Hybrid cars are on everyone’s lips 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 fuel consumer sighs, but pays up. However, hybrid vehicles are being richly applauded for the small amount of gas they need to operate, and they are being driven off the forecourts 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 hybrids are able to run solely on batteries, but they use fuel also. These sorts of hybrid cars have some of the characteristics of hybrid vehicles. They are also are very similar to electric vehicles.
Plug-in hybrid vehicles must be charged externally by plugging them into an electrical power source. The combustion engine of 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 kinds of hybrid cars be plugged in every day.
Hybrid cars travel 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 needs to drive.
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 fuel too.
Hybrids help to minimize pollution, but they still pollute the atmosphere. Compared with plug-in hybrids, hybrid cars still have a long way to go where pollution is concerned. Since plug-in hybrid cars can run solely on their battery power, they don’t have to emit waste fuel emissions. That means that plug-in hybrids don’t need to pollute the air.
Plug-in hybrids actually do cut total greenhouse gas emissions and plug-in hybrids use practically no oil at all, imported or not. Studies have revealed that electric hybrids emit at least 67% less greenhouse gases than gasoline cars. Since the electric used to power plug-in hybrids is completely renewable, the difference in greenhouse gas emissions may be even greater than the study determined.
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 spectacular debut too, since people already like the current hybrid car models, but they haven’t seen anything yet until they see the new plug-in hybrid cars. However, for now, maybe we should just be satisfied with what we already have, because who knows? Before plug-in hybrid cars are brought out onto the forecourts, something even better might be introduced onto the market.