Hybrid vs Plug-In Hybrid vs Electric

On the roads these days, you are likely to see a variety of hybrid and electric vehicles. The popularity of these environmentally friendly vehicles is increasing steadily with no signs of stopping. To help you understand the differences between a Ford PHEV, hybrid, and all-electric vehicle, we here at Folsom Lake Ford have put together this helpful guide to make the buying process easy.

Hybrid

Traditional hybrids like the Ford Escape SE Hybrid are cars that use energy from both gasoline and electricity. Hybrids vary in their exact power split between electricity and gasoline depending on the model. Many hybrids use regenerative braking to produce electricity for the electric components of the powertrain.

With regenerative braking, hybrid vehicles essentially use their electric motor as a generator. This way, the energy produced by braking can be stored for immediate use as you drive. The combined gasoline engine and electric motor provides a lot of power, so this is a good option if you want to produce fewer tailpipe emissions with the feel and strength of a gasoline-fueled engine.

Plug-In Hybrid

Unlike hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrids can be plugged in to charge the electric battery component rather than relying on regenerative braking alone. The electric motor of a plug-in hybrid vehicle is much larger than those found in traditional hybrid cars.

The electric power is the main power source for plug-in hybrids, with the gasoline engine staying dormant until electric power is depleted. For this reason, plug-in hybrids tend to drive more like all-electric vehicles than traditional hybrids. Plug-in hybrids are great if you want an electric vehicle but like the option to use gasoline for power in a pinch.

Electric Vehicles

For absolutely zero tailpipe emissions, all-electric vehicles such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Ford F-150 Lightning are the way to go. Electric vehicles are the most eco-friendly choice of the three, and many even come with a tax credit. As its name implies, an electric vehicle is powered entirely by an electric motor, and doesn't contain a combustion engine at all.

Now that you know the difference between hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles, we invite you to visit our Ford dealership in Folsom, CA for a test drive. Our friendly dealers would be happy to answer your questions about green vehicles, too.