The liberty of having your car to drive has many benefits. You can travel whenever and wherever you want, you don’t have to rely on others to take you somewhere, and tons of other conveniences. However, driving has changed over the years, and many drivers agree that it has become more stressful.
Factors like the increasing traffic and road congestion have contributed to driving stress. In addition, if you are driving a gasoline-fueled vehicle, besides the rising gasoline prices, your comfort can get compromised due to a less comfortable driving experience.
While going green to lessen the greenhouse gas emissions that damage the planet is the primary purpose of promoting electric vehicles, providing more comfort and saving a substantial amount of money for vehicle owners are motivating factors.
Electric cars are becoming increasingly common on streets across many countries, especially in Europe. Aside from the lower long-term costs that most car owners consider, battery charging isn’t a problem anymore if you don’t have your home charging station yet, as many public locations are already available in multiple locations. In fact, you do not need to worry about how to find them because you can use an electric car charging app to help you locate charging stations near you and get a better charging price, even discount promotions. In fact, when you factor in all the different types of EV charging cables and outputs it can become a little confusing, so make sure you know precisely which cables to use for your EV.
If you are considering shifting from the conventional fuel-powered vehicle to electric vehicles (EVs), you should be aware that there are many various types of EVs in the market, and they all have significant dissimilarities in features and how they work.
Three Types of Electric Vehicle
Battery-only Electric Vehicles (BEVs)
This kind of EV is powered solely by electricity. It draws all the power it needs from the outlet while it is being charged. Because it does not require gasoline or diesel to function, this model does not emit any emissions like conventional automobiles. Hence, they are labelled as Zero Emission Vehicles.
Plug-in EVs highly rely on the condition of the stored electricity in their high-voltage battery. And because of this, they constantly produce high torque from a stationary position. That means they are very responsive and can accelerate faster than conventional fuel-powered cars, which need to accelerate gradually before reaching a certain speed.
Having a Full EV offers more advantages when it comes to cost efficiency and environmental benefits. One of the pros of opting for a BEV is that they don’t need any gasoline at all. You don’t have to worry about the rising gas prices letting you save more money. It is a significant factor that most BEV owners consider when getting this type of electric car. Also, this type produces zero-emission, which is significant for the environment. Because the vehicle relies entirely on the onboard battery packs, they don’t have an internal combustion engine that leaves a carbon footprint that contributes to the deterioration of our planet.
In the past years, charging stations have become a concern for BEV owners. But this concern has been addressed by electric car manufacturers making charging the batteries accessible. Aside from opting for a home charging point that you can purchase, public EV charging stations are also widely available locally.
Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs)
There are two kinds of hybrids in EVs: Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs). This type, though, is more common and has been around the market the longest. Unlike battery-only electric cars, hybrid electric has a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE), an electric motor, and a battery pack that helps reduce fuel use.
Like conventional cars with ICE, owners of this hybrid type can top up their tanks with fuels such as petrol or diesel (petrol is more common). But with regards to its battery pack, it can’t be plugged into an electrical source or charging point to charge. Instead, because its battery is relatively small, the battery gets recharged by the ICE or the electricity produced when the vehicle is coasting or does regenerative braking. In short, it can self-recharge.
Hybrid electric vehicles combine the power and range of conventional vehicles and draw power for the electric motor from the battery alternately. This lets you switch between using your internal combustion engine and operating in “EV mode,” which provides benefits like better fuel consumption producing lower emissions from the tailpipe.
Because of the additional power that is produced by the electric motor, the internal combustion engine of an HEV can potentially be made smaller. When the car accelerates from a stop, the battery powers auxiliary loads, which cuts down on the time the engine is running. On the other hand, this hybrid can utilize its ICE unit in favorable situations like cruising at highway speeds. And because they can draw power from two different sources, they are less fuel dependent, unlike standard gasoline-fueled cars.
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs)
The other kind of hybrid electric car is Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles PHEV. This type also uses the combination of an internal combustion engine, electric motor and a battery pack but with significant differences.
The first distinction is that plug-in hybrids have bigger rechargeable battery packs and more powerful electric motors than hybrids. This is because, with PHEVs, the electric system exerts more work while the vehicle moves, which means it can drive the car much further using electric power alone.
With regards to battery charging, PHEVs are plugged-in in charging stations. Based on the battery size, charging can take between 1.5 to 3 hours at 120V. Aside from the battery, PHEV owners should also top up gasoline to ensure that their cars will still function in case one of its energy sources runs out of juice.
Most plug-in hybrids have two modes to choose from. First is the All-electric mode, which allows the vehicle to source energy from the motor and its battery. The other one is the Hybrid mode, which makes the vehicle move using electricity and gasoline. This way, owners can switch the energy source and use the battery charge if they run out of petrol or diesel.
Take Away
Depending on your needs, you must choose the type of electric vehicle that suits you, whether you are planning to get a new or second-hand unit. Before you take the plunge and purchase your EV, you should consider various factors.
One of the considerations you should consider before buying an EV is if the type of EV you want suits your usual driving range. Next is the price — typically, BEVs are more expensive than the two hybrids. And lastly, make sure that the type of EV that you’re going to purchase will give you a better and more comfortable driving experience.
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