Electric vehicles have grown immensely popular over the years. Besides being environmentally friendly, these cars have fantastic technology that improves your driving experience. Increasing competition from electric cars prompted gasoline-powered car manufacturers to release hybrid vehicles. They use both electric batteries and combustion engines. It may seem surreal, but hybrid cars switch from one power source to another in different driving situations to ensure fuel efficiency. So, how do hybrid vs electric cars compare? Let’s find out by looking at their interior and exterior designs, performance, driving range, and battery.
Hybrid vs Electric Cars: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Hybrid Cars | Electric Cars | |
|---|---|---|
| Source of Power | Fossil fuels, such as petrol and electricity. | Electricity |
| Engine | Electric motors and an internal combustion engine | Electric motors |
| Battery | Ranges between 4kWh to 30kWh | Ranges between 40kWh to 100kWh |
| Top Speed | Ranges between 100 to 143mph | Ranges between 140 to 200mph |
| Driving Range | Ranges between 10 to 50 miles | Ranges between 100 to 400 miles |
| Charging Time | Level one charger: Between 5 to 6 hours Level two charger: Between 1 to 2 hours | Level one charger: Between 40 to 50 hours Level two charger: Between 4 to 10 hours |
| Price | The average starting price is between $25,000 to $28,000 | The average starting price is $66,000 |
Hybrid vs Electric Cars: What’s The Difference?
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Both vehicles are electric, which is the primary similarity between these automobiles. However, they are powered differently and have other compelling differences that set them apart.
Power
A critical difference between hybrid and electric vehicles is how they are powered. A hybrid car has an engine and electric batteries which powers it. You can fuel these cars and also charge them. Another fantastic feature of the hybrid car is that you can switch from electric to gas when driving. For instance, the Lexus Hybrid Technology vehicle can automatically transition from electric drive to gas.
In contrast, electric vehicles have batteries and an electric motor, which powers their wheels. These cars have an all-electric battery and do not have an internal combustion engine. For example, the Ford Mustang Mach-E is a pure electric car with no combustion engine as it uses an electric motor.
Unlike hybrid cars, the electric vehicle needs recharging to remain operable.
Exterior Design and Size
One noticeable thing when purchasing a vehicle is its exterior design. Not only should you acquire a comfortable and spacious vehicle, but it should also be sleek. When looking at the car’s spaciousness, both vehicles are spacious and comfortable. You can go for a hybrid or electric SUV if you want adequate space in the trunk. Additionally, both vehicles have car models that can accommodate many passengers.
There are fewer hybrid vehicles on the market. Not to mention, prospective buyers have limited car models from which to choose. You will likely have fewer choices when looking for a sporty or SUV-designed hybrid vehicle. One of the best sporty hybrid cars in the market is the Toyota Prius. It has an excellent external design with adequate space in the trunk.
In contrast, many sporty electric cars have attractive designs to draw the customers’ attention. Thus, looking sorely at the exterior design, prospective buyers have a wider variety of car models to choose from when comparing electric vehicles.
Most electric cars have sleek wheels to complement the car’s exterior design. For instance, the Lucid Air Dream edition is one of the electric cars with the best exterior design and cool wheels.
There isn’t a major difference in both cars’ exterior designs because both vehicles have car models with unique designs. However, electric cars edge out hybrid cars as they offer variety, giving you more options to choose a vehicle that suits your preferred exterior design.
Interior Design and Technology
A car’s interior is imperative, as most buyers want a unique interior design. There isn’t much to separate hybrid and electric vehicles when looking at their interior design. Both cars have comfortable seats, and you won’t have a problem driving them long distances. You can also ask the manufacturer to customize the car’s interior to include your preferred features, such as LED lighting and a customized steering wheel. You can also request additional car features, such as a touchscreen display, stereo, navigation maps, and Bluetooth connectivity.
The main difference between these cars is the available technology. Many electric vehicles are more advanced than hybrid cars. For instance, some of the advanced features in the Toyota Camry are an infotainment system and other services, such as Apple Pay.
In contrast, electric vehicles have most of the technology features in hybrid cars, plus other add-ons that give them an edge. For example, one of the advanced technologies in electric cars is autonomous vehicle technology. For instance, the Tesla Model S is one of the most advanced autonomous vehicles in the market. Some of the car’s autonomous vehicle technology features include speed control, self-parking, highway navigation, and cruise control.
Both hybrid and electric cars have unique interior designs since they are built for comfort. However, go for electric vehicles if you want a technologically advanced vehicle.
Performance
You shouldn’t compromise a car’s performance if you are a speed enthusiast. You will notice a difference in performance in both hybrid and electric cars. Hybrid vehicles have a maximum average speed of between 100 and 143 mph. One benefit of driving a hybrid vehicle, especially on the highway, is that it generates additional power from its petrol engine.
For example, The Ferrari SF90 Stradale is one of the fastest hybrid cars in the market. The car accelerates from 0 to 60mph in 2.5 seconds and has a top speed of 211mph.
In contrast, electric vehicles have a maximum average speed of between 140 and 200 mph. These cars also have a higher acceleration than hybrid cars since gasoline power is no match for electric power. For instance, the Rimac Nevera is the fastest electric car in the market. It accelerates from 0 to 60mph in 1.85 seconds and has a top speed of 256mph.
Go for an electric car if you want fast and smooth rides.
Battery and Driving Range
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You should always check the car’s battery and driving range when looking for an electric car. In contrast, it is customary for hybrid cars to have a low battery capacity as they also have internal combustion engines. Most hybrid vehicles have an average battery size of between 4kWh and 30kWh. This will give you an average driving range of 10 to 50 miles.
In contrast, electric vehicles run primarily on batteries, so they have a larger battery size. For example, most electric cars have an average battery capacity of between 40kWh to 100kWh. It gives you a driving range of between 100 to 400 miles.
Go for Polestar 1 if you want a hybrid car with the best driving range. This vehicle has a 34kWh battery pack, giving you a driving range of 93 miles. In contrast, the Mercedes EQS has a 120kWh battery capacity, giving you a driving range of 453 miles.
Electric cars have a higher battery capacity and a longer driving range than hybrid vehicles.
Charging Time
Though EVs and hybrid cars are electric vehicles, they don’t have the same charging time. However, one thing to note is that each car’s charging time depends on the charger. For instance, a DC fast charger takes less time than a level 1 charger.
Electric cars take 40 to 50 hours to charge using a level 1 charger. For level two chargers, these vehicles take 4 to 10 hours. In contrast, hybrid vehicles take 5 to 6 hours to charge using a level 1 charger and 1 to 2 hours using a level two charger.
For example, the Mercedes EQS takes 17 hours when using the 7kW home charging unit, while the Polestar 1 hybrid vehicle takes 5 hours when using the same home charging unit.
Hybrid vehicles have a lower charging time than electric cars, which is expected as they have smaller batteries.
Maintenance
Evaluating a vehicle’s maintenance needs is imperative, as nobody wants a car that requires servicing every few days. Besides the maintenance costs, it is time-consuming to keep taking your car for maintenance.
So, how do the maintenance requirements of hybrid cars compare to those of electric vehicles?
Hybrid vehicles require more maintenance than electric cars. One thing to note is that hybrid cars have an internal combustion engine similar to regular vehicles. It implies they will experience everyday engine issues, such as low engine oil and coolant problems.
In contrast, electric cars don’t have a combustion engine, so you don’t have to worry about engine maintenance. The only maintenance problems you will face are tire problems and structural damage, which are common in all vehicles.
However, one common problem between the two vehicles is battery degradation. Hybrid and electric cars use batteries to run and require proper maintenance to boost their longevity.
You will ultimately incur more maintenance costs after buying a hybrid car than an electric one.
Price and Availability
We cannot conclude our comparison of hybrid vs electric cars without reviewing their prices.
Both vehicles are readily available in the market. You can either order the cars from the primary manufacturer or buy them from an auto shop. The best option is to acquire the cars from the manufacturer, especially if you want a customized version.
For prices, the average starting price of hybrid cars is between $25,000 to $28,000. In contrast, electric cars are more expensive, and you can acquire them at an average price of $66,000.
The most expensive hybrid car in the market is the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, which costs approximately $507,000. In contrast, the most costly electric vehicle is Nio EP9, which costs $3.48 million.
Based on these cars’ prices, it’s evident that you will spend more to acquire an electric car than a hybrid vehicle, especially when looking for a vehicle with the best specifications.
Hybrid vs Electric Cars: 7 Must-Know Facts
- Acceleration often feels unusual when driving hybrid cars, as you may notice delayed responses when accelerating.
- There are nineteen different types of electric car models in the market, such as Tesla, Kia, Nissan, and others.
- Most electric vehicles use 80% of their battery’s power.
- Hybrid cars use regenerative braking to preserve their battery charge.
- Electric vehicles are heavier than hybrid and gasoline-powered cars, making them safe during a collision. They also produce less noise despite their huge size.
- The electric car’s range increases when one decelerates.
- Expect your hybrid car’s mileage to drop during winter. This is because a cold battery has less capacity than a warm one, causing decreased regenerative braking storage.
Hybrid vs Electric cars: Which One Is Better? Which One Should You Use?
You may wonder which car is better after seeing the differences between the two. There isn’t a definitive answer because people choose cars based on their needs.
However, if you cannot decide, go for an electric car. These cars are sleek, faster, and have better acceleration than hybrid vehicles. Electric vehicles are also fitted with self-driving technology, which is handy for long drives. Additionally, electric cars have larger battery sizes, offering longer driving ranges.
Go for the hybrid if you regularly take long-distance drives and are worried you may not find a charging station in some areas.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Yauhen_D/Shutterstock.com.
