Introduction to hybrid and electric cars
As the world focuses on being kinder to the environment car manufacturers have begun to expand their new car ranges to include hybrid and electric vehicles. You may have noticed there are various types of hybrid vehicles available and each work slightly differently.
Deciding which type of electrified car is suitable for you may be daunting at first but once you have read on you will have a better understanding of the key differences, electric charging points, the benefits and the costs involved with each type of vehicle available.
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What are the different types of electric vehicles?
Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV)
Mild hybrid systems improve fuel economy harvesting energy that is normally lost when braking, storing it in a battery until required, assisting the engine when accelerating. The engine has the ability to shut down when stationary, also saving fuel.
Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV)
HEVs combine a conventional combustion engine with an electric motor and battery pack, charged through regenerative braking. HEVs are capable of travelling short distances on electric power alone, with the engine cutting in and out as required.
Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV)
Working in a similar way to a HEV, combining a combustion engine with an electric motor, a PHEV has a much larger battery pack, meaning it can travel much further on electric power only, but needs to be plugged in to charge fully.
Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)
BEVs only use an electric motor and battery pack for power. There is no combustion engine. BEVs produce zero tailpipe emissions and need to be charged using an external power supply, preferably a dedicated electric car plug-in charge point.
|
|
Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) |
Mild Hybrid (MHEV) |
Hybrid (HEV) |
Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) |
Electric (BEV) |
|
Powertrain |
Internal Combustion Engine |
Internal Combustion Engine + Electric Motor |
Internal Combustion Engine + Electric Motor |
Internal Combustion Engine + Electric Motor |
Electric Motor |
|
Charging |
Not Required |
Not Required |
Self-charging |
Plug-in to charge |
plug-in to charge |
|
Tailpipe Emissions |
Approximately 130g/km + |
Approximately 100g/Km + |
Approximately 40 - 100g/Km + |
Approximately 35 - 55g/Km + |
Zero Emissions |
|
Road Tax* |
£155 + |
£155 + |
£10 - £155 + |
£10 - £155 + |
£0 |
|
All-electric Mode Available |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
* any vehicle (excluding BEVs) with a list price of £40,000 or above will occur an additional charge for five years, starting from the second time the vehicle is taxed.
Range and performance
Over the years all-electric cars have increasingly become a more viable option as an alternative to a car powered by a petrol or diesel internal combustion engine and this is mainly down to improved all-electric range.
Fully electric cars can now travel a similar distance on a single charge to what some conventionally-powered cars can on a full fuel tank.
As you can imagine the all-electric range varies across models but to give you an idea, the MINI Electric can travel up to 145 miles between charging, the BMW i3 can reach approximately 188 miles before a recharge, whilst the Jaguar I-PACE boasts an impressive range of up to 292 miles.
Plug-in hybrid vehicles also have the ability to be driven in pure electric mode but seeing as they are powered by an internal combustion engine too, the electric range is considerably lower. Expect anything from 20 miles up to around 50 miles in EV mode, before the ICE kicks in.
What are the benefits of hybrid and electric cars?
Environment
Electric cars run purely off their batteries and therefore burn no fuel; resulting in zero CO2 emissions, which is ultimately better for the environment. This benefit results in avoiding charges in low-emission zones of cities and free road tax!
Costs
Despite being more expensive to initially purchase, EVs are more cost-efficient in the long-term compared to conventional cars due to the price of charging the EV in comparison to filling up with traditional fuel.
Performance
Expect a quieter driving experience in hybrid and electric cars, compared to a traditional car, due to fewer moving parts. They also benefit from instant torque resulting in brisk acceleration.
Technology
Electric cars often boast a futuristic exterior look, which is consistent throughout the interior of the vehicle resulting in modern technology and infotainment systems.
Charging Points
Inevitably if you purchase either a plug-in hybrid or an all-electric vehicle, they will eventually need their battery charging.
The charging process is simple and can be completed at home, at work or on the move at a public charging station.
Different charging methods are available, some offering fast-charging capabilities or some being a more cost-effective option.
Charging times vary depending on the battery size and the speed of the charging point but using a rapid charger can see some vehicles' charge from empty to 80 percent capacity in just 30 minutes.
Explore the range
Aston Martin
Check out Aston Martin's 'Electric Future' plans and explore their current hybrid vehicle.
BMW
Discover BMW's range of plug-in hybrid models as well as the BMW i range
Jaguar
Explore Jaguar's hybrid electric vehicle range and find out more information about their models.
Land Rover
Land Rover's electrified vehicle range includes plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid system models.
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz EQ Range consists of innovative hybrid and electric vehicles.
MINI
Find out more about MINI's electric vehicle range including the MINI Electric and the MINI Countryman Plug-in Hybrid.
smart
Featuring the latest EQ technology, take a look at the smart EQ Range.
Electric and hybrid frequently asked questions
Advancements in technology have resulted in electric cars that are more capable of driving longer distances with an increased range.
The real answer of how far an electric car can go largely depends on the car, as the all-electric range varies considerably but if we take the Jaguar I-PACE as an example, it can travel up to 292 miles, according to WLTP.
The current predication for how long car batteries will last in electric cars is between 10 and 20 years.
Like with mobile phone batteries, electric car batteries gradually decline in condition; affecting the amount of charge the battery can hold.
The life of a battery is largely dependent on how it is cared for; overheating, overcharging, deep discharge and high discharge can all impact the battery's condition.
Most car manufacturers will have a five to eight-year warranty on their batteries to provide peace of mind to customers.
Simple answer - no!
Electric cars have unique qualities that make the driving experience the complete opposite to boring. Powerful yet silent, electric vehicles benefit from instant torque from the electric motor; resulting in rapid acceleration, faster than the acceleration from a petrol or diesel car.
Remarkably fast, some electric cars are even reaching supercar levels of acceleration and are accomplishing 62mph from a standstill in less than 5 seconds.
Take the Porsche Taycan, for example, with a top speed of 162mph and a zero to 62mph time of a mere 2.8 seconds we would consider this electric car to be very fast indeed.
The absence of an internal combustion engine and therefore no fuel to burn results in electric cars being kinder to the environment.
Thanks to zero CO2 emissions you can expect free road tax, just to add to the list of benefits.
Efficiency is a key attribute of electric cars thanks to them converting over 77 percent of the electrical energy from the grid to power at the wheels, compared to around 12 to 30 percent being converted with a conventional petrol-powered car.
You do not have to go for a BEV to experience increased efficiency as hybrid cars are efficient too. The use of intelligent regenerative braking captures and stores energy that would normally be lost when braking and redeploys the energy to assist with acceleration.
Yes, there are plenty of hybrid and electric cars that are available with all-wheel or four-wheel drive such as the Jaguar I-PACE, Mercedes-Benz GLC Plug-in Hybrid and the BMW X5 Plug-in Hybrid, to name a few.
When buying a brand-new plug-in car the Government provide a maximum grant of up to £2,500, the car must cost less than £35,000.
Find your perfect hybrid or electric vehicle
Now you have discovered more information about the different types of electrified vehicles, their benefits and how they work why not explore our extensive range of new and used hybrid and electric cars.
Alternatively, you can contact your preferred Strastone retailer to explore the vehicles further and take your selected car for a test drive.
