Named the 2011 Motor Trend Car of the Year, the Chevy Volt is becoming the symbol of a new breed of hybrids. If you’re not sure why this particular hybrid is gaining so much media attention, it’s because the Volt is the World’s first mass-produced, plug-in electric vehicle with a range-extending onboard engine.
Cutting Through the Hybrid Hype
But if all the talk over plugged-in hybrids has left you a bit in the dark, take heart. Understanding the difference between conventional and plugged-in hybrids is not nearly as complicated as it might seem at first glance.
Similarities Among Hybrids
Both classes of hybrids have these important things in common:
- Improved fuel efficiency over non-hybrid cars
- Battery packs
- A gasoline engine in addition to an electrical motor
Differences Between Hybrid Types
Understanding how plug-in hybrids work is key to understanding how they differ from a conventional hybrid car:
- A plug-in hybrid has the capability of being driven for long distances, without using any gasoline.
- They are seen as having many benefits of an electric car, but also have the ability to switch between sources of energy (electric or gas), allowing them to reach the same driving range between refueling as conventional cars.
- A plug-in hybrid’s battery packs are larger and can be driven in zero-emission, all-electric mode under most driving situations.
- Once a plug-in hybrid’s battery charge is gone, an onboard gas engine is used to either recharge the batteries while driving, or simply propel the car until the batteries are recharged via electrical outlet.
Just when you think you’ve sorted out the differences between conventional hybrids and plug-in hybrids, you get hit with some additional vocabulary—or worse yet, acronyms. You may have heard plug-in hybrids referred to as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles of PHEVs. This refers to the ability of these new generation hybrids to go the distance, due to their larger batteries and onboard generation capabilities. If the onboard gas engine is used exclusively for recharging batteries and not for the power train, the plug-in hybrid may sometimes be known as an extended-range electric vehicle or E-REV.
Fuel Efficiency of Hybrids
Here’s another way to think about the differences between traditional automobiles, conventional hybrids and the new plug-in hybrids:
- Traditional mid-sized automobiles average 21 mpg city, 27 mpg highway.
- Conventional hybrids can average about twice the fuel efficiency of a traditional mid-sized car.
- Plug-in hybrids are expected to average about twice the fuel efficiency of most conventional hybrids.
- Plug-in hybrids running on biofuels, such as E85 or biodiesel, can just about eliminate their use of petroleum altogether.
Comparison of Hybrids
| Features | Plug-in Hybrid | Conventional Hybrid |
| Refueling | Only minimal trips to the gas station are necessary | Trips to the gas station are fewer than with non-hybrids, but still necessary |
| Charging | Batteries charge at home or work | Batteries can be charged at home or work |
| Energy Storage | Stored as electricity in batteries. Gas tank serves as back up. | Gasoline is main energy source, augmented by batteries |
| Propulsion | Electric power primarily, until battery packs are depleted. | Driving trades off between gas-powered engine and electric motor |
