What's The Difference Between A Hybrid And Electric Vehicle?

With the rise in gas prices, more people have been thinking about going green with their next vehicle purchase. You may be wondering what's the difference between a hybrid and electric vehicle and we address that topic for you today. While both have their own benefits, we will help you figure out which option might be the better choice for you.

What Is An Electric Car?

An electric vehicle runs entirely on electricity. For these vehicles, a battery pack stores the energy which is then used to power an electric motor. It also powers the car's wheels, which moves it forward. To charge an electric vehicle, you would use a standard power outlet from your garage or outside of your home using a charging station.

Benefits Of An Electric Vehicle

One of the big benefits of an electric vehicle are the savings. These vehicles run on electricity, so you do not need to buy gasoline or diesel fuel, which are both very expensive right now. Because of that, electric vehicle owners will save a bunch of money at the pump. For climate purposes, electric vehicles help to reduce your carbon footprint and will help to conserve natural resources since they don't rely on fossil fuels like gas vehicles do.

Drawbacks Of An Electric Vehicle

An electric vehicle is a great choice when trying to go green. However, there are some drawbacks associated with owning an electric car. While you may be saving some money at the pump, electric vehicles are usually more expensive to purchase than gas-powered vehicles. You will save money over time, but the upfront buying costs are higher for an electric vehicle.

Also, it is quick and easy to fill up a gas tank and get back out on the road. With an electric car, it takes longer to charge the vehicle. Also, it can be harder to find a charging station in certain areas, but gas stations are much more common. However, more and more gas stations are putting in charging stations to help with this problem.

What Is A Hybrid Vehicle?

For hybrid vehicles, they have both an internal combustion engine (ICE) and one or more electric motors powered by batteries. This makes hybrid cars more fuel-efficient than a traditional ICE-powered option, like a gasoline engine. Hybrid vehicles normally have two sources of propulsion:

1. One for short trips where speed is not that important.
2. One that provides full acceleration when needed, like when passing on a highway.

Benefits Of A Hybrid Vehicle

Like an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle is going to help lower your costs of owning a vehicle. You will be using less fuel and helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the environment. You can justify the higher upfront costs of a hybrid vehicle with the better efficiency and savings at the gas pump.

Drawbacks Of A Hybrid Vehicle

Of course, you are going to see some drawbacks of owning a hybrid vehicle:

1. Hybrids have smaller battery packs than pure electric vehicles, so there is a slightly higher chance of running out of battery power while driving.
2. If you live in a colder climate, this is more likely to happen since batteries struggle to maintain a full charge due to decreased solar heating during the colder months.
3. The cost of buying a hybrid vehicle is more expensive than buying a similar vehicle with a traditional internal combustion engine.

Is A Hybrid Or An Electric Vehicle Better?

When you are considering going green with your vehicle choice, people often want to know if hybrid or electric is better. Of course, the answer to this question depends on what you are looking for and what would be considered "better" to you:

• If you want better gas mileage, then an electric car would be better for your needs.
• If you want more power or torque for you to pull larger loads or take on hills, then a hybrid vehicle would be better for your needs.

At the end of the day, it all depends on your needs and your situation. For now, you know the difference between a hybrid and electric vehicle and that can help you come up with the best choice for you.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our friendly support staff. If you want to start your driver's training journey with Coastline Academy, make sure to sign up for Drivers Ed and book your driving lesson today.