In a modern motoring world that looks to be constantly making the shift towards safer and greener electric and hybrid technology, you may well find yourself asking: what is a hybrid car? Or, more specifically: what is a hybrid plug-in car?
Or, if you know the answer to that, then maybe you want to know more about: how do plug-in hybrid cars work?
If you're one of those people, then not to worry! With this guide, we'll more than cover the basics so that you'll be better-placed at navigating your way around this exciting technology.
PHEV Meaning
A PHEV is a type of electric car or van that runs on both a battery and an electric motor as well as a petrol or diesel engine. A PHEV typically gives you around thirty to forty miles running time on its battery-powered electric motor, after which point you'll have to switch to the petrol or diesel power source from the internal combustion engine.
This means that PHEVs can be great if you're planning on doing a lot of city driving, whilst also saving you lots of money on fuel due to the electric battery. And because they run on a petrol or diesel engine as well, they are also good for traversing long distances as you can drive hundreds of miles and still be able to fill up your hybrid car at a petrol station by the end of it.
Pros And Cons of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles
In order to help you decide whether they are the right type of vehicle for you, let's take a look at the key advantages and disadvantages of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Pros of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Able to fuel for long journeys
Whilst you'll still need to find a place to charge your vehicle, just like with a fully battery-powered electric car or van, what you also have to bear in mind with a PHEV is being able to find a petrol station when the power from your electric battery pack runs out and your hybrid vehicle switches to its internal combustion engine. This handily removes the ‘range anxiety’ that you'd get with fully electric cars which rely exclusively on battery power, whilst also meaning that you can drive for longer times and distances through the combustion engine.
Zero emissions for shorter drives
If you’re driving your PHEV car or van for short distances around the town or city and are only making use of its electric motor in 'electric mode', then not only will you be saving on fuel consumption, but you also won’t be producing any harmful tailpipe emissions - which is of course great for our environment!
Cost efficient
The upfront cost for buying or leasing any kind of electric vehicle, including hybrid cars, can be a bit more expensive than with conventional petrol and diesel cars. On the flipside, it does cost more to power your vehicle through petrol and diesel than it does through electricity. So, in the case of a hybrid, you will be making some savings after you actually start leasing it, especially if you're only planning to use it for city driving and not long distance-driving. For example, with the Hyundai IONIQ PHEV, it can cost less than £1 to charge it’s battery, delivering a maximum electric range of around 30 miles.
Cons of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Extra weight
The battery pack that's included with plug-in hybrid cars can weigh quite a bit and is bound to affect your driving experience, especially once all of the electric battery has been used up. Users often describe a hybrid car as feeling 'heavy'.
Requires charging facilities
In order to get the full benefits of fuel-saving costs that come with a plug-in hybrid, you will need to have regular access to a charging point so that you can recharge the battery at regular intervals. Whilst we can expect to see more charging points pop up across the UK, finding a charging point can often be a drawback for some would-be users.
Higher price to buy or lease
As with all electric vehicles, you will likely pay more for your PHEV upfront than you would with a petrol or diesel car, but this is counterbalanced by low running costs. You will be making savings when it comes to fuel and maintenance, assuming of course that you aren't doing many longer journeys.
What are the Differences Between PHEVs and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs)?
Compared to standard hybrid electric cars, a plug-in hybrid car has a larger battery pack with its electric motor, meaning that it can run solely on electric power for a greater distance. And whilst a plug-in hybrid car can potentially travel up to 40 miles on its battery, a regular hybrid can only manage a couple of miles before the internal combustion diesel or petrol engine kicks in and you're having to resort to petrol or diesel. The other main difference of course is that you can plug-in a PHEV to a charging point and recharge it’s electrical power from there. That's unlike an HEV, which only charges itself through regenerative braking.
What are the Differences Between PHEVs and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs)?
As mentioned, a PHEV can run for a set number of miles before having to switch to its diesel or petrol engine. That's different from fully electric cars which have an electric battery and motor and can only function on this type of electric power. This means that the battery is significantly bigger in BEVs than in PHEVs, giving them a range of anywhere from 100 to 300 miles depending on the exact vehicle model. In saying that, there do exist pure electric vehicles with a range of over 400 miles, such as the Mercedes EQS which can go for up to 485 miles on certain models.
A PHEV is certainly a step towards a fully electric BEV, whilst still giving you some of the norms of a petrol or diesel car by being able to fill it up at a petrol station and not worry about limited mileage. So, if you are thinking that a PHEV might be suitable for you, the options and model variants are growing and LeaseLoco has some incredible lease deals available.
Feel free to search through our Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle deals right now.
Leasing With LeaseLoco
Looking to search and compare the hottest hybrid electric vehicle lease deals? LeaseLoco has the hottest deals on the market, helping you bag a bargain on a brand new car or van for low fixed monthly payments with high-quality leasing companies.
If you are looking for some more information about electric car leasing then we have a handy EV & hybrid page and more helpful leasing guides for you to read through at your pleasure!
FAQs
Are all hybrid cars plug-ins?
Not at all. As discussed, there are also hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) which do not have any plug-in charging capabilities and only charge themselves through regenerative braking.
Is a plug-in hybrid car worth it?
That depends on you! A plug-in hybrid vehicle can be a great option if you want the benefits of both electric and petrol and diesel cars but without having to commit fully to either one or the other. It can be a great stepping stone if you're looking to go fully electric in the future and want to discover the many benefits such as fuel savings and low CO2 emissions. You will also still have that back-up option of popping over to a petrol station for fuel to keep you going on those longer, arduous journeys.
Which is better: PHEV or fully hybrid?
Again, in order to work out which electric vehicle is ‘best’ for you, you'll need to understand all the pros and cons of each and decide what suits your personal needs best – think about costs, technology, range of vehicles, charging accessibility etc. We cover details of all three types of electric vehicles in our helpful electric leasing guides.
What happens if you don't charge a plug-in hybrid?
If you don’t charge a plug-in hybrid, the car will still be able to work and function perfectly fine due to its alternative gas engine that will automatically kick in. That being said, it’s worth noting that PHEVs aren't really designed to run without their electric battery in place, as often the fuel economy figures and miles-per-gallon for plug-in hybrids aren't always the best. That being the case, determining your capacity to charge the car is definitely still a factor worth looking into.
How often do you need to charge a plug-in hybrid?
Depending on how far you plan to drive each day, you may only need to look to charge your car every other day or every other night, or it could be as long as every few days. If your car can pack in between thirty to forty miles of electrical power, with your round-trip commute and a daily trip to the shops being equal to this, then you would probably need to charge it most evenings to fit in with that regular commuting pattern. If you have a charger at home, the best thing to do is charge it overnight and use the electric grid during off-peak hours at a convenient time for you.