Although traditional cars powered by gasoline or diesel are continually improving in efficiency and performance, they still produce pollutants and greenhouse gases that are undesirable. If you would like to minimize your impact on the environment, hybrid vs. electric cars are a good solution. Both offer distinct advantages, but which one is right for you?
What is an Electric Vehicle?
Instead of using an internal combustion engine powered by gasoline or diesel to provide the power necessary to haul people and cargo, an electric vehicle, or EV, uses high-capacity batteries and an electric motor. The car can be charged at home, at commercial charging stations, or anywhere that has the correct type of outlets, and when charged by renewable energy sources like wind or solar, it can be extremely environmentally friendly.
What is a Hybrid Vehicle?
A hybrid electric vehicle, or HEV, combines a small gasoline engine with a battery pack and electric motors to offer the best of both worlds. It can run on highly-efficient battery power for short trips around the city, and switch to engine power when required for driving and recharging when the batteries are depleted.
What is a Plug-In Hybrid?
A plug-in hybrid, or PHEV, is similar to a standard hybrid, but it offers a larger battery for longer periods of driving on battery power alone. Because of this, it also takes longer to recharge, so it offers a plug-in option to charge at home overnight or at a commercial charging station.
Hybrid vs. Electric Car: Which Should You Choose?
Electric cars are an excellent option for people who live in the city or have a shorter commute, as they can offer up to 300 miles of range on a single charge, or more, depending on the manufacturer, but once they are out of battery power, the trip is over. Fortunately, there are more and more charging stations becoming available in the Las Vegas area, as well as high-current home charging solutions, so even those with early, lower-range EVs can drive comfortably knowing a recharge is close by. One of the major downsides of an EV is the replacement cost of the battery, which can be quite high, though they often last 10 to 15 years or longer.
Hybrids are ideal for those who have longer commutes or take frequent road trips because when battery power is depleted, the engine can take over to extend the range while recharging the batteries. The main downside of a hybrid or plug-in hybrid is that they still use internal combustion engines, which can pollute the air and generate greenhouse gases, but they are extremely efficient engines, and their performance is boosted further by battery power. They are also more complex than either electric vehicles or traditional cars, leading to higher maintenance costs.
Hybrid vs. Electric Car: Choose Your Next Vehicle in Las Vegas Today
Whether you would like an electric car, a hybrid, or an efficient gas-powered vehicle, our team at Valley Automall can help. We feature a full selection of new and used vehicles at great prices, and we offer excellent specials and financing options to make the car-buying process as easy as possible.
Call us today at (702) 570-2257 to find your next hybrid or electric car in the Las Vegas or Henderson area.