Hybrid vs. Electric Cars

If you’re looking to maximize your fuel efficiency on the Warsaw streets without sacrificing performance, consider upgrading to a hybrid or electric vehicle! Hybrids and EVs used to be expensive and hard to find, but these days, every popular automaker offers a hybrid or electric model in their inventories. You can find electric pickup trucks, electric sports cars, and even electric passenger buses on the road today! Honda currently offers the CR-V Hybrid and Accord Hybrid in its lineup, with the fully-electric Honda Prologue SUV coming later this year. While hybrid and electric vehicles are similar in that they are both electric-based, there are some important differences between them. Which type of vehicle better suits your needs? Check out the guide below to decide between a hybrid vs. electric car!

Hybrid Cars vs. Electric Cars: The Basics

First, before we dive into the individual benefits of hybrid vs. electric power, let’s take a look at how each type of vehicle works:

Hybrid Cars

As the name states, hybrid vehicles run on gasoline and electric power. They’re still powered by an internal combustion engine, the same as any gas-powered car, but also have a secondary electric motor that reduces fuel use and maximizes performance. Standard hybrids, also called parallel hybrids, have engines that directly power the wheels, while series hybrids have engines that solely power the electric motor. There are also plug-in hybrids, which bridge the gap between hybrids and full EVs by offering larger and more powerful electric batteries, at the expense of plugging your vehicle in to recharge it.

Electric Cars

Electric vehicles, or EVs, are powered entirely by an electric motor, which in turn draws power from a battery that is recharged when you plug it into a wall socket. Without an internal combustion engine, there’s no cabin noise and close to zero carbon emissions, not to mention near-instantaneous torque and acceleration! EVs usually come with a range of around 100-300 miles per charge and tend to offer more horsepower than their gas-powered counterparts. 

Benefits of Hybrid Vehicles

Hybrids are a great choice for Indianapolis drivers who are interested in improving their daily gas mileage without changing up their daily driving habits too much. Hybrids work better for long-distance road trips since you always have gasoline power as a backup and can fill up at any service station. The battery also self-charges (unless you have a plug-in hybrid), so you won’t have to spend money installing a charging station. Hybrid vehicles are also a bit more affordable than fully electric vehicles, which can be compounded with reduced gasoline usage to lead to long-term savings!

Benefits of Electric Vehicles

Fully electric vehicles require zero gasoline and put out zero carbon emissions, which makes them excellent for the environment as well as your wallet. Without an internal combustion engine, you can say goodbye to filling up at gas stations or coming in for oil changes. Electric vehicles are famous for providing a smooth, agile, yet nearly silent ride due to the lack of engine noise and the power of the electric motor. And with more and more longer-range EVs coming out every day, you may even be able to head out on a long-distance trip! Here are some of the most common benefits of driving an EV:

• Low or zero tailpipe emissions
• Quieter ride with no engine noise
• No money spent on gas 
• Fewer maintenance costs (no oil changes or engine upkeep)
• Potential EV incentives based on your location 
• Flexible charging options, including home and public options

Compare Hybrid Cars vs. Electric Cars at Don Ayres Honda

While the Honda Prologue isn’t out in Wabash yet, you can take any of our hybrid models out for a test drive if you want! Just contact our office to see what we have available and we’ll get you behind the wheel in no time. You can also head to our model research hub for more information on the vehicles in our current lineup.