Key Takeaways
- Hybrids are the pairing of an electric motor and battery to a combustion engine and are considered by some to be the perfect combination to drive on the road.
- EVs are continually becoming more and more popular, but have their cons and hybrids offset some of those cons, but also come with their own concerns.
- Gas powered vehicles are what many still need and love but hybrids can offer a better alternative for many drivers on the road.
Introduction
Buying a car is oftentimes the most frustrating and worrisome decision individuals make in their life. Choosing between a wide variety of trims, vehicles and even powertrains make it even more confusing. This article aims to help you cut through some of the various questions many have when buying a car.
Hybrids and Plug in Hybrids
Electric vehicles are slowly becoming the face of the auto industry. Before completely electronic vehicles became mainstream, Hybrid vehicles were all the rage. A hybrid vehicle is the mating of an internal combustion engine (ICE) to an electric motor. The electric motor generally assists the ICE at low speeds and while driving around town.
Having a hybrid switches around the normal lower gas mileage in town and higher gas mileage on the highway, so that you have higher gas mileage in town and lower gas mileage on the highway. Some vehicles can get up to 50 mpg in town and still get 30 to 40 mpg on the highway. Hybrid cars also can be plug in hybrid vehicles, or PHEV.
These allow you to have the best mating between an electric motor and an ICE. What a PHEV does is it attaches a larger battery to an ICE and enables you to drive for a limited range on electric power alone. Then when your electric range runs out, or you need the extra power of an ICE at higher speeds, your vehicle functions as a regular hybrid vehicle.
Hybrids Vs EVs
We all know what EVs are now thanks to new introductions into the market like the Ford Mustang Mach-E or the F-150 Lightning. These vehicles use large electric batteries and electric motors to spin your wheels without any gas involved. Electric vehicles have limited ranges due to the amount of charge your battery can store. Both vehicle types use batteries, but an EV battery ages quicker than its hybrid counterparts because the EV uses more of its charge on average than its Hybrid counterpart.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory explained that most hybrid batteries last 10 more years on average than an EV battery. The downside to an EV is generally its upfront cost as they are more expensive than most ICE and Hybrid vehicles. Reportedly, EVs can save you money in the long run with less wear and tear on moving parts and no need to spend money on gas.
Hybrid engines can be cheaper up front, but are reportedly more expensive in the long run as you still need to spend money on gas and have costs associated with your combustion engine. When compared to your ICE vehicles, both an EV and Hybrid will have lower maintenance costs than your traditional ICE car. Whether you want an EV or a Hybrid generally depends on your willingness to spend more up front, or if you are looking for the ease of still having the ability to fill your car up at the pump.
Hybrids vs Gas Powered Vehicles
Combustion engine vehicles are what most of us are used to as they are what we are accustomed to. Generally, ICE vehicles have lower purchasing costs than hybrid vehicles as companies charge more for a hybrid vehicle and generally only make the hybrid engine option available on higher priced trims.
Vehicles that only use a combustion engine also have higher maintenance costs as they solely use the engine which involves a certain amount of wear and tear. Mating the ICE to an electric motor reduces the amount of wear and tear on your engine, and even your brakes. Regenerative brakes lessen the amount of wear on your brakes and you can go longer without needing to change your brakes. The decision between a hybrid over a combustion engine generally depends on budget and whether you need more power for towing or hauling.
Summary
Choosing a vehicle can be difficult enough but throwing in four different types of powertrains can make it even more difficult. Your decisions largely are based on your needs as a driver. Here at Jarret Scott Ford, we are able to help you to find the car that matches your budget, needs and wants. No matter what factors are influencing your new or used car purchase we are able to help you find the right vehicle.