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Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV)
Hybrid Electric Vehicles were the first environmentally friendly cars to hit the market. Purists would argue that they are not true EVs, however, since there is no connector to charge a battery. Instead, the internal combustion engine charges a battery-powered motor using regenerative braking.
One driver’s hybrid is another driver’s compromise, you might argue. The speed and handling of a hybrid lack the “zip” of an EV. On the flip side, you’ll see lower maintenance and fuel costs if you’re switching from a gas-powered vehicle. Additionally, HEVs tend to use less fuel than conventional petrol or diesel cars, and they emit lower levels of CO2.
One thing that is important to clarify, though, is that you can’t drive a hybrid in electric mode if you run out of gas (unlike a PHEV). In fact, they could be less efficient on longer journeys, as the electric motor is only used to assist the petrol or diesel engine.
The cost of HEVs are competitive with traditional vehicles but cost less than a BEV and PHEV–with the more affordable hybrids costing less than $25,000. The graph below, lists some of the HEVs available in the market today.
Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV)
There is a fourth type of Electric Vehicle, but they’re something of a rarity for now. Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) are fueled by hydrogen gas, which creates a chemical reaction to power an electric motor. No recharging from an external source is involved.
FCEVs can reach around 300 miles on one tank of pure hydrogen. However, the use of vehicles is limited by three main factors: available hydrogen storage/distribution technology, cost to produce hydrogen, and lack of infrastructure for fueling/re-fuelling.
Currently, there are only around 15,000 FCEVs on the roads and only two manufacturers currently in the U.S. (Hyundai and Toyota).
The Future of EVs
Out of the four types of electric vehicles, BEVs, PHEVs, and HEVs are commonly seen on the road today but, it’s important to prospective EV buyers to understand the distinctive characteristics, operational dynamics, and suitability of each vehicle type. Overall, as electric vehicle technology continues to improve, we can expect to see even more vehicle options in the future.
The next step is infrastructure that meets the needs of greater EV driver numbers on the roads each year. We encourage you to explore our other related blog posts such as EV plug types and our coverage of smart charging.
To locate the nearest charger, check your charging status, easily make payments, and stay up to date on your account, download the EV Connect Driver App.
