When you’re a responsible car owner about to purchase a new Vehicle, you may want the most efficient and reduced emissions while driving, which puts you in a dilemma. Should your new vehicle be a hybrid or electric?
With manufacturers now offering more variety than ever, you must know exactly what you want. We break down the main differences between the variety of hybrid and electric vehicles on the market today.
Hybrid Vehicles
While there are a few variations of the hybrid vehicle, they all offer either a gasoline or diesel engine along with an electric motor. In some cases, the driver chooses when the car is running on gas, fully electric, or both. In other cases, it is the vehicle that chooses its energy source.
Mild-hybrid vehicles, which are the simplest and most cost-effective hybrid out there, have a gas-powered engine that will shut itself off under no-load conditions, such as coasting down a hill or comping to a stop but will still produce emissions. A series hybrid comes with a downsized internal combustion engine. This is only meant to provide power at higher speeds and under higher load conditions so that it works in its ideal efficiency range.
This is the type of vehicle that most people think of when it comes to hybrids. This is also the most convenient one in terms of usability, efficiency and overall cost, especially for inner-city driving or longer journeys.
The plug-in hybrid, however, moves closer to a fully electric vehicle by offering an enlarged battery pack, which allows it to drive longer distances on a fully electric mode. For this type of vehicle, public and at-home charging stations are available, hence the name “plug-in”.
Battery-Electric Vehicles
A battery-electric vehicle uses electricity as its only source of fuel. This can be charged through an at-home charging station or public charger, producing zero-emissions at all times during their operation and determining their range through battery capacity, efficiency, aerodynamics, weather conditions, and other factors. The most popular manufacturer at this time of fully electric vehicles in the USA is Tesla Motors. You can also find models made by Nissan, General Motors or Hyundai.
With much simpler mechanics, they require less maintenance than regular, internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, providing a nearly silent operation and cheap recharges, as electricity is still cheaper than gas or diesel at this time. However, they are also more expensive than similar size hybrids or ICE-powered cars.
Now that you know the difference, what will you choose? A hybrid or electric vehicle?
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