If you are part of those yearning for economical and eco-friendly vehicles, you have probably been doing your research on the same. The research may come with a bit of confusion, especially if you are not up to date on all of the technical jargon used. Nevertheless, don’t worry; we are here to help clear up the confusion surrounding the one question. What are hybrid, plug-in hybrid vehicles and extended range electric vehicles?
Hybrid vehicles use a combination of engines and electric motors. How the two work together to drive your car determines if they are referred to as hybrids, plug in hybrids (PHEV) or extended range electric vehicles (E-REV).
Hybrid Vehicles
A hybrid vehicle gets its energy simultaneously from an engine and an electric motor. The engine runs on petrol or diesel and on the other hand, the high voltage battery built in the car powers the electric motor. The engine and the motor work together to power the car. In a hybrid vehicle, the battery is recharged either by electricity from an engine generator or by regenerative braking.
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV)
A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle runs primarily using its electric motor that is powered by the battery. It won’t tap into your gas tank until the battery runs out of power. Instead of the electric motor and the engine working together at the same time, a plug-in hybrid uses its engine as a backup plan. Simply put, plug in hybrids operate entirely on electrical power like a purely electric vehicle that has no gas engine. The battery in plug-in hybrid vehicles is charged using any household 240-volt outlet for power.
In some plug in hybrids, once the battery runs out of power, it has to be charged using a plug-in electric charger; the engine does not recharge it. However, regenerative braking charges it as well. The distance you can travel before your battery runs low is often advertised as a vehicle’s all-electric range.
Extended Range Electric Vehicle (E-REV).
The extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) is an all-electric vehicle, with all the motive power provided by an electric motor. The vehicle however has a small internal combustion engine (ICE) present to generate additional electric power. When the battery is discharged to a specified level, the ICE is switched on to run a generator. The generator supplies power to the electric motor and/or recharges the battery.
Electric Vehicles (BEV)
A Pure Electric, or Battery-Powered Electric Vehicle (BEV) gets all its power from its batteries and electric motors. It contains no internal combustion engine (ICE). Its electric motor uses batteries that are recharged by plugging in to an electric power source (a wall socket or EV charger).
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