The world is changing and it is changing at an alarming speed. Breaking into the mainstream on our highways and freeways are hybrid and electric cars. Which one is better? While it is difficult to compare the two, it all depends on your intended use of the car.
Research your next car in-depth and read the feedback and experiences of other customers on review platforms such as US-Reviews. The difference between a hybrid car and an EV (Electric Vehicle) is that EVs generate all its power from electrical sources while a hybrid car gets its power from a conventional petrol or diesel motor. For more technical insights, read the reviews of customers that have left their feedback about car parts companies.
EVs are, in essence, completely non-polluting, zero-emission vehicles, while hybrids do emit emissions – but more than half less than regular gasoline-powered vehicles. Hybrid cars can further be subdivided into plug-in hybrids. A plug-in hybrid also has a conventional petrol or diesel engine but its electric battery can also be charged by a household power outlet. Hybrid cars can use their electric power and gasoline power at the same time for enhanced performance or rely on just one power source depending on the driving type and conditions. For this reason, hybrid cars are far more popular on our roads than fully electric vehicles.
An all-electric car has some drawbacks: its battery and energy usage isn’t designed for open-road driving in all respects as an ICE or hybrid is capable. With some EVs able to tackle open road trips, those cars are still prohibitively expensive for the average American family. A hybrid vehicle suits the needs of the motoring public better for now – until full EV technology has improved to the next stage (and it will) – as they allow for city commuting on all-electric power and can switch to gasoline power when their batteries are out of charge. On the other hand, they are also better for longer trips and commutes. The gasoline engine and the electric power work together to extend the car’s driving range to more than double that of a conventional petrol- or gasoline-powered auto.
Another difference between electric cars and hybrids comes in when factoring in the cost of fuel. It is true that EVs are cheaper to run and to recharge than hybrids and gasoline-powered autos, but that does not tell the full picture of the cost of fuel. There are far fewer EV charging stations than there are gas stations. A hybrid car can drive for many more hundreds of miles than an EV as it can draw power from both power sources, while the EV has only its battery to rely on. The price of gas is rising while the cost of electricity is stable – and it will most likely remain stable for the foreseeable future to make it far cheaper to recharge than to refill.
Maintaining an EV is actually rather straightforward. Service intervals are much further apart than for hybrid cars and have much fewer parts to service. In fact, a hybrid is rather pricey when it comes to maintenance thanks to its complex dual-power source. Apart from tires, insurance covers, wear and tear items, hybrids cars still need servicing to their gasoline engines, transmission, coolants, belts, spark plugs, and other ancillary parts.
Hybrids versus electric vehicles will be a debate that will continue for many more decades, just as the debate for petrol over diesel still exists some 150 years after their creation.
