKING HYBRIDS NOW?

• Honda
• Accord
• Civic
• Insight
• Toyota
• Prius
• Camry
• Highlander
• Ford
• Escape
• Mazda
• Tribute
• Saturn
• Vue

• Lexus
• RX 400h SUV
• GS 450h
• LS 600h L
• Mercury
• Mariner SUV
• Dodge
• Ram contractors edition
• General Motors
• Silverado and Sierra
• Malibu
• Tahoe/Yukon
• Nissan
• Altima
• Versa

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WHATS IN STORE FOR THE FUTURE?

• Toyota Sienna minivan
• Chrysler Aspen
• Cadillac Escalade
• Dodge Durango
• Porsche Cayenne
• BMW X6
• Hyundai Accent
• Mercedes Benz S400

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SUMMARY

• Due to the proliferation of hybrid vehicles on
  the road today, responders must be familiar with
  how these vehicles operate, and how to handle an
  emergency which involves one of these vehicles.
• Additionally, responders must stay up-to-date
  with current vehicle technology, as it is
  continuously changing.