Hybrid cars are on everyone’s minds these days. $20, $30, $40 or even $50 for a tank of fuel? Who really wants to pay that sort of money? But, frustrated, the petrol consumer sighs, but pays up. However, hybrid vehicles are being richly applauded for the small amount of fuel they need to operate, and they are flying off the lots of car dealerships each and everyday in ever increasing numbers.
However, what about a plug-in hybrid? Most drivers have heard that these cars are fantastic too. Then, someone might be asking him or herself, what exactly a plug-in hybrid is? How they work, and what the difference between a plug-in hybrid and a regular hybrid is?
Plug-in hybrid cars are capable of running just on batteries, but they can also use gas also. These types of hybrid cars share some of the features of hybrid vehicles. They are also very similar to all-electric vehicles.
Plug-in hybrid cars need to be recharged externally by connecting a plug to an electrical power source. The combustion engine in plug-in hybrid vehicles is engaged only as a back up. These cars can run only on batteries if desired, but it is expected that these types of hybrid cars are recharged every day.
Hybrid cars can go just as many miles as a conventional car. Designed to go the extra mile where fuel-mileage is concerned, hybrids can be driven on the highway, in cities, or wherever else anybody wants to go.
On the other hand, plug-in hybrids are designed to handle commuter-type distances, meaning about twenty to sixty miles between destinations. This way, the plug-in hybrid does not have to use its back up combustion engine, but plug-in hybrids can go further using gas too.
Hybrids help to reduce pollution, but they do still pollute the air. Compared with plug-in hybrids, hybrid cars still have a long way to go as far as pollution is concerned. Because plug-in hybrid cars can run solely on their battery power, they don’t have to emit waste gases at all.
Plug-in hybrids actually do fight against greenhouse gas emissions and plug-in hybrids use virtually no oil imported or not. Studies have shown that electric hybrids emit at least 67% less greenhouse gases compared with petrol cars. Since the product used to power plug-in hybrids is renewable, the difference in greenhouse gas emissions may be even greater than the study showed.
And so there you have it. Those are the main differences between plug-in hybrids and regular hybrid cars. It makes a big difference, but you would be surprised how little that matters at the current moment. And that’s only because plug-in hybrids are not being sold to consumers at this present time. But this article should get you excited about the wonderful plug-in hybrid car, coming soon to a forecourt near you.
And it’s going to be a great debut too. People already really like regular hybrid cars, but they haven’t seen anything until they see the new plug-in hybrid cars. However, for now, maybe they should just be satisfied with what they have, because who knows? Before plug-in hybrid cars come out, something even better might be introduced onto the market.
