The Benefits And Disadvantages Of Plug In Hybrid Cars

By Author: Jeremy Allston
Total Articles: 5
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Plug in hybrid cars are the new generation of environmentally friendly cars that are rapidly gaining in popularity due to their fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions.


A plug in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), otherwise known as plug in hybrid vehicle (PHV) or simply plug-in hybrid, is a car that uses rechargeable batteries. It can be restored to full charge by simply connecting a plug to a normal 120 volt electric wall socket. For local driving, your car can run purely on electrical energy, giving you a radically cheaper, cleaner and quieter driving experience. For longer travels, you can then switch to petrol. Thus, you have two options to suit your activities while saving on your fuel costs.


The following guide will discuss the main advantages and disadvantages of plug in hybrid vehicles, so you can decide whether this option would be a good buy for your needs.


BENEFITS


Fuel and Maintenance Costs


All in all, the cost ofrunning an electrically chargedplug in hybrid car is estimated at less than a quarter of the cost ...
... of petrol. Depending on the model, a plug in hybrid achieves about twice the fuel economy as a conventional car of the same size and capacity. What’s more, the service costs are lower for this type of vehicle.


You can reduce your costs even more by plugging-in your PHEV at night, because off-peak electricity use increasingly costs less. As uptake of this technology increases in the vehicle marketplace, we'll see a corresponding rise support from electric utility companies, who willreduce night-time charging rates even further as an incentive. In some areas where wind and hydropower is wasted at night, the cost can be even lower.


Eco-Friendly


Plug in hybrid cars significantly reduce air pollution as you’re not totally dependent on petrol. By powering your car electrically, you’ll be reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which helps in the fight against global warming. Also, by reducing our reliance on the earth’s finite supply of oil and petroleum, we are creating a far more sustainable future.


A definitive study by the EPRI-NRDC Definitive Study on whether PHEV’s will significantly reduce carbon emissions if broadly adopted has proven that under all nine scenarios for both rates of market penetration of plug in hybridsand the evolving power grid's production capacity versus it’s resulting carbon emissions, plug in hybrid cars will vastly reduce greenhouse gases over the next 40 years. A second study measuring their eco-friendly effect over the next 20 years has demonstrated that even if we still continue to use alot of coal for fuel production, the UK’s air quality will still see a vast improvement. Thus, the EPRI-NRDC study has now given an official environmental stamp of approval to plug in hybrid vehicles.


Finally, scientists have also confirmed that unlike petrol fuelled cars, plug in hybrids will actually get cleaner as they get older because the electrical power grid is getting increasingly eco-friendly.


Travel Options


Plug in hybrids reduce the “range-anxiety” associated with all-electrical vehicles because they include a fuel back-up tank. You can choose to travel in an all-electric mode for most of your local driving, but when the battery’s electric charge is depleted, a downsized gas engine powers the car until the next opportunity to recharge the batteries.Thus, plug in hybrids provide most of the benefits of an electric car, while maintaining the same driving range as traditional vehicles. Furthermore, this technology allows you to re-charge your batteries from the convenience of your own home.


Added Energy Resource


A plug in hybrid car can in effect provide power to an entire home in the case of an electrical outage. A fleet of plug in hybrids could even power critical public systems during emergencies.


DISADVANTAGES


The plug in hybrid cars available today perform just as well as other cars, yet it must be said that they don’t last as long. The batteries used in PHV’s are expected by manufacturers to last an average of 10 years before they need to be completely replaced. Since these batteries are much more expensive and more integrated into the engine system than those of traditional hybrids or petrol-only cars, these replacements are currently still rather pricey. Governments worldwide however are looking into consumer tax incentives however to offset this disadvantage and encourage public uptake.


In addition, the good news is that battery technology is also improving steadily - lithium-ion, includingnano-technology versions,are look promising – so they will become more affordable over time.


Conclusion


Our conversion to plug in hybrid cars is a fast approaching necessity to cut fuel costs, reduce our dependence on the planet’s finite fuel resources and minimise the dangerous effects of carbon emissions which contribute towards global warming. Quite simply, ‘going green’ for transport is the way of the future.


About the author:Jeremy Allston is a car repair business owner and plug in hybrid car enthusiast.