EV, PHEV, & Hybrids Compared

If you’re considering moving away from a gas-powered vehicle, you have several options to consider. These include electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and hybrid cars. With so many powertrain alternatives, it can be difficult to keep track of the different vehicle types and which one would best suit your needs. Our team here at Spokane Hyundai can explain some of these differences to you.

EV vs. PHEV vs. Hybrid Overview

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An electric vehicle or EV is a car or crossover powered exclusively by a battery and an electric motor. Depending on the powertrain, EVs may feature a single electric motor on the front or rear axle or twin electric motors to provide extra power. EVs have a large lithium-ion battery that can typically provide a driving range in the region of 200 to 300 miles.

Plug-in hybrids or PHEVs are equipped with a smaller battery, an electric motor, and a gas-powered engine. They have an all-electric driving range, which is normally somewhere between 20 and 50 miles. Once the all-electric driving range is used up, PHEVs transition automatically to the gas powertrain so you can continue driving without interruption.

Hybrid vehicles have a gas-powered engine with an electric motor to provide additional power. These cars and SUVs don’t run on a battery, which means they don’t have an all-electric driving range. However, the electric motor helps improve a hybrid’s gas mileage compared to a traditional gas-powered vehicle. The battery that provides power to the electric motor is recharged by the gas engine.

Advantages of EVs

One of the biggest advantages offered by an EV is that it allows you to stop using gas altogether. Your vehicle obtains all the power it needs from a charger at home or a public charging station. This fact is especially important for people who want to reduce their carbon footprint.

Another bonus of EVs is that they have long driving ranges. A fully charged battery in an all-electric car or SUV should provide a long enough driving range for several days of your daily commute or a longer trip out of town. If you have to drive a longer distance than your vehicle’s driving range, you can quickly recharge the battery at one of a growing number of fast charging stations across the country.

You may also qualify for incentives if you purchase an EV. One of these is a federal tax credit that can save you thousands of dollars on your final purchase price.

Benefits of PHEVs

One thing that makes a PHEV attractive is that the gas engine acts as a reliable backup. If you don’t have time to recharge your battery, or you have to spend more time on the road than you expected, the gas engine automatically kicks in.

PHEVs may also be more convenient to charge than EVs for some people. For example, if you use your PHEV for your daily short commute, you can recharge its battery overnight using a household power outlet. In contrast, recharging an EV on a household power outlet can take well over a day because the battery is much bigger.

Advantages of Hybrids

If you want a vehicle with better fuel economy but are concerned about finding the time to charge a battery, a hybrid car or crossover could be your best choice. You’ll still benefit from lower gas costs because the electric motor will help improve the efficiency of your powertrain.

Hybrid vehicles also tend to have more affordable price tags than their PHEV and EV counterparts. This makes them attractive to car buyers shopping on a modest budget. For example, the two-row Hyundai Tucson Hybrid crossover has a starting price for the 2022 model year of around $29,000. The Tucson Hybrid PHEV starts at around $35,000.

Hyundai EVs and PHEVs for Sale in Spokane, Washington

Hyundai has a great selection of EVs, PHEVs, and hybrids for you to consider. If you’re looking for an all-electric SUV, the two top choices are the Ioniq 5 and the Kona EV.

The Ioniq 5 is available in rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. With rear-wheel drive, the Ioniq 5 has a 225-horsepower powertrain and a driving range of up to 300 miles. All-wheel drive versions have an extra electric motor that helps to put out 320 horsepower and achieve a driving range of 269 miles. This all-electric SUV is a good choice for families needing space since it features over 27 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the rear-row seats.

The Kona EV is slightly smaller than the Ioniq 5, but it’s also a more affordable option. Its all-electric powertrain puts out 201 horsepower and has a driving range of 258 miles. Inside the cabin, the Kona EV has space for up to five people and about 19 cubic feet of cargo space at the rear.

The Tucson is available as a PHEV or a hybrid crossover. The PHEV’s powertrain consists of a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, an electric motor, and a battery pack that combined produce 261 horsepower. The PHEV has an all-electric driving range of 33 miles. The Tucson Hybrid has a similar powertrain that puts out 226 horsepower. Its gas mileage numbers are 37 mpg on city roads and 36 mpg on the highway.

If you’re looking for a hybrid sedan, both the Elantra and Sonata are offered in hybrid configurations. The midsized Sonata has slightly more interior space than the compact Elantra, which is ideal for city driving.

Get Your EV, Hybrid, Or PHEV at Spokane Hyundai

If you’d like to know more about EVs and PHEVs, or Hyundai’s lineup of electric cars and crossovers, don’t hesitate to contact us today. Here at Spokane Hyundai, our team of EV experts can answer your questions about what it’s like to own a battery-powered electric vehicle, give you charging tips, and arrange a test drive.

Our finance team can arrange a competitive auto loan to fund your vehicle purchase. Check out the vehicles on offer in our online inventory, or drop by our Spokane showroom to take a look for yourself.