Hybrid cars are increasingly popular. Their ability to combine an electric motor and another combustion engine makes them have great benefits compared to other alternatives, but there are also points where they need to improve. We count. In this article we will give you about the Advantage and disadvantage of hybrid car.
Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of hybrid cars is one of the most common concerns that people who choose to buy a new vehicle have today. This type of engine has become popular lately, to the point that brands (such as Toyota) sell more hybrid vehicles than other engines. The ability to combine the range that gasoline provides with the savings achieved by electricity means that more and more people are choosing to buy a hybrid car. We find out if this decision is really worth it.
What are hybrid cars like?
Before evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of hybrid vehicles, it is necessary to determine what this technology is like. Hybrid is generally called a vehicle that is powered by a fossil fuel engine and another that runs on electricity.
Although it is a very broad expression, each brand has its own technology and there can be significant differences depending on the charging mode. Kinetic energy and the ability to connect to current are some of the ways the battery can be charged. Sometimes the electric motor is reserved for driving at low speeds, being turned off when a certain limit is exceeded, while in other cases this type of thruster is also used at times of maximum demand as an additional with which to achieve better benefits. . As we can see, there are different models of hybrid vehicles, although they all share the combination of two energy sources.
Below are the details of Advantage and disadvantage of hybrid car.
Advantages of hybrid cars
- We found the following strengths of a hybrid drive vehicle.
- Ecological: when using an electric motor, they emit less polluting gases into the atmosphere, helping to minimize the greenhouse effect.
- Less Noise: The city is full of annoying noises. The electric drive doesn’t make any sound when it runs, so a hybrid car reduces noise pollution in urban areas.
- Regulatory advantages: As an environmentally responsible car, it has certain benefits when applying pollution protocols in large cities.
- Industry support: Unlike other advances such as hydrogen batteries or engines that use gas as a raw material, a number of manufacturers have opted to create hybrid cars and so there is a wide range of opportunities. As happened years ago, it is no longer necessary to resort to the already classic Toyota Prius if you want this type of engine, because there are currently hybrid alternatives in every segment of the market.
- Traffic in the bus-only lanes: In places like Madrid, hybrid cars have the advantage of being allowed to travel in the bus-only lane.
- Automatic charging of the electric motor: A large number of hybrid cars have the advantage that the electric motor is charged by itself. This advance is possible thanks to the so-called KERS, a Formula 1 technology that makes it possible to take advantage of the car‘s kinetic energy under braking.
- Tax incentives: reduction of up to 75% of the road tax. Currently there are state and regional aids that allow the total cost of the car or the payment of fees to be better than their equivalents. In addition, those vehicles that have an environmental seal have discounts on tax payments.
- Wide range: the gasoline engine provides one of the advantages of hybrid cars, which is being able to travel hundreds of kilometers without having to stop at a gas station or charge the battery of an electric vehicle.
- More efficient driving: Electricity is one of the most economical fuels, so electric powered thrusters are more efficient than those using fossil fuels and have a faster response. A benefit shared by electric and hybrid cars.
Disadvantages of hybrid cars
- There are a number of ways hybrid cars still need to improve.
- Unsustainable materials: In the process of obtaining electricity, materials that are scarce in nature or that need to be extracted using complex chemical processes are used. If this type of vehicle becomes popular, it could mean that there are problems with raw materials.
- Higher weight: By including two engines, hybrid cars have the disadvantage of weighing more than their gasoline counterparts. In this way, the extra kilograms are a ballast that must be compensated with a greater contribution of energy.
- More Expensive: Although a large number of new hybrid vehicles have been launched in recent years, this innovation is still more expensive than those that use fossil fuels. Its progressive expansion and the growth of economies of scale are expected to improve this aspect.
- Contamination: it is necessary to remember that, although when using the electric motor they do not emit gases to the environment, a hybrid car remains contaminated even if this engine is inactive.
- Not suitable for all drivers: a hybrid car is very interesting if you are going to use mixed road and urban roads. In the case where the driver is only dedicated to driving on highways, the properties of the electric motor are limited and, in this case, the greater weight of this type of model may imply a higher gasoline cost than if it were a conventional car.
Hybrid cars have several advantages, but also some disadvantages. Tax benefits, fuel economy, autonomy and care for the environment are some of its strengths, while its high initial price or its greater weight are aspects that still need to be improved. Its progressive implementation can help make city centers greener and quieter. A car with a hybrid engine must be covered by a policy such as MAPFRE Car Insurance, which is characterized by excellent customer service.
We hope that you have understood the Advantage and disadvantage of hybrid car.
