Hybrid vs. Electric Vehicles
Although there are similarities between hybrid and electric cars, these vehicles are powered in different ways. While electric cars are entirely powered by an electric motor and battery, hybrid cars use both electric motors and batteries as well as a gasoline engine. Each type of vehicle has its own advantages and disadvantages.
What Are Hybrid Vehicles?
The term “hybrid car” is used to describe any vehicle that’s equipped with an electric and a gas engine. These vehicles are able to switch between the electric motor and gas engine depending on the circumstances.
Typically, the vehicle uses its electric engine while coasting, decelerating, or driving at low speeds. When the car is accelerating or driving at higher speeds, it switches over to the gas engine.
Most hybrid vehicles fall into one of three categories. These categories are:
- Full hybrids: These vehicles are able to run exclusively on either a gas or electric engine. It’s not necessary to plug a full hybrid into a power source to charge its battery. Instead, the battery gets power from the car’s gas engine.
- Plug-in hybrids: True to its name, a plug-in hybrid needs to be plugged into a power source in order for the battery to be recharged. Plug-in hybrids can run entirely on an electric engine.
- Mild hybrids: While full and plug-in hybrids switch between two types of engines, the engines in a mild hybrid work together. Neither engine can run on its own.
Since hybrids are partially reliant on an electric motor, they use less gas and oil than standard vehicles. While driving a hybrid can reduce fuel costs, hybrids aren’t as fuel efficient as electric cars. Hybrids tend to be fairly low-maintenance, and since they’re equipped with a gas engine, drivers can travel long distances without finding a charging station.
What Are Electric Vehicles?
Electric vehicles run on electricity rather than gasoline. Instead, these vehicles have an electric motor — or motors — that’s powered by a large battery. These batteries have a limited driving range and must be plugged into a charging station or outlet so that they can get the power they need to run.
Unlike gas-powered cars, electric vehicles don’t emit pollutants. They’re lighter and have fewer parts than traditional vehicles, which can reduce maintenance costs. Since they typically have a low center of gravity, they tend to be highly responsive and accelerate and brake quickly.
Although there are clear advantages to electric vehicles, these cars have a limited driving range. While driving ranges and charge times can vary from model to model, it can take hours to fully charge a car. In addition, the cost of replacing battery packs can be prohibitively high.
Deciding Between a Hybrid or an Electric Vehicle
Both hybrid and electric vehicles can reduce your gas consumption, allowing you to save money on fuel costs. This can be an appealing benefit, but it’s important to consider what it would be like to use each type of car. If you don’t have a reliable way to charge your vehicle, you may want to avoid electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles.
In addition to these considerations, you should look at the cost of purchasing each type of vehicle. Fully electric cars offer the most fuel savings, but usually have a higher upfront cost than hybrid or standard vehicles. Mild hybrids tend to be less expensive than full hybrids and electric vehicles, but the fuel savings are less significant.
Other Ways to Save on Fuel Costs
While switching to a hybrid or electric vehicle can reduce fuel consumption, a performance chip can also boost a car’s fuel economy. Performance chips can easily be installed in a vehicle’s OB2 port. Once the chip has been installed, it can improve a vehicle’s performance and optimize its fuel usage.
Performance chips are able to improve the balance between air and fuel mixtures, making it easier for the engine to generate power. Since the engine runs more efficiently, the vehicle is able to get more mileage out of the fuel that it burns. It’s an excellent way to improve the gas mileage of a vehicle.
In the end, it’s an ultimate decision between spending money for a hybrid or electric vehicle, or a performance chip that costs under $200. You might be wondering if performance chips work for your vehicle, and they’re designed to work in almost all makes and models. There are plenty of myths about saving gas and actual ways to save on gas such as Chip Your Car’s performance chip!
