Hybrid or electric? Which is a better alternative for you?
Hybrid car technology is now one of the hottest topics being discussed in India. The recent launch of the Honda City Hybrid has got people talking about this technology. But this is not the only car that offers hybrid technology. The Toyota Camry and a few other cars also use the same hybrid petrol technology. Side by side, we also have the electric vehicle technology booming up in India. A few shortcomings of electric cars are easily covered by hybrid cars. In this article on hybrid vs electric car, we have discussed if hybrid cars are a better alternative for you than electric cars.
Understanding hybrid technology
In hybrid technology, the car uses two or more sources of power. Generally, it is an electric motor mated to a conventional internal combustion engine (either petrol or diesel). Both power houses are tuned and mated in such a way that the electric engine powers the car at lower speeds, and the combustion fuel engine powers it at higher speeds. The hybrid system works in conjunction at mid-range speeds. With this, the mileage significantly increases.
Better range
Hybrid cars have a better range than electric cars. Talking about the mass-market segment, we see that the maximum real range of electric cars is below 450km on a full charge. ICE cars and hybrid cars give a better range compared to the electric cars. So, it is one of the important points to consider as well.
Hybrid vs electric car – Easy to fill up
Charging station network for EVs is still under development with quick progress being made in this direction. However, we already have a well-established fuel pump network. So, it could sometimes become difficult for electric car owners if they run out of battery on a trip. Also, if they manage to find a charging station, it takes at least an hour to recharge completely. But for hybrid cars, we can quickly fuel up across the country without having to worry about long waiting periods.
Hybrid vs electric car – Prices
Pricing as a factor does play much big of a difference in either cases as we do get to see affordable as well as premium hybrids and EVs. Even range at times comes out to be not-so-big of an issue, but what ultimately worries the owner is the concrete unavailability of charging stations.
Conclusion
All-in-all, if you are ready to jump to the future of automobiles and range anxiety & finding charging stations does not worry you, you should definitely go for an EV. Buying an EV will help you save lots of money on running cost, ultimately helping you recover most of the initial purchase cost over the years of ownership. However, if the above mentioned factors worry you and you wish to play it safe until there is a concrete EV ecosystem in place, you can definitely opt for a hybrid car. We expect most major brands to soon come up with more hybrid options for you to select from.
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