In the last few years, buying an electric car is slowly becoming closer to becoming the norm. However, we have seen plenty of hybrid cars released onto the market including the Audi Q5, the Volvo XC90 and the BMW 3 series. But, why should you buy an electric car instead of a hybrid car we hear you ask?
There are a great deal of reasons why, let’s take a look!
WHAT IS A HYBRID CAR AND THE DIFFERENT TYPES AVAILABLE?
A hybrid car is a vehicle that is powered by both an electric motor as well as an internal combustion engine. Meaning that they have more than one type of propulsion.
There are three different types of hybrids and each works in a different way. Do you know the difference between them?
Parallel hybrid cars
The Toyota Prius is a classic example of this type of hybrid. Both the electric motor and internal combustion engine power the wheels in this type of hybrid car. When pulling off, the electric motor powers the car. When the driver then reaches a higher speed, the petrol or diesel engine takes over. Then when braking is used, the electric motor regenerates power and stores it in the battery for later.
Range extender hybrid cars
These types of hybrid vehicles only use the conventional engine to produce electricity, for a generator that recharges the battery. The BMW i3 Range Extender is a perfect example of this type of hybrid.
Plugin hybrid cars
As the name suggests, it does what it says on the tin. Plugin hybrids also known as PHEVs, are fitted with larger batteries than regular hybrids and they can drive longer distances and rely more on electric power. They are a cross between a fully electric vehicle and a conventional car, as they still have an internal combustion engine.
Most people think they are living the best of both worlds, but how good are they really?
WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF BUYING A HYBRID CAR OVER AN ELECTRIC CAR?
HIGHER PURCHASING COSTS
As hybrid cars are made up of an internal combustion engine plus an electric motor, there are a lot more parts to manufacture. Therefore meaning that the purchase price of hybrids is considerably more than their conventional and fully electric counterparts.
HIGHER MAINTENANCE COSTS
As we all know, if it has got more parts, it’s going to cost you more to maintain. When you buy an electric car, there is no engine so automatically there’s less parts to think about! When you drive a hybrid, your vehicle will come with:
- An electric motor
- A large battery pack
- Gear mechanisms to transfer power from the internal combustion engine and electric motor to the wheels
- substantial additional wiring
- An enhanced cooling system
So if you’re not careful it could work out very costly just for owning a hybrid! This is one of the main reasons why most people cut out the middleman and go straight to buying a fully electric car instead.
FUEL EMISSIONS
As hybrid cars have an electric motor, they do release less emissions than a standard diesel or petrol car. Which is great, but they still have an internal combustion engine. Therefore, drivers will still be liable for the fuel emissions emitted. We all know about the dangerous situation the planet is currently in when it comes to air pollution. We all need to change our ways and our transport could be the first thing that can be changed.
WANT TO BUY AN ELECTRIC CAR?
Are you ready to swap the Audi Q5 for the Audi e-tron or the BMW 3 series for a BMW i3? Not only do we offer fantastic second hand EVs for sale, we can also provide customers with the following:
- 1 month warranty on on all purchases
- EVs with only one registered keeper
- UK Delivery to your home or work address
Due to the current government restrictions for COVID-19, we understand that it’s not possible to view the car in person at the moment. Nevertheless, we are welcoming customers to book an appointment for a virtual tour. Select your car, select the day and time and we can virtually show you round the car. You can even see the vehicle being driven for your own peace of mind.
CONTACT THE TEAM AT EV SALES
If you’re browsing the market to buy an electric car, but you’re not sure what car to pick, we can help you. Not only do we stock the BMW i3 and the Renault ZOE, we also offer other second hand EVs for sale. All of our electric vehicles are bought from new by our sister company for rental purposes. EVision Electric Vehicle Hire have a fleet of over 300 vehicles, including:
- Tesla Model S, X & 3
- Kia e-Niro
- Jaguar I-Pace
- Audi e-tron
- Vauxhall Corsa-e
- Porsche Taycan
- Volkswagen ID.3
EVision’s aim is to offer the very best cars for their customers. Whenever new EVs are purchased, the team at EV sales will find new owners for the older electric vehicles.
To get in contact with EV Sales, give us a call on: 01634 914063 or email us. We look forward to helping you buy an electric car.
