Should You Buy An Electric Car Or A Hybrid? Johnson City Toyota

Should You Buy an Electric Car or a Hybrid?

With the automobile industry moving towards greener technology, you have more options in terms of alternative fuel cars. If you are planning to buy an environmentally friendly car, you might be stuck between two options - an electric car and a hybrid. Which car should you buy? It is not a simple question to answer. Here, we have compared an electric car with a hybrid car to help you make the right decision.

What is an Electric Car?

An electric car has one or two electric motors to propel the vehicle. It completely relies on the electric charge stored inside the traction battery pack.

What is a Hybrid Car?

With an internal combustion engine and an electric motor that draws power from the traction battery pack, hybrids are stronger in performance. In high speed and high load conditions, the vehicle is powered by ICE while at lower speeds and lighter load conditions, the electric motor drives the vehicle.

Which Car Has a Longer Range?

The range of an electric car differs with the car manufacturer. You can find electric vehicles having a range of 100 to 200 miles before they need to be recharged. Some higher-end electric vehicles can travel up to 250 miles on a charge.

Most plugin hybrids have an electric-only range of 10 miles to 53 miles. However, a hybrid vehicle can move forward on the internal combustion engine even after the traction battery is fully discharged. A hybrid has an unlimited range like traditional cars as long as fuel is available.

Which Car is More Environmentally Friendly?

An electric car uses electric power only so it has zero emissions. On the other hand, the hybrid vehicle’s main engine is an internal combustion engine that spews out carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons that have damaging effects on the environment. The electric motor in a hybrid vehicle is only used as a supplement to increase fuel efficiency. Without a doubt, the electric vehicle is more environmentally friendly than a hybrid.

Do the Electric Car and Hybrid Get Tax Credits?

Yes, the U.S. government provides tax credits to people who buy an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle. The Federal tax credit for the purchase of a new electric car is around $2,500 to $7,500. The tax credits are also available for a plug-in hybrid, but the credit amount depends on the battery size used to power the vehicle.

Which Car Should You Buy?

There are several factors that can affect your purchase decision. Some of these factors are the price of the car, operation, maintenance and repair costs.

• EVs (electric vehicles) are expensive, costing 70% more than traditional cars. Hybrid cars cost 20% more than traditional cars.
• The operation costs of EVs are the lowest while the fuel expenses of a hybrid vehicle are slightly lower than a traditional car. The repair costs of EV can be higher if batteries need replacement. The repair cost of a hybrid vehicle is more similar to traditional cars.

You need to consider the above factors when choosing between an electric car and a hybrid. In the end, you should buy a car that fits in your budget and also meets your lifestyle and travel needs.